Severna Park High School students want the Anne Arundel County School Board to give teachers more authority to reprimand students found cheating as one way of attacking the problem in county schools.
“If our teachers are not allowed to punish the cheaters, the problem will just accelerate,” said 16-year-old Brittany Gendron, who was among three students who voiced their concern about the May 11 incident when at least two Severna Park students were reported for cheating on an Advanced Placement U.S. government exam.
During a break in the exam, classmates saw the students in the girl?s restroom using review books to prepare for the essay portion, Gendron said at a board meeting Wednesday.
“People saw them, and the administration didn?t do anything,” she said.
The results of an informal student survey at Severna Park showed that of the 319 students questioned, the majority said cheating occurs and is an issue, 17-year-old Russell Beierl told the board.
An investigation by the College Board, the AP exam administrator, resulted in only 42 of the 45 students being permitted to retake the exam, said school system spokesman Bob Mosier, who would not elaborate further on the ongoing investigation.
Mallory Colegrove, 17, told the board members many students are pushed to take honors and AP classes that are too difficult for them because the school wants to boost its academic prowess.
“You sit down to a test … and you don?t know any of it,” Colegrove said. “That?s when the eyes wander and cell phones come out.”
But board President Tricia Johnson said, “the concern being pressed is that cheating is becoming rampant, because we?re expecting more and there is more pressure. But we don?t want to lower our standards.”
Other board members agreed that measuring a student?s capability would limit student ambition and achievement.
“We have no problem with a push for excellence,” Gendron said. “We just want the strive for excellence to encompass moral excellence.”
SCHOOL SYSTEM POLICY
Cheating is categorized as a level three or a level four offense.
Level three is for a first offense, and the consequences include a one- to five-day suspension, detention, campus cleanup, in-school suspension and an alternative school-based program.
Level four offenses are more serious and consequences include a six- to 10-day suspension, restricted activities, modified school day, alternative school-based program, adjustment transfer to another school and loss of parking privileges.
Source: Anne Arundel Co. Public Schools Student Handbook
