Moral Question - Cheating

[Jake]

Question for everyone here:

Since I miss alot of school for various things, I find myself making up alot of tests and exams when I get back. Particularly in German because my teacher gives them alot. Usually, I take them after school, go to his room, and he gives me the paper. He's also the detention monitor most days, and after about 5-10 minutes he says he's going down to the detention classroom and tells me to shut the door, turn out the lights, and put the paper on his desk when I'm done. He leaves and I continue my test.

Now the question, is it alright for me to get up and look through my book to find the answers? Would any of you do it?

[Gabu]

No, and no.  The entire point of a test is to determine whether or not you know the material.  If you pass a test purely because you cheated and thus continue on in that subject, then one way or another it's going to come back to haunt you, whether it's through someone finding out or through you suddenly being stuck in a situation where it's simply assumed that you do know that material.

[Keystone Phil]

It's wrong and I would not do it.

[The Duke]

Yes, its fine.

[Cashcow]

Yeah, what Gabu said. I never needed to cheat anyhow.

[dazzleman]

Question for everyone here:

Since I miss alot of school for various things, I find myself making up alot of tests and exams when I get back. Particularly in German because my teacher gives them alot. Usually, I take them after school, go to his room, and he gives me the paper. He's also the detention monitor most days, and after about 5-10 minutes he says he's going down to the detention classroom and tells me to shut the door, turn out the lights, and put the paper on his desk when I'm done. He leaves and I continue my test.

Now the question, is it alright for me to get up and look through my book to find the answers? Would any of you do it?

Gabu is exactly right.  If you fool the teachers into thinking that you know the material when you don't, it will come back to haunt you at a later stage.  Plus, it's wrong. 

What I don't understand is why he doesn't just have you take the test in the room with him while he monitors detention.  Overseeing a group of school miscreants while they sit and count ceiling tiles after school can't be that absorbing a responsibility (and I say that as a guy who served more than a few detentions in my day).

Dude, why are you missing so much school?

[Jake]

I guess he trusts me, which is the main reason I don't cheat.  I mostly miss school because I get sick alot, my immune system has never been good, and I get sinus infections very easily.

[dazzleman]

I guess he trusts me, which is the main reason I don't cheat.  I mostly miss school because I get sick alot, my immune system has never been good, and I get sinus infections very easily.

Sorry to hear that, man.  I've had problems with respiratory infections since I got pneumonia about 9 years ago, and have had mild asthma since I was a child.

Have you talked to your doctor about how to build up your immune system and try to prevent this stuff?  I'm experimenting with taking Singulaire, an asthma/allergy medication, on an ongoing basis to see if it helps prevent my recurring respiratory infections.

About this guy trusting you, I'll say one very important thing.  The most valuable thing you have is your reputation, your good name.  If someone trusts you, make sure to be worthy of that trust.  Never let down someone who trusts you.  Once you lose somebody's trust, it's very hard to get it back.  Don't cheat, man.

Maybe you can solve the problem by doing something that lands you in detention on the day you have a make-up test....  Then you won't have to worry about the temptation of cheating.  Plus, you kill two birds with one stone, and since you're staying after school anyway, doing something fun and against the rules will make it worth your while.

[Jake]

I take stuff for allergies and stay active.  Running, working out, etc.  He says the best way to keep healthy is to work your body and build up your strength.  Since I started, my rate of infections have gone done big time.

About detention, I haven't done anything to get detention (other than be late) since a few months back.  In my district, you get detention for every three lates, but since I contribute to the class fundraisers, my homeroom teacher lets me off the hook on those.

[A18]

Yes/no. Only reason I wouldn't is because I'm too lazy.

[Keystone Phil]

I never needed to cheat anyhow.

I never have and never will.

[dazzleman]

I take stuff for allergies and stay active.  Running, working out, etc.  He says the best way to keep healthy is to work your body and build up your strength.  Since I started, my rate of infections have gone done big time.

About detention, I haven't done anything to get detention (other than be late) since a few months back.  In my district, you get detention for every three lates, but since I contribute to the class fundraisers, my homeroom teacher lets me off the hook on those.

Glad to hear your rate of infections is going down.  I hate to see a young guy like you suffering from chronic illnesses.  Keep building up that immune system, man.

Your district is pretty lenient.  At my school, the official policy was that one lateness brought an automatic detention.  But the funny thing is that I used to get out of detention for lateness a lot because one of my homeroom teachers would let me (or anyone else he liked) off the hook if we made a contribution to the missions, much like your teacher.  

I was late every so often in high school, but I avoided detention for it until senior year, when I had a hardazz homeroom teacher who just enforced the rules.  Because I had gotten away with it for so long, I wasn't too careful about being on time, and I actually was late the first day of school.  The teacher sent me to the dean's office, and when he asked why I was late, I said something stupid about leaving the house a little late that morning.  He responded that I'd be leaving school a lot later that afternoon, because I had detention.  And he added, for good measure, "Make sure you're there.  Don't forget."

My defiant nature caused me not to react to the penalty at first, but after a couple of times, I realized that the benefit of 3 minutes of extra sleep in the morning was hardly worth spending 75 minutes counting ceiling tiles that afternoon, and I managed to get to school on time.  

I got detention for other stuff, but my rule was that it had to be fun.  My school was pretty strict about attendance, and the worst incident I had was when a few of my friends and I cut out mid-morning from the rest of our classes for the day.  It was one of those great early-spring days, senior year, and we just said "f**k it."  We had a great time, but the dean was pretty pizzed, and gave us indefinite detention, which meant at least 10 days.  And he singled us out to be his bi*ches, basically, during this period, giving us menial jobs to do around the school, both during our lunch period and after school.  The worst was not knowing when it was going to end; every day at the end of detention, he just told us to come back the next day.  He did this for 2 weeks.  I have to admit though, I didn't cut another class after that, though I did participate in senior cut day, which was pretty much unofficially tolerated.

[Lunar]

High school has little inherent value.  Be smart about it and ALWAYS have detailed stories prepared to explain your actions for the worst case scenarios.

[TeePee4Prez]

Question for everyone here:

Since I miss alot of school for various things, I find myself making up alot of tests and exams when I get back. Particularly in German because my teacher gives them alot. Usually, I take them after school, go to his room, and he gives me the paper. He's also the detention monitor most days, and after about 5-10 minutes he says he's going down to the detention classroom and tells me to shut the door, turn out the lights, and put the paper on his desk when I'm done. He leaves and I continue my test.

Now the question, is it alright for me to get up and look through my book to find the answers? Would any of you do it?

I very rarely cheated in my life on a test.  Funny in high school I was the go-to guy in that area.  If you find yourself in a situation you weren't prepared for say a severe emotional or medical problem and just needed to keep your otherwise good grades afloat AND the teacher is an outright ass about it, then I'd say go for it.  However, make it a RARE instance.  If you do it too much, it will come back to haunt you in college.  High school was more casual about that stuff.  Some teachers would have a cigarette while a test was going on and I got "Guinan, what's number 26, 29, 42?, etc."  I actually helped a football player become eligible to play in the Thanksgiving Game and was usually the one cheated on.  I also bailed a friend out of summer school by taking his take home Geometry exam.  Of course I got paid for it either monetarily or with beer!     

[Jake]

That sounds like halfway decent advice.  Sober or Drunk?

[TeePee4Prez]

That sounds like halfway decent advice.  Sober or Drunk?

I'm sober.  I'm actually doing some research right now.  Thanks for being concerned.

[John Dibble]

Well, I'm definitely with the crowd that says it'll come back to bite you in the ass if you do(unless you actually make the effort to learn the material afterwards). I wouldn't cheat anyways. The best strategy is to study and get a good night of sleep before the test. (sleep is important, as it's when your longer term memory is organized in your brain)

[Rob]

Yes/Yes.

[Hitchabrut]

No/No

[PBrunsel]

You shouldn't but I would be so tempted to.

[Lunar]

No/No.

It would be an abuse of trust, and would defeat the purpose of the test. Wouldn't you rather feel as if your life was based on your accomplishments, not your ability to fool your teacher into thinking you are an honest person? I think the former is a lot better in the long run, even if it means poor grades.

I'd rather not have the mindset that my life is based upon some multiple choice tests or whatever they are.

[Alcon]

No/No.

It would be an abuse of trust, and would defeat the purpose of the test. Wouldn't you rather feel as if your life was based on your accomplishments, not your ability to fool your teacher into thinking you are an honest person? I think the former is a lot better in the long run, even if it means poor grades.

I'd rather not have the mindset that my life is based upon some multiple choice tests or whatever they are.

Better a multiple choice test, wouldn't you think, than copying the answers to a multiple choice test?

[George W. Bush]

I dont see a problem

[Tory]

I would do it and I definatley recommend you do it as well. There is nothing immoral about doing what is good for you if it isn't at the expense of others.

[Alcon]

I would do it and I definatley recommend you do it as well. There is nothing immoral about doing what is good for you if it isn't at the expense of others.

It is the equivilant of lying - you are breaking an assumed trust, in my eyes. Not only that, but it is an opportunity that others do not have, so in fact it does hurt others.