Cheaters Never Win

Get out the tissue box, folks, the New York Times wants you to feel bad and they gave us a real tear-jerker. They want us to feel sorry for cheating educators. Apparently Bush's NCLB, combined with new laws where testing affects tenure, as well as bonuses being awarded for higher tests, the pressure is rising in the educational world.

Maybe I'm just a simple mind here, but isn't this wrong? Are we doing our students a disservice? Are the tests so hard and out of reach for the students that by tampering, teachers are leveling the playing field? Are teachers justified? The answers to these questions are a resounding YES, YES, NO and NO! As educators, we act as leaders in attempting to teach our students right from wrong. We teach our students that cheating is wrong and that tests should be taken honestly. We're the ones who are supposed to watch over students to make sure they don't cheat. We not only teach them through our words but we teach them through our actions. If we were to condone this, then we would have no platform on which to stand and the likelihood for a clean test to be given would definitely lessen. And teachers are not leveling the playing field. Instead, they are copping out and using their children's abilities or economic situation as an excuse to gain sympathy for their methods. In turn, it gives the message to the students that they cannot succeed because of their situation. Therefore, teachers are not justified in cheating on tests, whether 'tubing it' or using more extreme methods.

In my years in education, I do not make excuses for my students to set up their failure while allowing outsiders to gain sympathy for me, but instead, I prepare them with the tools and resources so they may act as independently and have the tools for success in life. I have never condoned cheating in my class, have influenced honesty and to further enforce it, I remind the students that if they are caught cheating, I will deny them the possibility of my writing them a letter of recommendation in the future. It is a pretty effective consequence as in my years, I have never had a student cheat or plagiarize! They understand the consequences and refrain from that action, as a result.

Personally, I think the article is low-balling the percentages of teachers who cheat, especially if administrators who intimidate their teachers to inflate their grades are included. This is a very ugly pattern that occurs in our secondary schools and does a major disservice to our students' future because an administrator may fear the reaction of the parents or may want to make themselves look good with student grades as evidence of their administrative ability.

But in terms of teachers and administrators who manipulate standardized tests, not only should they be fired, but they should have their certification revoked and also be charged criminally, those charges holding the specter of jail time. These are similar charges that one would face for violating rules of taking the SATs, GREs, LSATs, MCATs or GMATs.

The article also states that teachers manipulate tests so they may get their bonuses as they are tied into student achievement on tests in many states. The teachers unions may want merit pay to go away, but I do not. I believe merit pay can be done in a way that it is fair and it truly rewards the teacher for their job.

The issue of merit pay comes up in The Calling to Lead as Michael proposed education reforms during his first term as Governor of New Jersey. In terms of 'merit pay,' Michael proposes the following: student test scores and grades will be the judging factors and three non-colluding administrators will make the final decision. If two out of three independently make that decision, the bonus is granted. If it is found out that the administrators colluded, then the administrators will lose their jobs, certification and be charged with a crime. If it is found out that the teachers manipulated their students' grades, they too will lose their jobs, certification and be charged with a crime.

I believe these laws, in reality, will work in New Jersey. The deciding factors on who gets their bonuses are unbiased and the law makes sure the administrators make independent decisions based on the criteria set up.

Teachers and administrators who enter this profession must remember the great power with which they are entrusted and it is imperative they be responsible in their actions as it is the students who will be influenced. They do not miss a beat and we want to make sure the influence is always positive as these students must be prepared to be tomorrow's leaders.