West Point accuses more than 70 cadets of cheating in worst academic scandal in nearly 45 years

[brooklynite]

Source: USA Today

WASHINGTON – More than 70 cadets at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point were accused of cheating on a math exam, the worst academic scandal since the 1970s at the Army's premier training ground for officers.

Fifty-eight cadets admitted cheating on the exam, which was administered remotely because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of them have been enrolled in a rehabilitation program and will be on probation for the remainder of their time at the academy. Others resigned, and some face hearings that could result in their expulsion.

The scandal strikes at the heart of the academy's reputation for rectitude, espoused by its own moral code, which is literally etched in stone:

“A cadet will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do.”

Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/12/21/west-point-catches-70-cadets-worst-cheating-scandal-50-years/5856130002/

[Guilded Lilly]

1. Character matters, even (especially) when the White House is devoid of any that is good.

[Historic NY]

2. Sad....

but then again look at Pompeo

[Cattledog]

4. They all got the same math problem wrong.

Big red flag!

[Paladin]

5. trump's been using West Point as a background prop.

Cause and effect. Everything he touches or gets in close proximity to, turns to shit. That's not an excuse for those crooked cadets, just a likely factor.

[usaf-vet]

29. Exactly!! When they see the C.I.C. cheating and lying EVERY f**king day..... WHY NOT to get ahead?

Hopefully, the honor code at the academy is strong enough to do the right thing and expel each and every one.

They were supposed to become the leaders of young troops under their command.

They have allowed themselves to become corrupted by the most dishonorable faux C.I.C. in the nation's history.

[usaf-vet]

30. This is their code. "A cadet will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do."

How about we change it slightly?

“A congress member will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do.”

[dogknob]

6. I wonder how many of them are white supremacists

[sweetloukillbot]

16. How does that have anything to do with this story?

Or are all military white supremacists?

[rainin]

26. There are no open white supremacists. There are a few who make racist remarks

making it difficult for minority cadets. West Point appears to be making a genuine effort to raise awareness and encourage cadets to call out racism when they see it. The leaders at WP do care.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

7. The orange Commander-in-Chief set the example. . . . nt

[Happy Hoosier]

8. 45 years, you say?

Interesting number.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

9. Who had been President setting example regarding that 1970s scandal?

According to the AP, the only other cheating scandal to occur at West Point happened in 1976 when 153 cadets were expelled or resigned for ...

Think "thinner tRump".

[dsc]

18. It would have been Ford, not Nixon

[COL Mustard]

20. The 1970s Cheating Scandal Was Under Either Ford Or Carter

At least one expelled cadet joint our ROTC program in the late 70s, and if I recall correctly, he got his commission and had a successful Army career.

It wasn't something the rest of us asked him about.

[displacedtexan]

34. Carter took office in 1977. N/T

[Bernardo de La Paz]

21. Yes, I am well aware Ford was actually President at the instant, but please read my post again

I wrote 'setting an example'.

Stuff takes time.

This West Point cheat didn't happen in 2017, the year tRump was inaugurated. It takes time for attitudes to percolate and permeate a culture, in this case the militaristic culture (that White Supremacists are trying to infiltrate).

Nixon with his law breaking and his "moral majority" / "law and order" talk and Southern Strategy set a tone that certain kinds of cadets would pick up on. So it is with Fat Nixon. It just takes a bit of time.

[Marcuse]

10. The cadets should appeal to the Commander in Chief for reinstatement. Lying is his first language.

[bluedigger]

11. Toss them all and send them the bill for their expenses.

[rainin]

15. That's ridiculous! These young adults will be reprimanded and will learn from their mistakes.

Obviously, WP cadets are held to a very high standard. Occasionally, someone messes up and it becomes a nationwide scandal, but they will learn from this and take these lessons into their units after graduation.

[bluedigger]

19. It's an honor and a privilege to attend our service academies.

I've seen little disadvantage in today's society for the talented and integrity challenged. Their future lies elsewhere, and good luck to them.

[rainin]

25. Almost all will stay and mature into superior officers.

People who have no personal experience with WP love to judge. I agree it's an honor to attend WP. I'm proud that one of mine is there there right now serving as one of its fine leaders. Having served on the honor board, mine would tell you that the academy is the perfect place for young people to learn from mistakes. They're given left and right limits, but, occasionally, younger cadets cross the line. This becomes a learning opportunity for them. Notice, no upper class men were involved. That's because the older cadets have matured. If these cadets were firsties, they'd be immediately separated.

[GentryDixon]

12. Lying & cheating has become acceptable under

tRUmp. He has done so much damage to this country. 😟

[rainin]

27. No, lying is not acceptable at West Point. Only those who confessed immediately were allowed to stay

Last edited Tue Dec 22, 2020, 03:49 AM - Edit history (1)

Lying about the cheating has already led to at least one separation.

[greenjar_01]

13. Pompeo put the lie to the "Will not lie" nonsense

Pompeo is a liar and a crook, West Point grad, and human garbage.

[barbtries]

14. their primary role model,

other than their parents, is an avid liar, cheater, and grifter/ thief. shit rolls downhill.

[Blue_playwright]

17. Teaching failure too...

... I taught online for ten years and have my degree in Instructional Design and online learning. All online exams are open book tests. Period.

The faculty has to either accept that and deal with it or they need to restructure the exam in a way that locks it down more and discourages it. The problem with that is it can punish the honest kids who just want to take their time or backtrack to previous questions. Now kids have Chegg and they have group chats where they share answers, too. Hell, that’s not new though, we had a test file in the basement of my sorority back in the 90s!

My Dean told me that though when I took on my first online course. All online exams are open book and I just had to rethink how I taught and judged all the student outcomes.

[usaf-vet]

32. I had one open book exam in a college science course. By a vote of the class.

Here is an example (sorry, I can't remember the exact question), but you'll get the point .....

Question: What does Jefferson say about the relationship between temperature, gases, and altitude?

Everyone failed the question, and the next day it was the question everyone wanted to know.

The professor said the answer is on page 247. Everyone opened the book to 247. Skimmed and or read the page—still no Jefferson.

Finally, the professor said. Look at the graph at the bottom of the page. There plain as day was the graph and the CITATION. By Jefferson,1954

With a big smile on his face, the professor said, "remember that the next time you vote to take an open book exam, everything is legal."

Lesson learned!

[DENVERPOPS]

22. Question

Is there any other University or College that allows you to stay enrolled if you get caught cheating? Especially a large group of cheating kids?
I always thought you would be suspended and have a tough time getting into any other school.............

[Steelrolled]

33. It is often handled informally

with a deal between the professor and student. College-age students make mistakes in judgement, they don't think things through, but bottom line we want them to succeed.

[cstanleytech]

23. "A cadet will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do." Unless they decide to join the

Republican party and run for office.

[TeamPooka]

24. This is the military we are supposed to trust to uphold the Constitution?

[rainin]

28. We trust them not because the 17-year-olds never make mistakes, but because

the leadership at WP knows how to develop leaders of character. They'll be given consequences and they'll learn from their mistakes. Notice none of these cadets were firsties (seniors). By the time the cadets have been there 4 years, they're ready to be exemplary officers.

[usaf-vet]

31. How long before tRump issues 70 pardons to buy voters for 2024?