why do teachers turn a blind eye to cheating??

[catz123]

first of I would like to say that I love allnurses.com. This community is very supportive and I am glad to be a part of it. My situation is I am a junior in the nursing program. Suppose to be a senior next year. I am not going back. I knew people were cheating in one of the classes. I hear the students talking about it. I mentioned to the director that some students had an unfair advantage because they were getting information from the upper class. One would think she would check e mails some how. I am sure she would see the info being passed. Then when I got home the other day I found a test and 33 pages of all the material we did in community this semester and a copy of one of the tests that we took. Our final is Wed. 5 / 12 / 11 at noon. I can't even bring myself to study for the final because I am so upset. Should I bring this to the schools attention? Should I give them the test and the homework for the year. Should I bother taking the exam. I already dropped my nursing for next semester and am finishing my four psych classes. I am so.... with the program. My school is also upset because they had a 70% pass rate and are in danger of losing their creditation. Well I know why. I watched people cheat all through the program. If I can see it then why do teachers turn a blind eye? They say they do not permit cheating and yet they never do anything about it when people get caught doing it. more so why does it bother me so much? Maybe I should just let it go and not say a word. I have had enough. apparently I am not smart enough to cheat.

As always thanks for listening. It is ten minutes until three. I should try and get some sleep.

catz123

[catz123]

babylady. I did witness cheating. Other students have witnessed cheating. All through the program. our school does not let us see tests from the year prior. I did get the 35 pages of all of the homework and a copy of the test on the last day of school. Who are you to say that after everything I do not want to be in college? Seriously, drop out of college and NEVER get a job. Sounds like I struck a nerve with you. I get good grades in school. I am a non traditional student with a family. I do not say things because of rumors. I have a double major. It is an unfair advantage of those students thats all. Because they had exact copies of the tests then... it's not up to me. That is what this site is for to get other opions, before someone does something they may later regret. This site is not a place to pass judgement on others and make rude personal remarks about someone (such as myself) that you don't know anything about.

I appreciate all the comments this far. I have not read them all, but I will. I have a daughter graduating from college with honors tomorrow so ... party time for her. Trying to make things perfect!

[AOx1]

Why do people make broad, sweeping generalizations based on the behavior of a few poor examples of a "professional," as is often done to instructors?

I DON'T tolerate cheating. It's really simple- I have strict policies and enforce them. You cheat and I catch you, and I will bring you up before the academic dishonesty board and do everything in my power to get you out of school. Have done it before, will do it again. You can't cheat in a code. I normally dislike seeing students flunk out, but not with cheaters. One less cheater in my profession.

It is also key to enforce standards like: multiple exam proctors, no hats, water bottles, hoodies, phones, calculators, etc during tests. Randomly assigned seating, change the majority of questions & question formats, and NO unsupervised bathroom breaks. It's ridiculous to have to run an exam like a police state, but when cheaters use old exams and develop long eyeballs and small writing, they force this on their innocent classmates. I believe in adult education principles; it's too bad that some students choose to act like children instead.

[belgarion]

Then when I got home the other day I found a test and 33 pages of all the material we did in community this semester and a copy of one of the tests that we took. Our final is Wed. 5 / 12 / 11 at noon. I can't even bring myself to study for the final because I am so upset.

I fail to understand how the 33 pages of material that was covered in class constitutes cheating. I mean, aren't you supposed to keep this material to use at test time? As far as the test goes, if it was a copy of the actual final that you have not yet taken, that would be cheating. A copy of a test that has already been given and graded , well, it depends on how it was obtained.

As far as allegations of cheating go, what is the less ethical action? Cheating or accusing someone of cheating (or having an unfair advantage) without ironclad proof and ruining their careers and their lives?