Upside-Down Land: Kid Gets Caught Cheating; His Father Sues
Karin Klein writes for the LA Times about a story in the San Mateo County Times about a father going to court to keep his son from facing the school's punishment for cheating:
No one is denying that the boy broke the rules, copying essay homework from another student, but the father's argument is that the punishment -- throwing the sophomore out of the English honors course -- is too harsh because a regular English course doesn't impress colleges as much as the more rigorous class. The teen will still be allowed to enter the schools advanced International Baccalaureate program in the fall, and the cheating will not show up on any records sent to colleges, according to the newspaper.The school points out that the students sign an honesty pledge at the beginning of the school year that includes wording that cheating will result in expulsion from the honors class. A parent has to sign too. But the father says that the school has a conflicting rule on cheating that calls for no punishment until the second time a student is caught. He suggests that his son should atone through some other measure, perhaps by helping as a teacher's assistant after school.
But his arguments aren't finding a sympathetic audience among other parents -- including me. The family should feel lucky that this was unearthed so early, before the kid was kicked out of the International Baccalaureate program and really wrecked his record. Now he knows better, and that's not something that would likely happen by having him help a teacher grade papers during detention. Yes, dishonesty can have real consequences, ones that count.
My parents would have had them throw the book at me. Perhaps twice. And then maybe write a college essay about what I learned from my little episode of cheating.
Does this fixer-daddy think he's actually helping his kid? And I have to wonder, per my chapter on The Underparented Child in I SEE RUDE PEOPLE, whether this guy's "Oh, let him get by...don't be too hard on him" attitude contributed to his notion that he could do whatever he damn well pleased.
Check out the entitled brat's thinking on this, reported by Sharon Noguchi and Bonnie Eslinger at the SM County Times link above:
Afterward, Berghouse's son posted a Facebook entry protesting the "tyranny" and injustice of the punishment. As a result, he was called into the school office.
If he thinks getting kicked out of a class is an example of "tyranny," he's a little short on history as well as personal ethics.
All four students involved in the incident were transferred to regular English classes. Berghouse believes the punishment is disproportionate to the offense and will jeopardize the academic future of his son, who he said has a chance at attending an Ivy League school.
What jeopardizes his future more than anything, it seems to me, is having a slew of articles written about this after his asshole dad decides to sue, and then being exposed for whining about the "tyranny" of being held to account for cheating. Boo. Hoo.
If you want your kid to have a clean shot to Ivyville, teach him ethics, not that you'll dig him out of any hole he digs himself into.
The best is the end of the SM County Times piece, a quote from the cheater's dad:
"I'm doing this for the other kids at Sequoia," he said.
Apple. Tree.
The kid doesn't understand how lame the school's "punishment" is, and he thinks he deserves less than that? The school is saying cheaters aren't worthy of honors classes but will fit in just fine in the regular track.
But that's tangential. Were I the principal, I'd do all I could to remove this loser from my school.
DaveG at April 28, 2012 9:46 PM
So was this the second time he was caught cheating? Or he was stating it as an exaample?
Regardless -- the child was academically dishonest, daddy is trying to cover. Throw the freakin book at him.
Jim P. at April 28, 2012 10:46 PM
I feel conflicted. I feel that something like this SHOULD show up on records that will be viewed by prospective colleges. On the other hand, if this student's transcript is otherwise filled with honors classes, he may be asked during the admissions process why he took one regular English class.
Dad should STFU and be thankful that his son may now be prevented from a lifetime of cheating which would qualify him only for a job in the federal government.
Sosij at April 28, 2012 11:14 PM
I feel conflicted, too. Yes, cheating should be punished, but if he otherwise belongs in an advanced class, I don't think putting him in a class that is too easy is an appropriate punishment.
If the reason he was cheating is that he was struggling in the class anyways, it makes sense to remove him from the class, but being taught to your ability shouldn't be a "reward" or "punishment", but rather it should be the POINT of schooling.
Would you take a special ed kid out of special ed if he was being naughty?
I'd be inclined to go the other route... give him a suspension, have it show up on his record, and keep him in the class (assuming that overall it isn't too hard for him). Or revoke a privilege such as a fun after school activity, or free periods, or something.
I don't think putting him into a class that is too easy (assuming that the cheating was on one test and not because he was struggling throughout the year) is going to teach him a lesson about cheating, I think it's going to teach him a lesson about schools and how they aren't really about teaching.
NicoleK at April 29, 2012 12:58 AM
I disagree with you on this one NicoleK. His punishment isn't the "change of learning environment" to put it one way.
But rather his punishment is the loss of the academic credit that having successfully completed an honors english course.
In short, he took a hit to his transcript, not to what he is actually able to learn.
That seems reasonable to me.
Robert at April 29, 2012 2:07 AM
The article also says that the honesty pledge is "to confusing".
WTF?
Look when I was growing up you didn't need an "honesty pledge", you know if you're not supposed to copy people's work. They can't claim he thought this was OK.
I'd punt the little dirtbag out of my school. And frankly I'd give the dirtbag daddy a talking to as well.
"You wonder why your little dirtbag junior cheated, its because you've not been teaching him that actions have consequences, he thought he was above the rules and shouldn't be punished, and here you are trying to cover for little dirtbag junior. You taught him to be a dirtbag instead of how to be a f'cking MAN. Well you know, I don't want his trashy entitled little attitude to infect the rest of my students like the disease he is. And obviously he's not going to improve with you providing the stellar moral guidance that you have been so far. So fuck it, he's expelled, maybe another school will let him get into "honor's" english. But the very notion of a cheater in any program with the word "honor" in it disgusts me. Now get the fuck out of my office, and get the fuck out of my school."
...But then, I'm used to giving soldiers the business, not civilians. And you should hear me when I get into Drill Sergeant mode. 's' Its quite a sight.
Robert at April 29, 2012 2:12 AM
I agree that "honor's" is a stupid title. "Advanced" is more correct. These classes are more difficult and more challenging than the average classes.
But his punishment IS the loss of learning, it's not just the credit, it is all the things he would have learned if he had been kept in the class.
"As a punishment, we will put you in the lower level English class where you will spend a month reading a book it took you two days to read in third grade! That'll show you!"
I mean, really?
NicoleK at April 29, 2012 4:12 AM
but if he otherwise belongs in an advanced class>
He had to cheat, therefore doesn't belong in the advanced class. QED
Wait till he tries cheating in college. Who knows? it might work. He may even get a PhD. And maybe 10 years down the road he gets caught out that his dissertation was a fraud.
Which will call into question any dissertations he over saw. Fruit of the tainted tree, even if those students did nothing wrong and unlike their mentor actually did their own work.
I R A Darth Aggie at April 29, 2012 9:53 AM
You are responding as though schools have the power to kick kids out. I don't know about all schools everywhere, but at our school, we can't just get rid of students. There are 5 spots reserved for our school in an alternative program so only the worst offenders go there for things like repeated violence or weapons or drugs at school - things that are life threatening rather than something like cheating.
Jen at April 29, 2012 10:09 AM
So, Dad doesn't want colleges to know his son cheated and was kicked out of honors English class - so he's suing the school and making a public spectacle of the whole thing.
Good strategy, Dad.
Conan the Grammarian at April 29, 2012 11:11 AM
Holy crap! Did you all read the article? The shit's father is an attorney. That explains soooo much! He thinks junior is so special that this one little blip will keep him out of the Ivyes and then impact his ability to find a job. How many people do you know who are unemployed bc they cheated in a sophomore level essay? I hear the unemployment office is full of them! Not!
Jesus, what gets into people that think what college you go to makes a difference in your later life? Listen, if he can't cut the program he is now, he won't make it through Yale. Better he goes where he can excel naturally, than having to lie and cheat his way through school.
Sheep mommy at April 29, 2012 12:41 PM
I'm not so sure the son had to cheat in order to pass the class. I think it's much more likely that he had a lot of challenging classes and extracurricular activities, as he IS bound for the Ivy League, and felt it would be easier to cheat than to do the work on his own.
I took honors and advanced classes in high school, and the cheating was...well, it wasn't rampant, but it was always there. Students in these classes are used to getting good grades, but may not be accustomed to doing the work necessary to get them. Of course, they'd better get accustomed to it if they want to have a chance in college.
Also, I don't think we can assume that regular English class is so much less challenging than honors. In my high school, the two classes had the same teacher and read the same books.
Sosij at April 29, 2012 2:48 PM
Hmm. Maybe cheating will hold you back.
Maybe not. In each case, there might be someone covering for you.
And maybe they will be important enough to hide the fact that "your" work doesn't sound anything like you, but that won't help when it's time to be seen doing something yourself.
Radwaste at April 29, 2012 3:36 PM
"Would you take a special ed kid out of special ed if he was being naughty?"
Well, they do, if the child is simply uncontrollable.
"Of course, they'd better get accustomed to it if they want to have a chance in college."
Sadly untrue unless you are in a hard science. College english is no more difficult that primary school english. Even in the Ivy's. Nor is a top-tier education a guarantee of staying out of the unemployment lines. If you aren't competent, someone is going to figure that out most of the time, no matter what your alma mater is.
I agree with making him drop the class. There is not unlimited space in those classes, and someone else isn't in it if he is. He had his shot, he fucked it up, let someone else move up.
momof4 at April 29, 2012 6:06 PM
Conan wins.
Jeff Guinn at April 29, 2012 9:54 PM
Sounds to me like Dad and Son are striving to make sure the kid's high school transcript is larded with honors, advanced, and AP courses ... and I'll bet the parents are pushing Son to make sure he participates in several clubs, sports, and community activities, too, to make that transcript nice and plump.
And.... guess what? That ends up requiring 80 to 100 hours per week of Son's time, which is asking an awful lot of a 15-year-old.
So Son copied a classmate's essay.
I agree with the comment upthread that the most effective punishment would be a kick in the transcript. Something that leaves a mark on the old permanent record.
Beth at April 30, 2012 8:24 AM
What Nicole said.
Otherwise, this reminds me of some kid I heard of who hated being grounded for misbehavior and thought he/she should have the right to choose to be spanked instead and "get it over with." (The parents actually were discussing it!)
I mean, isn't the whole POINT of punishment to make sure that it DOESN'T get easily forgotten in a hurry? Why not tell the kid to try harder to stop doing bad things?
I.e., better to be a little too strict than a little too lenient. Even if it means (shudder) HURTING THEIR FEELINGS! Not something that's no hassle to live with!
lenona at April 30, 2012 12:26 PM
I must be in a mood today. But I basically see this as a dad who places the blame on everyone but where it belongs: on his son.
Although what happened to the student from whom the cheating student copied? Assuming the other student was a willing accomplice, he should be kicked out, too.
Reminds me of a car accident I was in a while ago. My friend was driving, I was a passenger. We had just pulled into the left lane, about to make a left turn. A woman in the right lane had stopped before the intersection to leave a space for a truck in a parking lot to make a left turn (which necessitated crossing both near lanes of traffic, including ours). Truck driver, a seventeen year old girl, decided to punch it and hit the front end of our car.
The girl's father showed up and tried to do everything in his power to blame my friend who was driving. (My friend was in traffic; she was in a parking lot waiting to get into traffic. How this could be my friend's fault is beyond me.)
He tried to claim my friend was speeding. He wasn't, and if he were, it would be irrelevant. He was in traffic.
She showed up in court to fight to the ticket, telling all kinds of lies, trying desperately and failing miserably to exonerate herself and, worse, actually place the blame on my friend, with Daddy Dearest there the whole time.
Patrick at April 30, 2012 12:53 PM
Leave a comment