<p>My teacher claims that I and two other students cheated on a exam. Her basis for this accusation is that:
1. Two students have told her their suspicion of us cheating. (the only students in that area were us!!!)
2. Our answers seem very similar.
The test was partly multiple choice, and the rest was true/ false with a short essay question at the end. The teacher says that 3 of our questions were marked wrong the same which she thinks is enough to prove that we were collaborating. Mind you, the test had 50 + questions.
Also, the teacher wasn't there when we took the test. We were outside. I know it makes us look even more guilty, but she DID leave us unsupervised so she didn't catch the cheating with her own eyes. Also, because we were outside it's impossible that any of our classmates could have "seen" us cheating. Plus we really didn't. One of the other girls already talked to the teacher about our side of the story but she refuses to change her mind. We've received a zero on the exam and now I have an overall grade of F in the class. I'm going to talk to the teacher again on Monday and I think it seems that it's now necessary to bring in my parents and the principal or vice principal. What are your thoughts?</p>
<p>Also: I have an excellent history in all my other classes and I've always been a good student. There's no need for me to cheat....
I'm having really bad anxiety issues over this. Anyone with any ideas please answer! I have a clean track record and if this zero stays my whole high school career is over.</p>
<p>Thanks.
But I’m already being treaten as guilty.
The other 3 girls and I will bring our parents in. I’m just scared to death because there’s all this evidence pointing against us, albeit weak evidence. Seems to be someone conspiring against us or falsely spreading lies.</p>
<p>yea bring your parents in and talk with the teacher. Plus try to find out who lied about you because they are crap to try to screw you like that.</p>
<p>apparently two separate students told on us. But they’re just “suspicious”
Ok well making us taking a test outside is suspicious to begin with.
God… I don’t know what to do anymore…</p>
<p>Know the following -
Is this grade in keeping with your normal grades? Can you give a reason that you would have had three wrong answers other than chance or cheating? Were the questions worded ambiguously? Did you discuss the meaning of the questions and come to the same wrong conclusion? Had you studied together and screwed up some concept so that all of you would have the same wrong answer? How many others in the class had the same wrong answer as you guys?
When I graded math homework in college, I usually could tell who had copied who. We never considered copying homework as cheating, but my feeling was, if you copied, you should catch careless errors. I used to write a note to the one who I was pretty sure was doing the work - saying something like, “For number 5, you and Mr. X had the same wrong answer. I would suggest that you work with someone else or check your work carefully before handing it in.” I never wrote the note on the paper of the person who was probably copying. My prof knew what I was doing but never asked me to say who was doing what.</p>
<p>The grades we WOULD have received instead of the zero ARE within what students of our potential would have gotten.
It’s not like, we completely aced it or did very well.
Another girl and I have several classes together and often we discuss the content of our courses. This could definitely lead us to marking the same answers.
Also, the True-False questions (about 40 of them) were really hard. On several of them I just ended up guessing. I talked to the other girls and they did the same too.</p>
<p>In this case I would bring parents in because you can’t really just say someone was cheating without solid proof. After that, go find the whore that’s screwing with you and pimp slap him/her.</p>
<p>omg that sucks. i went through something similar last year. but i have a pretty good relationship with my counsellor and some other teachers, and i just started crying becuase i was so scared. they understood, and so did the examiner that i really would not cheat, becuase i have a really good history, and it isn’t something i would do</p>
<p>this is really serious. the F suuccks, but then having it go on your permanent record is a really big deal, and they can’t just issue that kind of stuff without any legit proof. tell your parents, i hope your parents know you and trust you, and talk to the administration as well. i know you probably dont wanna approach them, but the sooner better, and clear this up quickly before it drags on. annd just say quite simply that it isn’t fair. i didn’t cheat. now i get an F…for NOT cheating…thats not fair WHATSOEVER. do and say whatever you can to talk some sense into that idiot, and let us know how things turn out</p>
<p>also, don’t JUST say whatever YOU have to say for yourself. listen carefully to what she says in return, and rebut to her point specifically, until she has nothing left she can say against you</p>
<p>thanks, what you guys said gave me a lot of comfort.
The other two girls accused will bring in their parents as well. With so many people involved I think the admin will have to accommodate us since it’s likely to get out of hand.</p>
<p>I’m also worried about the time issue, because I want this to be resolved ASAP.
We were accused on Friday [yesterday].
One of the girls had a long talk with her yesterday as well, but to no avail.
The other girl and I plan to talk to her on Monday.
After that, we will bring in our parents BUT
It is Thanksgiving break and the teacher will be out for a whole week… :/</p>
<p>Do you think the teacher saying that a lot of our answers were similar is SOLID evidence?
It could be HIGHLY suspicious, but again, she did not see any exchanges with her own eyes.</p>
<p>If you talk to your teacher, don’t be too over the top aggressive cause you’ll just **** her off more. Keep your cool and calmly explain what happened. And definitely get your parents involved. Don’t be worried that they have to “fight your battles” or whatever because teachers fear parental complaints to administration.</p>
<p>She seems 100% convinced that we cheated. All the “signs” are there. The only thing she’s missing is 1st rate knowledge.
I’m just really worried that whoever made up the lie will be really persuasive, and that administration will fall for it. Ughhh…</p>
<p>This situation is kinda like the SAT. People will usually get the same problems wrong (hence the curve). </p>
<p>It’s not “fishy” if two smart students get the same problems wrong.</p>
<p>You can also ask her to check the class’s results. If the majority of people also got the same problems wrong, then there is absolutely no reason to call you on “cheating”.</p>