accused of cheating

cptofthehouse
Sat, 08 May 2010 22:09:49 +0000

Pugmadkate, yes, snitching becomes a very real thing if that a kid becomes labeled as such. I know of two kids whose idealistic parents felt that snitching is such a word that should not be used but noble euphemisms should be employed. That didn’t help the kids an iota when they got labeled as snitches.

I would not hesitate an instant to go full court press if there is truly a provable instance of cheating. I would report it and take the hell and fury. I’ve done it. No anonymous letters about it. But to make an unprovable charge is true folly. I’ve seen nothing but trouble come from that.

First of all, it is a serious accusation to make. You had better be danged sure. And if the proof is not there and the situation has to be dropped, the accuser can be in trouble too. I am trying to be realistic about how these things work.

If a system looks like it is open for cheating, but you cannot prove your suspicions that people are cheating, let the department or teacher know of how easily the cheating can occur.

Yes, I am using the word “snitch” because it is a serious label for a kid to get when the word gets out. If the evidence does not pan out, it can result in a problem for someone so labeled.

I am appalled at this particular situation where the OP’s son is being accused of cheating when the only proof is an unlikely statistical pattern on multiple choice tests. To me, that is not proof positive. However, it may by definition, be so. I consider cheating, stealing accusations to be big deal things that should not be directly levied unless there is proof.