<p>My thoughts go out to this student also. I think in the midst of this apparent witch hunt, people seem to have forgotten this person was a child when these events occurred. While that doesn't excuse whatever may have happened, I tend to believe that all children deserve a second chance. Anyway, aren't student records confidential? If I were his parents, I'd be asserting his right to privacy. And I also think that it is immoral to brand a child "the cheater." Not everyone has a smooth road to adulthood. Kids make mistakes and they learn from them. To have an entire community bearing down on one adolescent seems a little sick to me. If they are worried about sending the wrong message to other students, they should consider the message sent when a whole community sets out to destroy one student b/c he made a mistake.</p>
<p>As far as the girl with anorexia being denied valedictorian, that is the single most appalling thing I have read on cc. I hereby toss those administrators into the 10th circle of hell reserved for those who have abandoned compassion and reason for expediency.</p>
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<p>mominsearch, the parents of the girl in Texas do sound very gracious. I think that probably stems from being thankful that their daughter is alive and recuperating. I can't imagine having a child with an eating disorder and seeing the pain it inflicts not only on the child, but on the entire family. I have a friend whose daughter suffers from an eating disorder. It's awful. I guess in the big scheme of things, graduating as valedictorian is very low on the list of importance when your child's life has been at risk. I hope the girl continues to thrive. How fabulous that she was able to do so well, even after missing the first six weeks of school, that she still came out on top! Kudos to her ... everyone knows she is the rightful valedictorian. </p>
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I tend to believe that all children deserve a second chance
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mcdeb1958, I could be wrong, but I thought I had read that "the cheater" (and that is what she is) had been caught cheating more than once, therefore giving her more than one chance. It sounds like she wasn't sufficiently punished and therefore thought nothing of doing it again.</p>
<p>I have to disagree that because the person was "a child" when this occurred that it's somehow acceptable to sweep it under the rug. The entire community is up in arms (as far as I can tell) because there have been no consequences to this "child". And I think the outrage is directed towards the adults involved more even than the kid. This kid learned that cheating won't be punished, and it's the way to get ahead. I began issuing consequences for lying and cheating by the time my kid was 4 years old. I certainly expect that consequences would flow to a teenager.</p>
<p>[Q]To have an entire community bearing down on one adolescent seems a little sick to me.[/Q]</p>
<p>What happens with zero tolerance drug policies? The kid is kicked out of school. Why should someone who cheats his/her way to the top suffer a lesser, if not no, punishment? Remember too that this adolescent, if arrested for a crime, would most likely be tried as an adult. This is no "kid" who made one mistake. This is a pattern that will continue until it's addressed. It's a learned behavior. I don't see any "sickness" involved in being outraged that this behavior is not only not condemned, but is rewarded.</p>
<p>The story about the val who missed the start of junior year due to treatment for anorexia is incredibly outrageous. That rule's intent must have been more to do with a kid moving INTO the school system. This was a girl in this school system since kindergarten who had to take a leave (fairly briefly) due to a life threatening illness. I don't see that in the same category as someone who did not START this school until part way into junior year. This girl was already enrolled but was absent due to an extended illness. I can't believe that her guidance counselor, special education administrator or principal did not advocate for this situation. Her absence had other ramifications beyond val status. For instance, she had to deal with missed school work. She missed more than the usual number of allowed absences. Having had a daughter who just missed a month of school due to her injuries, I can tell you that the GC put her immediately under some law status (I forget the number of it) which allowed for accommodations regarding the work, the number of absences and so forth. It came under special education administration. She was protected by this law and whatever accomodations needed to be made. I am wondering with the girl with anorexia, just what arrangement with regard to schoolwork and absences was arranged....like if it came under this law. I'm talking about WITHOUT the valedictorian issue. I would think she came under SOMETHING just for having been absent and missed the work. And whatever THAT was, should have taken care of the status with regard to class rank. What that school did is appalling if you ask me. I understand the family not fighting it because it is all perspective because just having their daughter back and healthy (I hope) is the MUCH MUCH bigger picture and they likely just want to move on and get out of that school at this point. Everyone will know she earned the val status. And in any case, she has much to be proud of as do they. And yes, ya gotta wonder had it been cancer or something like that, if that absence would have counted in the same way as this disease. </p>
<p>With regard to the boy who cheated...I already posted that I think it is great that Txtaximom is working to affect change in the honor policy so as to prevent this in the future. While I understand McDeb's point about a kid making a mistake, he made the mistake repeatedly and without consequence. Of course kids make mistakes. But for certain kinds of mistakes, the school usually gives a consequence. This person deserved the consequence and not to take the honors from someone else who had earned them without breaking the rules. I don't think there needs to be a lynch mob about this boy but more about the community speaking up to help establish policies to make sure this cannot happen again. Next time a kid chooses to make this mistake, he/she will get the consequence and will not earn the honors this boy was afforded. Schools have rules for many things. My niece was not allowed to attend her graduation or prom last year because of being caught with a beer on a school trip to Disney World. She paid the price. Do kids make dumb mistakes? Yes they do. Schools have policies and must enforce them. This young man got by because the school did not uphold any policy and apparently does not have one to address this issue. It would not be as outrageous if we are just merely talking about someone who cheated but in this particular case, he is being afforded many high level honors where there are limitted spots and it is not right that he earned those honors in less scrupulous fashions. If it were merely cheating that did not affect this honors status, it would still be a problem but not as public or as disturbing. I think those in the community, like TxTaxiMom, should not dwell on this boy but work to change the policy so as to benefit all in the future. That is an appropriate way to deal with it as opposed to complaining much more about this kid. They definitely need to change things there....same with the val girl's school!
Susan</p>
<p>I'm no fan of zero tolerance especially as it relates to children. The idea of an education, I thought, is to help a child learn and mature into a productive adult. </p>
<p>Anyway, frankly, if this administration had half a brain they would simply state it is a privacy matter and refuse to discuss it further. The "punishment" for cheating is their call - this student did receive same. If the "community" and I use that term loosely, felt the punishment was inadequate, well I question why that is at all relevant in terms of this student. If they want to change policy, fine. But to use this student to do it is unconscionable.</p>
<p>When people start equating cheating as a 15 year old with committing a crime and zero tolerance, that illustrates how we have become confused and somehow began seeing all transgressions as equal.</p>
<p>Why make it a privacy matter? To avoid embarrassment for the student? She should be embarrassed! Also, at the age of fifteen or sixteen, I believe a child has pretty much mapped out what type of person they are going to be ... a hard-working student who takes pride in his/her work, a slacker, a thug, a cheater who is either too dumb or or too lazy to do his/her own work, a partier, etc. I agree that education is a tool used to help children learn and mature into a productive adult, but give me a break if you think a 15 or 16-year-old doesn't know that cheating is wrong, wrong, wrong. I'll tell you what is sick to me ... a cheater who receives benefits (scholarships, accolades, etc.) from his/her ill-gotten gains. </p>
<p>Three years ago, we had a child in our school who was definitely on the wrong track. He was getting involved in things in which he shouldn't. Many of us were convinced that he would be dead or in jail by the time he was 20. The coach, also a minister, took him under his wing and attempted to set him straight. That worked well until he went to high school. The coach continued to be involved in his life. Unfortunately, you can't necessarily help someone who doesn't want to be helped. Just three weeks ago, at the age of 17, any future this boy might have had came to a grinding halt when he put four bullets in another boy. He will be tried as an adult in the first murder case we've had here in eight years. </p>
<p>Of course there is no comparison in the two ... cheating and murder. I am simply of the belief that if bad behavior is not nipped in the bud, it will continue. If you think in-school-suspension is a punishment, I wish you could hear how the kids at my school talk about it. It's nothing. Of course, had it been my child who had done the cheating, the school wouldn't have to worry about punishing her. By the time I was finished with her, she would be begging for any punishment the school could dole out. The apple probably doesn't fall far from the tree.</p>
<p>SplashMom, so sorry to hear of such a tragedy in your area and the loss of the precious life of a young person. His family and community must be reeling. And sadly, the boy who did it's life is really a loss as well. Just terrible all the way around.</p>
<p>Well, that brought tears to my eyes. Three kids have commmitted suicide in our community in the last year. I wonder if they felt that their lives were "mapped out" because of choices they made in high school? I myself was a very troubled teenager. I am also living proof that sometimes we become better people than we appear to be capable of becoming at the age of 15. </p>
<p>Anyone reading your post should give some thought to the possibility that those slackers, thugs, cheaters and partiers who are "too dumb" or "too lazy" to do their own work may have already dealt with life issues that you couldn't imagine in your worst nightmare. I do not believe in throwaway kids. I believe that where there is life, there is hope.</p>
<p>It is terrible. I cried when I first heard, not only for the boy who died (his siblings attend my school), but for the boy who pulled the trigger. DH, DD and I used to give him and his cousin a ride home after basketball games. We didn't want them walking home in the dark. There was minimal parental involvement. We (school staff) knew if we could keep him involved in school activities, it was less time spent on the street. Sadly, he began stealing from the homes of other boys who would invite him to dinner, etc. It really is sad. When the coach visited him in jail, he asked if it was anger that caused him to kill the other boy. His answer? "No ... image."</p>
<p>I agree with soozievt & other posters that this student is being held up as a scapegoat. What about the teachers, principal, and other higher ups? They are the ones who should be in trouble. They are the ones that are sending the message that cheating is okay - not the student. They chose not to do anything about it the first time he/she cheated. They let the student continue this behaviour. Is the student responsible for their actions, yes without a doubt. However, if you give any kid an inch they'll take a mile. As to letting the public know who the cheater is - I really don't think that this kids name should be made known. After all, I am sure that there are many other students at this school who have cheated. </p>
<p>texasmom - I am glad that you are trying to change what is going on. Good luck to you. I know that it is so hard to see all the unfairness that has been going on, but everyone else is guilty for this student's continuing behaviour. I know that at our school cheating is at an all time high, but when you have president's, pastors, and everyone else lying/cheating all the time where does it end? If we don't expect more from adults then how can we expect it from children? To tell you the truth I feel sorry for this student. Maybe he/she doesn't care now, but later when he/she looks back who would want to know you got to the top only by cheating.</p>
<p>Biden wasn't asked to leave Syracuse for the incident referred to above. He received an F in a course his first year of law school for what was deemed to be plagiarism from a law review article. (Press reports about this differ; some say he footnoted the article once, and others say he footnoted it heavily. The Delaware Supreme Court looked into the matter years later, and concluded that it should have been handled as an academic issue rather than an honesty issue, which supports the "heavily footnoted" account.) Biden was later allowed to repeat the course, and did go on go get his law degree from Syracuse.</p>
<p>splashmom - I DO NOT think that this student's identity should be published everywhere and be treated like a leper. The ADULTS are the ones who should be in trouble here. If they had taken care of this situation in the first place this thread would have never have been started. While I don't believe in the "everyone's a victim" thing this person was allowed to cheat. They allowed her to graduate in the top of the class. What if this were your child? If the school had never contacted you about this problem & you weren't aware of it would you want your child's name splashed all over? Where the parents ever notified? I don't know, but maybe his/her parents don't care or they see nothing wrong with the behaviour. We as a society tolerate lying. After all look at the celebrities, presidents, etc. that get away with it.</p>
<p>I am also bothered about the statement of 15/16 years olds having their chances of success mapped out - Are we losing sight that these children have terrible home lives, or have emotional/mental problems? Do you know how many students come from homes of alcoholics, drug addicts, etc.? TONS of children. Should we just discount them from becoming productive adults because they don't have their lives together by 15/16? PARENTS are key to success. Let's not take it out on innocent children let's put the responsibility back on the parents.</p>
<p>"Of course there is no comparison in the two ... cheating and murder."</p>
<p>Don't be so quick to make that assumption. More people likely died as a result of their medical benefits being cut off, and suicides, etc. as a result of cheating at Enron than from the acts of virtually any murderer in the country. White collar crime - usually a form of "cheating" - has very substantial, and often foreseeable, nasty ramifications.</p>
<p>mini - you raise a very good point. Lying & cheating definately leads to many many problems. We do need to address it as a society, but to take it out on the student & not the adults who let him/her get away with it is wrong. I am not saying that this student be allowed to graduate with honors, etc. but this is all after the fact. It should have been dealt with immediately! The people who let this student get away with cheating did him/her a great disservice.</p>
<p>It would have been easiest simply to give the kid an "F" in the courses in which the student was caught cheating, put an asterisk as to why the "F" on the transcript, and leave it at that. The honors would have disappeared, the GPA driven down, and everyone could go home.</p>
<p>Yes, the issue is not to dwell on that one kid only (even though it led to unfair honors, etc). I am sure lots of kids are cheating there. The way to address this problem there, as I hope TxTaxiMom seems to be doing, is to get MANY people (parents, students, faculty who were bothered by it too) to come to a meeting with the school board to discuss formulating a policy for the future so that this does not happen so easily next time. Too late with this kid. The school must have policies and enforce them. Hopefully a wide array of people will speak at a policy hearing with the school board. There is power in numbers. Rather than make it a lynchmob, it should be addressing the failures of the system here and the formulation of policies to avoid such failures in the future. If the school does not stand tall with regard to cheating, who will?</p>
<p>mominsearch, I certainly don't mean to let the enablers of the cheaters get off easy. They, too, are guilty ... guilty of doing nothing to stop the behavior. I didn't mean to imply that the girl's name should be published anywhere, but I don't think people should have to speak of it in hushed tones, either. I also don't think people should feel obligated to acknowledge her accomplishments. Sadly, she'll be remembered as a cheat ... she brought that on herself and it was promoted by those administrators who chose to do nothing. </p>
<p>I couldn't agree more that parents are a key to success. That's why I said the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. I see parents lie on a daily basis about numerous things. Sadly, many children learn their poor behavior from their parents.</p>