Published: March 29, 2006 11:42 pm      

School cheating scheme exposed

Students purchased test answers on eBay

EBENSBURG — Administrators busted up a cheating scheme at Central Cambria High School involving more than 30 students who were using test answers bought on eBay, the Internet sales and auction site.

The cheaters have admitted to the plot and their parents have been notified, said Schools Superintendent Susan Makosy.

Their punishment was a failing grade on the test, but none was suspended from school. The students who supplied the cheating tools were not punished because allegations against them could not be proven, she said.

The cheating was discovered when 33 students in Spanish language classes had perfect tests, officials said.

Now, the district will examine its teaching practices – and possibly develop an honor code for students – to combat what school officials say is a growing national problem.

“Something like this is going on all over, especially with the availability of the Internet,” Makosy said.

The eBay Web site routinely offers textbooks and educational aids for sale, including what are advertised as “cheat sheets” and test questions. More than a dozen could be found on the site Wednesday.

“We’re going to try to use this experience as a teachable moment with the staff, by looking at our practices, and examining what teachers do,” Makosy said.

The scam was not as simple as whispering or passing a list of the right letters or numbers to answer written questions, she said.

Besides, teachers generally safeguard against that by mixing up the order of questions, or even passing out three or more versions of a test to safeguard against such practices, she said.

“This was more complicated than that. The cheating was on the answers to an oral portion of the test, and that’s what they answered perfectly,” she said.

Those answers were obtained from materials purchased from eBay by two students who were not in the Spanish classes, but who supplied the materials to others.

“The kids who cheated on the test acknowledged their guilt, and Principal Kenneth Bussard has spoken with every parent of the affected students. We’ve dealt with it, and the students have been disciplined,” Makosy said.

“The discipline was uniform for the students who were actually caught cheating. They failed that test. But the kids who allegedly supplied the material for the cheating – the key word is alleged – we don’t have proof of it. They aren’t in the Spanish classes, and it’s complicated,” Makosy said.

The Central Cambria School District, which covers Ebensburg Borough and Cambria and Jackson townships, does not have a written policy against cheating.

“We intentionally don’t have one because every situation is different, and you can’t possibly cover or anticipate each one,” she said.

“We don’t have an honor code, but now we are thinking of developing one.”

The disciplined students will not be identified by name to other teachers or students.

“At this point, it’s between the teacher of those classes, the principal and the students involved,” Makosy said.



Susan Evans can be reached at 471-6778 or sevans@tribdem.com.