One for the Record Book

I teach at a large university here in middle America. We give an online math placement test to all incoming students. It was the thought that by giving the test online, while the students are still in high school, their math skills would be better than if they took the test in the summer when they come to campus to enroll. Theory sounds good? Yes, I thought so.

We advise them over and over again that cheating on this test is basically cheating on themselves. Now we have some evidence that their teachers may be helping them on this exam. This is absolutely incredible for a number of reasons. The foremost is that it is not in the interest of students to be placed in a course for which they are unprepared. The second, and surprise reason, is that teachers are abetting this process. Just what sort of message is conveyed by this? Is the teacher gaining gratification their students are admitted to a more difficult course? Does the student learn that cheating is ok - if only to gain access to a portal that should be closed? Is there no equation between preparedness and performance?

I am completely dumbfounded, flabbergasted, and befuddled by this total transgression of teacher ethics. Did I mention amazed? My goodness. What have we come to?

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