When I was visiting a few primary schools in Wales, England, Italy, Spain and Holland I talked to the teachers and students. For most of them, cheating is an unknown and unnecessary technique of working. I saw students sitting at the same table writing a test. They did not ‘need’ any dishonest help to check their knowledge. The teachers said: “ It is necessary to test students in order to find out how much they have learned. It is impossible to introduce new material without being sure that old material has been learnt properly. Students know they must act fair, because they are conscious of the fact that if they need any help we must know the truth. We are for our students and they need us. Cheating? ... What’s this? We have nothing to do with cheating in a primary school!”

My friend, who is a Spanish teacher in California, has told me that cheating is a serious offense in the American culture. It is considered dishonest and the people who cheat are considered untrustworthy. Schools in the United States have strict rules to discourage cheating. In the Middle school, where she works, when a student is caught cheating, there are several consequences. First of all, both, the person getting the answers as well as the person supplying them, are considered cheaters. The quiz, test, or exam that they are completing receives a mark of ‘0’ without the possibility of a make up to recover the points. Then, the teacher writes a Discipline Report. This is a paper made out in triplicate. One copy goes to the Vice Principal, who is in charge of discipline, the other goes home for the parents to sign and the last one is kept by the teacher.

Mercy says that when a cheating incident occurs in her school, the teacher is expected to give the student an "U" (unsatisfactory) on their report card. When a student receives an "U" he or she is excluded, for the duration of that quarter, to participate in any special school activities as dances, field trips, and some sports. When the student is in the 8th grade, he or she won't be allowed to apply to go to the end of year historical trip to Washington DC or the end of year picnic and other "good bye" activities. Any student with an "U" in citizenship is excluded from the Honor Roll even is the rest of the report card is straight "A's".

Last year, in the school where Mercy works, a brilliant student was looking at a classmate's math paper during a test. She was reported by another student. The "cheater" said: "I was just glancing at her paper. I am one of the best math students in this school". She showed little remorse. The lack of remorse was not appreciated by anyone, students or teachers. There was a lot of gossiping since that student had been chosen to be one of the speakers at graduation ceremonies. The teachers had a special meeting and they voted. Unanimously, the teachers decided to exclude the girl as a speaker. It was decided that allowing a tinge of cheating and a bad attitude on a person speaking at graduation was denying all that the school stands for and believes in. She did not speak, and she cried rivers of tears. In University a student who cheats is expelled and it is said that there is no other university which would accept him or her once there is a record of cheating.

Mercy said: “You would think that this would discourage the students from cheating but it is not so. They try it at every opportunity. There are several reasons for that. In the United States they are not a homogeneous people. In many countries (I will not mention) helping a needy student is considered the honorable thing to do. If the person is from your same background you must help the other one do well in a test, and that saves face for all the people in that group.

There is also a "student pact" that crosses cultural lines. You are just NOT A GOOD FRIEND if you don't help with the answers. The other students label you selfish, egoist and any other bad quality they can think of. So to be "cool" and socially acceptable by their peers, students cheat.

Another reason is parental pressure. In American community that great majority of the parents are professionals and they expect their children to follow in the parents footsteps. They want their children to attend high standards universities and they believe their report cards must be flawless. The children claim their parents punish them when they don't have the highest possible marks. In some cases this is true, and it is also very sad. They have some very stressed children.”

Now, as a teacher, I have my own beliefs: If a student gets a high mark on a test only by cheating the person being cheated is the student herself or himself. That is not an accurate depiction of the students knowledge and it leads to more problems later on. These problems will surface when the student advances to a higher level where they are expected to know well the previous concepts in order to advance. And... what if this happens in their jobs? Would you like to be treated by a doctor or have a building built by someone who graduated by cheating?

As a teacher when a great majority of students do badly on a test or quiz, then I must have done a poor job of teaching the concept and therefore I must re-teach and review and retest. How else would I know if my students are learning? Some students know a lot and get nervous during a test and do badly, while others don't know as much but are good test takers and perform well. A person needs to account for that and you must know yourself in order to help the problem. You can take classes on how to take tests well!!!

As a last thought, I feel personally insulted when my students cheat. I feel it is a lack of respect to the teacher who is trying so hard to teach her/ his subject well and also teach the students moral values to guide them for the rest of their lives. I prefer my students to get an honest low grade. Then I can get them some tutoring or counseling and help out with the problem.