Consequences for Cheating in School

Kids of all ages and even students in college may feel compelled at one time or another to cheat on a test or assignment. This may seem like an easy fix to the student, but if he is caught, the repercussions can be severe. Here is some information on consequences for cheating in school.

Types

There are numerous ways that students cheat in school. The most common way is looking at another student's paper during an exam. Some students will bring in "cheat sheets," which contain answers to exam questions or notes. Not all cheating takes place during a test. Students may copy off of a friend when writing a paper or putting together a project. Plagiarism is another form of cheating since the student is stealing another person's work.

Features

Students who are caught cheating in elementary or high school will be disciplined differently than college students. In these instances, the student will be given an "F" (or "0") on the assignment/exam. The student's parents will either be called or a note will be sent home. The teacher may wish to send the student to the principal's office, depending on the situation.
Cheating in college is a more severe offense. At most universities, students caught cheating will be given an "F" for the entire course. They will also have to meet in front of a student disciplinary board. In most cases, the student will be put on academic probation for a first offense. If that same student is caught cheating again during his time in college, he will most likely be expelled.

History

There have been many famous stories regarding cheating in school. Actor Samuel L. Jackson once admitted to cheating to win a high school election. In his biography, actor and director Woody Allen was quoted as saying, "I was thrown out of NYU my freshman year. I cheated on my metaphysics final. I looked within the soul of the boy sitting next to me." In 2004, a dismissed Eton College teacher stated that she helped Prince Harry cheat on exams. These claims were rejected by a tribunal, but she did win a settlement against the school regarding her contract.

Misconceptions

Not all students who are caught cheating are dishonest people or "bad kids." Even incredibly bright students can be tempted to cheat because of stress or problems in their personal lives. For this reason, every cheating case will be looked at differently by the school before a punishment is dished out. Unless the cheating offense is major, such as stealing exams and redistributing them to other students for profit, a first-time offender will likely get a second chance by a school or university.

Considerations

It's the job of parents and teachers to make sure students know about the consequences for cheating in school. Students should be taught at a young age that cheating is morally wrong. They must know that if they are caught cheating, they will be severely punished both at school and at home. Some colleges make incoming freshmen sign an "honor contract" in which the student promises to not cheat on any assignment or exam. This way, if the student is caught cheating, he agrees that the university can punish him however the school sees fit.
A teacher can prevent cheating during exams by simply walking around during the exam. This way, any students with cheat sheets or notes can be immediately spotted. Teachers can also use Internet plagiarism detectors to check for cheating on papers and essays.
By making sure that students can't get away with cheating, the incentive to cheat is taken away.

Resources

• Plagiarism Detector
• Prince Harry story
• Woody Allen quote