Just a Little Cheating

Greetings Beloved Readers,

Most of you know that I work as a professor as well as a teller of tales. We are in the first session of our spring trimester and midterms are just past. The reality of student cheating was brought home to me when I caught a student I cared for deeply cheating on his midterm exam. The point is that it is prevalent, cheating. It is common and there is a skill to it. When asking students about it I get answers like “Everyone does it,” and “It is no big deal.”

I wonder if my students realize that this breaks my heart. I wonder if they care. I strive to build into my students a passion for excellence and integrity. I try to engender a world view that sees the value and needs of everyone they will deal with as valid and something to be cherished. I warn them of the penalties and personal costs of cheating but they do it anyway.

My fatal flaw as a teacher is that I really care. Today, I go to my classroom saddened that I must lay out evidence to a student who has robbed others, me, and himself through his dishonesty. Long after the term has ended and the grades for this class are in the books I will remember that a young man sold himself for a few points on an exam. He gave up his honor and the respect of his professors for an A he will not get to keep.

It saddens me greatly that the world sees this as acceptable. It grieves me that the young minds I teach, some of them, will trade themselves for a few points on an unmemorable exam. What they cannot see is that they will carry that violation with them for life if they do not own it and turn away from the dishonesty. I will be vigilant over this by God’s grace and guidance. I will save the few I can but I have little hope.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn