What would you tell your kid

[goober]

So 3 kids witnessed another kid cheating on a test. There are not that many tests each grading period so the tests count a lot (30% of you grade or so). The teacher obviously didn't notice anything. They want to know if they should turn the kid in or not. The teacher gives hard tests and curves the test so other people's scores do affect how much of a curve there will be. This is middle school level. Would you tell them to turn the student into teacher, just tell the kid they saw her cheating without telling the teacher or say nothing and just let spread rumors like junior high kids are good at doing?

[norbac]

Curving tests in middle school? Jesus.....

[iradical18]

My son is only 2 but when the time comes I'd like to think I'd try to instill some kind of morals in him so I think I'd have him approach his teacher. I doubt anything will come of it seeing as how the teacher didn't witness anything though.

[Overdrive]

Are these 3 kids 'gossips'?

If they are, the teacher will know one day or another.

I suggest they tell the girl they saw her cheat and OFFER her help because she clearly needs it.

[OTMPut]

How would you deal with it in the adult world? Say at your work place. Would you do the same with your colleague to a supervisor? with your firm with a regulator? a fellow citizen with police?

It has to be the same. I dont understand why one would want to apply a more idealistic standard on the kids.

[El Diablo]

It seems many parents have the impulse to tell their kids what to do. I never did. I'd sit and discuss the ethical issues, discuss the potential advantages and pitfalls that could come to them with various courses of actions, and unless they wanted me to decide for them (they generally didn't), let them decide for themselves how to proceed. Worked out extremely well.

[Cindysphinx]

+1.

In addition, I would say it is a good opportunity to point out to kids the pitfalls of accusing someone of wrongdoing and then being wrong about it. That possibility may not have occurred to a middle-schooler -- especially since many kids have accommodations that might well look like cheating to a peer.

I have to say, if you busy yourself ratting out every person who cheats on a test at school, you will never get anything else done.

[slowfox]

Curve or no curve, the 3 kids should just mind their own performance on the test. Sure, some cheater may affect the curve, hence alter the scores of the other students. But then again, there might be another student who took the test fairly and perhaps even scored a 100%. Wouldn't the cheater's test be moot at that point?

[gavna]

Never good to narc on other kids in a test situation.......they should worry about their own performance and worry about themselves.

The child in question will eventually get caught (always do in the end).

[sureshs]

In other situations, they should report the kid. I am talking about assault on another kid, drugs, and such criminal acts. Kids should be told that there should be no code of silence in these matters.

Cheating on a test is a different situation, IMO. However, if a group of students is conspiring to cheat, then those students should be ratted out. It shows a very deliberate and planned strategy.

[LuckyR]

Originally Posted by goober

So 3 kids witnessed another kid cheating on a test. There are not that many tests each grading period so the tests count a lot (30% of you grade or so). The teacher obviously didn't notice anything. They want to know if they should turn the kid in or not. The teacher gives hard tests and curves the test so other people's scores do affect how much of a curve there will be. This is middle school level. Would you tell them to turn the student into teacher, just tell the kid they saw her cheating without telling the teacher or say nothing and just let spread rumors like junior high kids are good at doing?

To my eye the forest is being missed by the trees. A couple of things:

1- No one cares about Middle school grades so there is no personal upside to turning in the kid.

2- Just so you (and your son) know, there were actually 7 kids cheating that day, they only saw (caught) one.

3- If your son and his cronies want to take on the mantle of "snitch" in the modern Middle school environment with social networking etc, so be it.

[SFrazeur]

Why is reporting someone for cheating a bad thing? Kids should know that if you do something wrong you will get caught or be turned in. I'm a snitching rat-fink narc and proud of it.

[goober]

Originally Posted by LuckyR

To my eye the forest is being missed by the trees. A couple of things:

1- No one cares about Middle school grades so there is no personal upside to turning in the kid.

2- Just so you (and your son) know, there were actually 7 kids cheating that day, they only saw (caught) one.

3- If your son and his cronies want to take on the mantle of "snitch" in the modern Middle school environment with social networking etc, so be it.

Would it make any difference to you if the school had an honor code that everybody had to sign at the beginning of the year and part of the code included reporting witnessed cheating?

[krz]

I NEVER NARC'D ON NOBODY!!!

[LuckyR]

Originally Posted by goober

Would it make any difference to you if the school had an honor code that everybody had to sign at the beginning of the year and part of the code included reporting witnessed cheating?

I will make some assumptions:

1- You acknowledge and agree with my three points above (since you didn't mention any info/opinion against them).

2- The school is not the neighborhood public school (since I am unaware of any such schools with such a code).

3- There is a reason you guys chose such a place to educate your son. What the reason is, may be important for the correct answer to your question.

4- Obviously you care most about your son, as opposed to the theoretical impact to the Code, the school, the educators, the other kids, the karmic universe etc.

If you have more info I can answer your question specifically, if not I will give this general, one-size-fits-all answer:

I would use this situation as an opportunity to discuss in detail the nuances of this issue, many of which these posts have mentioned. Whichever course of action you and your son come to together is likely to be correct.

[tenniscasey]

Rat 'em out, but not directly to the teacher. Go to the principal's office and explain the situation to someone in authority, and request anonymity. Leave an anonymous note with the principal if necessary.

In the real world, there are whistleblower resources to protect reporters. In school, you have to find workarounds.

[Bdarb]

If they noticed it becoming a pattern I would consider telling them to say something. I think if it were something like a child being threatened or someone's safety was in question it's a no brainer but as most here have posted it seems like this is something you need to sit down with your child and decide how you feel about it ethically. I wouldn't Reccomend they go to the principal though as someone said. I work at a school, like any situation, I'd stick within the chain of command. Go with a teacher they trust and maybe "talk hypotheticals" and see how an unbiased teacher feels about it. A principal has much more pressing matters I would hope than an eighth grade exam. Interesting question, I caught a kid cheating on a test today in class oddly enough and had to deal with this myself.

[tenniscasey]

Originally Posted by Bdarb

I wouldn't Reccomend they go to the principal though as someone said. I work at a school, like any situation, I'd stick within the chain of command.

Of course you would, because you want to be the first line of defense if anyone brings up something you might have been involved with.

There's a reason whistleblower resources are designed to work outside the "chain of command."

[LuckyR]

Originally Posted by Bdarb

If they noticed it becoming a pattern I would consider telling them to say something. I think if it were something like a child being threatened or someone's safety was in question it's a no brainer but as most here have posted it seems like this is something you need to sit down with your child and decide how you feel about it ethically. I wouldn't Reccomend they go to the principal though as someone said. I work at a school, like any situation, I'd stick within the chain of command. Go with a teacher they trust and maybe "talk hypotheticals" and see how an unbiased teacher feels about it. A principal has much more pressing matters I would hope than an eighth grade exam. Interesting question, I caught a kid cheating on a test today in class oddly enough and had to deal with this myself.

You seem to be missing the point of the additional information that this school has an Honor Code that kids have to sign each school year. You know darn well what the teacher, any teacher is going to say...

[Cindysphinx]

Bump.

So what happened?