My high school aged daughter came home the other day and announced that kids in her high school classes were cheating on their test by using their cell phones to text message other students in the class and to receive answers for students that took the test earlier in the day. After reading some other news reports on the subject it seems to be an epidemic in high schools and colleges around the country.

The first thing that comes to mind is where are the teachers? Do they simply hand out a test and leave the room? When I was in school I do not believe I would have gotten away with getting out a cell phone and text messaging someone. Of course there were no cell phones back in the dark ages but is it any different than digging apiece of paper out of a pocket and reading the answers. I think not.

Some blame must lay with the parents they drive their kids to achieve that 4.0 grade point average to get in the best colleges, unfortunately the world is changing the morals have declined the pressure to get ahead no matter what the cost attitude needs to be changed. Getting that 4.0 grade point average is not the end all answer, kids need to be taught to think, and they need to learn to make decisions by analyzing all the information sifting the wheat from the shaft to come to the proper conclusion.

Believe it or not there are two classes of cheaters the underachievers who are just trying to pass the class these may be the saddest group as they are really cheating themselves out of a proper education. The other class is the top achievers they are after a perfect score, they have the ability to earn an A only they want to insure they get an A unfortunately this group is usually never suspected of cheating. Some in this class have an incredible amount of self determination to succeed others are under a great deal of pressure from their parents or peers to succeed.

Obviously the schools along with the student parents need to work together to solve this place for violence and drugs adding cheating to the list may help. Adding the cheating offenses to the students records and colleges taking a hard stance on this may help deter the over achievers from cheating. The underachievers will not be deterred by a record. Casino’s have an eye in the sky so to speak to keep an eye on the players maybe the same thing should be implemented for class rooms. Making the teachers aware of what is going on can help them keep a sharper eye on their students.