Anthony Thai ’13, Shreya Reddy ’13: On the first day of the school year, the Upper School gathered in the theater to hear Head of Upper School Geoffrey Wagg give an ambitious lecture on the importance of academic honesty. Wagg articulated a goal for the entire school to be known as the “one school where no one cheats.”
As students made their way back to advisory, they began to discuss their own opinions on the issue and determine ways in which our school could accomplish such a goal. However, the goal of completely eliminating cheating and academic dishonesty in a school is not only impossible, but it also fails to tackle the underlying issues that cause students to cheat.
Punishing students who fail to adhere to the guidelines of academic honesty does not curb any intention a student may have to cheat. On the contrary, it actually encourages students to cheat, since they believe that they will not be the one who “gets caught.” These students believe the benefits of cheating outweigh the costs. In a highly competitive atmosphere, like that of Episcopal, students are often pressured to exploit all available resources in order to succeed alongside their peers. As long as that pressure remains unchecked, the issue of cheating will always be prevalent.
To reduce this academic anxiety that can provoke cheating, it is necessary to understand why students cheat. Sarah Baker, Dean of the VI Form, noted that there were two predominant themes. “For younger students, there is a simple lack of understanding. In the case of intentional academic dishonesty, students face time pressures due to lack of organization or achievement pressure, either intrinsically or from outside sources. Pressure is not always bad but cheating in response to it is indicative of excessive pressure.”
In regard to the first idea Baker presented, Charles Bryant, Chair of the History Department, stated, “Teachers need to be clear and consistent with expectations. They should help students know what to expect. Students should always ask if they are unclear with any directions.”
Yet this underscores the blatant disconnect between the student body and teachers with regards to the issue of cheating. Baker mentioned, “Every teacher is asked to cover academic dishonesty and homework help policies. Modern language teachers are asked to discuss if and how translators are permitted. To lower the incident rate of intentional academic dishonesty, we are asking students to tell us what both they and teachers need to do to create a place where cheating is not necessary.” However, this dialogue rarely occurs, nor is it strongly encouraged, leading to distrust between the two parties.
As Leslie Williams ’13 stated, “I think teachers have a preconceived notion that students will commit academic dishonesty, causing these students to think their teachers are out to get them.” Baker summarized it best when she mentioned, “Having an open relationship and transparency encourages students to come for help instead of cheating. We want students to know that teachers will be receptive to pleas for help so that the students rely on the faculty in times of confusion or pressure.”
Despite the enormity of the situation, steps can be taken to improve student-teacher relations and attack the root causes of academic dishonesty. Instead of creating a culture of punishment or leaving students to their own devices, Episcopal should take the middle ground. Teachers should be as transparent and accessible as possible, rewarding honest effort and creative approaches. As Williams stated, “Teachers should emphasize being proud of one’s work and encourage unique ideas.” In addition, teachers should emphasize the benefits of honesty instead of publicizing the punishments, which can create an atmosphere of distrust. Almamie Toure ’15 said, “Teachers should emphasize academic dishonesty to remind students to do the right thing but doing it repeatedly will make students tune it out.” Students, meanwhile, should never be afraid to clarify policies with their teachers and remember that high grades are not the sole purpose of school. Only by rewarding honest effort, instituting transparency, and maintaining a positive atmosphere of trust and cooperation between students and teachers can the root causes of academic dishonesty truly be addressed.

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