In July, 2011, the Governor of the state of Georgia, in the United States, released a report. This report described a wide-spread system of cheating. The cheating spread through the whole school system in the large city of Atlanta. The report examined 56 schools. Investigators found cheating in 44 of these schools. Teachers from these schools organized parties they called "cheating parties". During these "cheating parties," teachers opened students' tests. They changed the wrong answers to be correct. Then they sent in the students' tests.
Investigators believe that leaders in the school system encouraged these teachers to cheat. They say the leaders even punished teachers who did not want to cheat. Teachers could not tell anyone about the cheating. The report said the cheating had been happening for almost ten years. 178 teachers and other educators were involved in this cheating. People all over the state were shocked and angry at the behavior of the teachers.
Cheating is a problem in schools around the world. Sometimes the cheating happens in a small way - from one student to another. But cheating can also be a problem throughout a school, or even a state or country! Today's Spotlight is on cheating in schools.
It was near the end of the school term in Indonesia's second largest city, Surabaya. At this time all sixth graders take a national examination. Alifah Achmad Maulana was one student who took this test.
Siami decided to report the cheating. She wanted everyone to know what teachers had asked her son to do. She told Alifah's story to local authorities. She talked to a local radio station. Soon, the story spread through Indonesia - and even to the world.
Many people were angry about the cheating. But not all of them were angry at the teachers. Some people were angry at Siami and Alifah! Local people and parents of students protested outside of Alifah and Siami's home. Many of the protesters claimed that reporting the cheating was bad for their students. The protests became dangerous for Alifah and his family. Police brought them to a safe area.
Local government investigated the claims of cheating. NPR reports that as a result of this investigation, two teachers, and one school leader were suspended. They were not permitted to teach for a period of time.
This kind of cheating is not limited to Indonesia. In places all over the world, students are faced with cheating every day. One student may want to copy work from another student to improve his test marks. Good test marks may help him get into a better school. This better education can help the student get a better job, with more money.
School leaders and teachers may ask students to cheat. They may want to improve a school's general test results. Good test results at a school can make the school seem more successful. Parents want their children to attend successful schools. And sometimes governments give money to the most successful schools. This was the case in Atlanta.
There are many ways to cheat. And in some cases, people may even wonder if what they are doing is cheating. David K Jordan teaches at the University of California, San Diego. As a professor, he has policies and rules against cheating. Many of his policies are similar to other anti-cheating policies for schools everywhere. Professor Jordan sets out helpful information concerning cheating on his University's website.
Professor Jordan writes that acting as if someone else's work is your own work is cheating. This includes things like copying answers from another person's test.
Changing information is also cheating. A person should not describe something in a false way to prove a point.
If a person lies to gain a good result, this is also cheating. For example, if a person acts as if she has a disability to gain more time to take a test, this is cheating.
Professor Jordan also says that helping a person do any of these things is also cheating.
There are many other ways to cheat. But are any of them worth it? Many people feel a deep sense of shame when they cheat. They know it is wrong. Even if they do not immediately feel shame, they may feel it later - even years later. They may feel that they do not deserve the good things they gained from cheating.
In Indonesia, Alifah's teachers asked him to cheat. He and his mother reported the cheating to the whole country. Many people became angry. But soon after, Alifah and his mother earned an award for their honesty. The National Commission for Child Protection presented the award. The group believes that honesty is a value that may be disappearing. They want to help children see how important it is to be honest, and not cheat.
This is an issue all people can think about. If we are willing to cheat as children, will we be more willing to cheat as adults? Will cheating students become cheating leaders? Is cheating ever worth it? Let us know what you think about this issue. You can leave your comments on the script page of this program.
The writer and producer of this program was Liz Waid. The voices you heard were from the United States and the United Kingdom. All quotes were adapted for this program and voiced by Spotlight. You can hear this program again, and read it, on the internet at www.radioenglish.net. This program is called "Cheating in Schools".
You can also find us on Facebook - just search for Spotlight Radio. We hope you can join us again for the next Spotlight program. Goodbye.
Why do you think people cheat? Is it ever okay? Have you ever cheated?
I think that cheating students might become cheating leaders. In other words cheating during freshman years led to cheating during adult ages.
Have a nice week to everybody.
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I am a secondary school teacher.
Some our students used to cheat but because of severe punishments the school has set, it decreased.
The point is that that habit is not worth it because if you grow up cheating you will end up cheating at work.
Finally, you will end the rest of your life in JAIL.
If you want your country improve, you must be honest about your study, your job. In my country, children is rarely studied about honesty, their parent only care about marks. Now I can't image how the future of my country are.
I can't say someting exactly about this problem. When I was in secondary school, I knew 2 girl friends, one is Trang and the other is Li. Once, in an examination, Trang cheated, she wanted to copy the answer of Li. But Li didn't want like that, then Trang pulled about the anwer of Li so the paper of Li was torn. At first, I felt angry at Trang because of her action. After long time, a friend told me that Trang's parents were very strict and temper. They would scolded her if her result was bad. Trang was very sorry about her behaviour, but she was also scared of her parents, she had no choice. She really didn't want to cheat. I felt sympathetic with her. I'm now is in the same case as her.
I'm a high school student. I like linguistic, but when I attended high school, nobody considered my ability, so I was classified in science class, I feel very hard to learn chemistry, I also have few chance to show my gift. Then people just concern about my result. What I should do? if I don't cheat to pass the subject I hate, I will have no time to learn my favorite subject, I can't get the least mark to take the university. My head teacher always complain to my parents about my result of the subject that I hate, she doesn't care for the good result of my favorite subject. If I don't cheat how I can live ? Don't blame me. I know that my behaviour seems bad. but I always strive to get best result of english in my class and infact I did it without any cheating. I want to study abroad, I want to learn how developed country can reduce cheat, then I will come back to rectify all the people who forced me to cheat, restrained my ability. I want they will no longer treat the next generations as they treated me. You know, we have about 12 subjets, just three out of them I like, is there anyone here who want to in my shoes?
My point of view about the questions you asked is: yes of course if a kid is willing to cheat will become more willing to cheat as an adult because that is what they learned.
A children's education is the adult reality.
And is it worth it? Of course not. "Cheating to the others" is cheating to ourselves!
So let's all be honest.Good program.
Cheating is a real problem but it's very common in undeveloped countries like in Southamerica where the rule is " if you want to get success in the adult life you have to cheat and deceive teachers to get a professional degree. I think that a kid learns how to behave in everything looking at his/her parents , they're the example for them, then in school , they only apply the moral rules imparted for them. Cheating is only an option to be corrupt and like in my country Ecuador , most of the people learnt to be corrupt for their parents and also learnt from very early years that honest people are fool or very innocent. Honest people are less but they mark the difference. I think a behaviour begins in the nuclear family from the beginning and parents have more responsability than teachers.
It was a good emission for today Thanks for producing it.
this story is like the story about the education of my country, Vietnam. in the past, in 2011, there was a teacher who reported the cheating in the final exam of primary school. the result what he got are ? he had to face most complain the public's, even violence. this problem is not only in Indonesia but also in Asia, i think, because almost company in Asia need a good qualification too much from the employed person without considering what they can do. it causes the cheating in studying and working, even in the daily life. The best way, i think, is that the need of improving education is necessary right now.
As students, we should put an end to cheating.
The honesty is very important in the studies.
Who dare and who can fight cheating? We have to accept it, the cheating society, the cheating culture! Say no to corruption means don't care about it! It the special feature in Orientation Culture!
The problems of cheating in schools still exist around the world. Mainly the parents should explain the children mustn't cheat, cheating is bad, the behavior in this way is bad and, besides this, the parents must set the good example for their children. If the students behave honestly at school, they will be the honest, right members of the society in future adult age too.
I agree with your conclusion, Spotlight (in fact is question). If you are willing to cheat as children, you'll be more willing to cheat as adults. If you were a cheating student, most you would become a cheating leader. It called causal principle. Cheating problem causes spread out on the world everyday. But the fight against cheating is long and must try ourselves right now. If you are students, don't cheat in your exam. And if your are adults, please to be honest even in small work in your company. Hope the honest society. Love you from Vietnam.
To: Blue Lotus, my fellow-countryman. I disagree with you. There are many ways to reach your goals. If you are not good at natural science subjects, plz explain with your parents that you just loving social science subjects, in which linguistics, If one time failure, try the second. One day, I think, your parents will figure out.
Cheating is not good for education especially at primary school.It is background knowledge to continue in higher school.e Cheating child will become a cheating adult.We need to teach and advise child to be honest in all things!
Hello Friends. People will become dishonest when in your home the parents don't teach yours sons values. If in your childhood your were cheating then in your adult life you will continue with this habit. Remember the values are learn in the home. Thanks a lot.
Yes, I had experience with cheating in school level especially at the end class of high school where that is normaly behaivour in my community (Islamic) but that was befor I become belong to JESUS.
I think that first reason for people practice the cheating is absence of moral and often existing of religios which agnist of moral such as Islam.
I think that people cheat because they do not study very well, they do not study hard enough to do the test well. For that reason they cheat on their exams.
No, It is not okay. Every students should struggle enough to do an excellent test to get a good job in their future lives.
No, I have never. I did the whole my degrees studies level in an honest way. It no matter the mark you got on the test if was 7 or 10. The most important is that mark you got by yourselves. Therefore, before the exams everybody should struggle enough to do a good test.
Cheating in schools is a serious problem , cheating in the examination is not differ of stealing or committing any other crime , its a kind of self-deception that affects the entire community , and leads to decline and destruction of generations .
Exam systems must be developed always to fill the gaps which help students to cheat . As for the teachers , the most severe punishments .
Thank you spotlight team !
If I make reports of my knowledge about cheap at school, I will write a great book of terror, dishonesty, and misbehavior.