Cheaters are Cowards

I guess this is a controversial title, for a controversial post, but if you take offense to it, I would beg the question, "why?":

Today is the official day set out for 9 weeks testing. 9 weeks testing is a day where every teacher tests each student in each class. Pretty ridiculous, but that's another entry. Going into the test, I have been suspect to cheating taking place. I fear it is a rampant problem, and is much worse than I ever realized before. Because of the suspicion, I decided I would make two tests in order to separate the "chaff from the wheat". The two tests are identical at first glance, and it would take a pretty well-honed attention to detail to notice the differences. I went ahead and prepared my two answer sheets, printed off the tests, and felt relatively good about my preparation. Yesterday at football practice, several of the players were "joking", saying "everyone got a cheat sheet fo' Coach Ware's test". I just put my arms up, signaling there was nothing I could really do but keep an eye out. Fast forward to this morning. The first period class entered the room, in their normal, jovial spirits, not at all indicating concern for the day of testing. As they were settling in, I saw one girl sneak out two quarter sized sheets of paper, and lay them behind her bag. When she turned around, I quietly moved over and intercepted the pieces. On them were the values for the trigonometric functions. As things continued to settle, she frantically looked around, wondering how she had misplaced her sheets. I also noticed one of my brightest students frantically crafting a small sheet of his own. As he put the paper in his coat pocket, I kneeled down and whispered, "I highly recommend you don't use the paper in your pocket". Other students wrote on their desk or moved seats, I even had to take a student's cell phone.

One one hand, I feel a small sense of accomplishment in catching cheaters. This is a craft that has been perfected by so many, so the competitor in me feels as if I've won. Then reality sets in, and there is confusion and discouragement. I understand academic desperation. I've been in high stress situations where cheating would be a temptation, this isn't a new story at all. What I really don't understand though, is how someone can be so apathetic and lazy in the classroom, but be so driven and focused to cheat. It is such a cheap and cowardly way out.

When I was in 4th grade, I was taking a test on the 50 states and their capitals. I was sitting by myself, with no one around and was stumped by Wisconsin. A student walked by and I whispered out, "what's the capital of Wisconsin?". He shrugged his shoulders and continued to walk, only to be met by my teacher at the door. They briefly conversed, and she walked over and took up my test. I told her I had not yet finished, and she said, "I know Blake, but you tried to cheat, and we can't have that". The events that followed are still fresh in my mind today. I remember the guilt I felt, and trying to explain (lie) to my mom about why I had to write a paper on why cheating doesn't work. It was a low place.

If all lies come from fear, then what is the fear these students are trying to evade? Work? Comprehension? Disappointment? I really don't know and might never. I'm honestly trying to not apply too much reason and logic to questions that aren't meant to be answered. All I can do is try, and try to love with a love not my own. After that, the chips will fall where they will, and hopefully we'll both both be the better for it. There is little I know, and much I don't, but I will never forget, that the capital of Wisconsin is indeed Green Bay.