Caught cheating on a College Final with a prior record of Plagirism

As he says in his first sentence, he doesn’t want his parents to know. The paragons are suggesting that this isn’t possible. I think you agree.

@CheddarcheeseMN- Could you please rephrase that, I don’t understand what you are saying.

The OP is legally an adult, the school is not going to call his parents. Bringing them in is entirely his prerogative.

@Mandalorian

The school might not call his parents, but they might suspect something is up when he gets kicked out.

My point was that retaining an attorney is not something that students would do on their own. The parents would most likely hire the attorney, not the student without the parents knowing. I’ve never seen students here talking about attorneys they have hired on their own.

This thread makes me sad. You cheated (twice). You got caught. There should be a consequence. There’s no way to justify or excuse it.

Checking an exam room for cameras before hand suggests intent, or at least preparation.

You’ve been caught cheating twice, and your pre-exam check for cameras suggests that your profs suspicions of further cheating have some foundation.

There is no point in denying it to the school, and the only ‘conflict’ is how you choose to face truth and it’s consequences, including facing up to other people.


[QUOTE=""]

I understand that I did something wrong, and I do regret it. However, I can’t really
afford for another record as it may result in dismissal or expulsion.

[/QUOTE]

Your getting expelled or dismissed may be the best thing for you. If it happens, then a few years from now you’ll look back and will likely agree.

The only place I’ve ever “checked for cameras” is the ladies’ room. :-?

This should be reposted every time the OP posts about this topic as “I got confused” and “I checked for cameras” are incongruent. “I checked for cameras” is prima facie evidence that it wasn’t entrapment. My disgusted initial hunch is that you’re often “confused” about these sort of things.

Why were you “allowed” your own rom for the test? Were you taking it at the same time as the rest of your class? I’m guessing that you either requested to take the exam at a different time for nefarious purposes or else the prof was setting you up.

If the latter is true then it speaks to his character and was perhaps a nasty trick. But that doesn’t excuse your decision to cheat. Had you been honest while taking the exam it would have been to your advantage and proven his suspicion wrong. But you did cheat and the prof’s statements suggest that the rest of the department questioned your honesty before now.

Your best tactic now is to admit you were wrong. The evidence proves that you were indeed cheating. Of course any denial you make will not be believed. You cannot talk yourself out of this mess. Apologize and accept your punishment. Your parents are going to have to be told something and I believe the truth is best. They will have more trust in you that way than if they later discover you were lying.

I expect OP is long gone but - placing the answer key on the desk and walking out would have been a nasty trick. Watching OP in a room alone was an opportunity to prove guilt or innocence.

@RMNiMiTz- I’m not taking sides nor playing devil’s advocate. It’s simply a matter of logistics. Assuming OP is legally an adult and is under the FERPA Act, how would his parents learn of his expulsion? The news would have to come from him, unless the parents open his mail, which is a federal offense.

@Mandalorian Not so fast.

First one is most relevant. If OP is a dependent, parent’s have a right to know. Anyone quick to tout I’m an adult and can do what I want should also be paying the bills.

** When may a school disclose information to parents of dependent students?**

Under FERPA, schools may release any and all information to parents, without the consent of the eligible student, if the student is a dependent for tax purposes under the IRS rules.

** Can school officials share their observations of students with parents? **

Nothing in FERPA prohibits a school official from sharing with parents information that is based on that official’s personal knowledge or observation and that is not based on information contained in an education record. Therefore, FERPA would not prohibit a teacher or other school official from letting a parent know of their concern about their son or daughter that is based on their personal knowledge or observation.

Parent’s can also be notified without student consent for violations of alcohol and drug policies and law enforcement issues, including campus police

https://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/hottopics/ht-parents-postsecstudents.html

Also, once the mail is delivered to the OP’s house, it is not a federal offense for various adults who live there to open each other’s mail. It is a federal offense to open someone else’s mail while it is still in the possession of the U.S. postal service.

@Mandalorian

If his parents are paying the tuition, they will find out eventually. Whenever OP visits home, his parents may ask “how is school going” or something along those lines.

If OP is nearing graduation, his parents may want to go and be at the graduation. If OP does not graduate college or get a degree, do you not think that his parents will not get suspicious?

Even if he is legally separate, in reality, they are still his parents, who (if they are worth anything) will most likely check on him every so often. They are his parents, who raised him and no doubt care for his well-being.

OP said he doesn’t want his parents to find out. That means they are no doubt somehow involved in his college journey. Even if the college doesn’t tell his parents, they aren’t fools, they will get suspicious and find out eventually.

You need to tell the truth. Your post makes it sound as if you have not yet learned your lesson.

The place that you are transferring to will probably learn about this incident, and in any case your transcript will show it. In the long run, this sort of behavior is going to haunt you until you fully understand how bad this is. I have seen cheating done in work situations, such as workers claiming other employee’s work as their own. In the long run cheaters don’t fool anyone.

No, this doesnt smell right. OP went to his backpack, opened it and took out the papers. What’s confusing about that? What does it matter that there were “other” papers in the room?

And the icing: “she definitely won’t believe me at all.” Believe you what?? That you didn’t do all this? You did. You told us.

And what’s a lawyer supposed to do? Universities keep students subject to expectations, including both academic performance and a behavior/ honor code. OP broke this code twice.

Plus, many colleges won’t allow an outsider into a review of this nature. Nor are they required to.

Yes, when final info goes to a new school, there’s a question about, “Is this student in good standing?”

Anyone off to college had better check the student handbook and how an honor code violation, plagiarism, cheating, etc, is handled. Not assume.

I want to know how a kid affords an attorney without asking his parents…

And what rights have been violated? He cheated, he lied, and was caught. The school has every right to expel him.

He isn’t going to jail or having to pay a fine. I really fail to see what good an attorney will do.

@romanigypsyeyes You mean “I previously plagiarized and got caught, now got caught cheating a 2nd time (but no camera!) and can’t afford to get kicked out” isn’t going to tug at the heart strings of a lawyer to take the case pro bono???

OP, I am sort of wondering: Have you cheated and NOT been caught one or more times?