Every summer, a few weeks before the year starts, the high school sends students a large manila envelope containing schedules, internet approval forms and the hefty handbook containing rules and regulations.

In between chapters discussing truancy, theft and vandalism, there is a section dedicated to the issue of cheating. At MHS, as well as at all other high schools and colleges, academic dishonesty is not acceptable. Students receive zeros on papers and tests after getting caught gaining an unfair advantage. The offense is not something taken lightly at MHS and beyond; students must earn their grades fairly without any inappropriate assistance.

            Despite the emphasis placed on this issue, cheating has remained a problem since the early years of education. Students wishing to raise scores or compensate for minimal studying will seek out ways to do so dishonestly. More unsettling than the deceit is the mentality some individuals have pertaining to the matter. While some view the offense as serious as the administration does, others refuse to take responsibility and instead blame others.

            To study for upcoming assessments, some students use past tests to become familiar with potential formats and question types. Such an idea appears logical except for when kids use the old exams to gain unfair advantages. There are teachers within the school who are known for recycling tests that have been released

Sometimes students cannot be held responsible for looking at old materials before taking the test. However, incidents have arisen in which students know the exams will be the same and review them anyway. Instead of searching for new preparation techniques, they try to get their hands on a copy of the answers.

The temptation, for many teenagers, is too difficult to resist especially when, if done correctly, the action will go unnoticed. Unlike other cheating tactics, this form is not easily detected if students view all of the exams prior to taking them. Teachers will not necessarily become suspicious of a student receiving consistently good grades. 

            Students involved in such incidents believe strongly that the fault lies with the teacher. Since he or she did not prepare a new exam, the teacher either expects or allows students to cheat. This skewed mentality is worse than the dishonesty because students are expected to uphold the rules and regulations. While teachers and administrators recognize the existence of dishonest alternatives, they insist students respect the honor code.

Indisputably, the teachers known for recycling old exams should create new assessments to minimize further cheating. However, the responsibility still lies with the students. Some students involved in these situations are seniors whose behavior is especially unacceptable. In college, cheating of any kind will not be tolerated. Students caught acting dishonestly will face serious consequences like academic probation, suspension or expulsion depending on the institution. Therefore, it is essential that as seniors, such individuals begin to realize the repercussions of their actions instead of blaming others.

            Written into the code of conduct is a list of punishments that corresponds to different offenses, one of which is cheating. The first time, students get a zero for the test or paper. If the behavior continues, the individual will fail for the quarter and meet with administrators.

With the recent issues of reviewing past tests, the sentence should be less severe because while the action was wrong, the exams were released. To punish students for gaining an unfair advantage would be difficult because some students manipulate the tests well enough to receive consistently good grades. Teachers, for whom this problem exists, should decide how to handle it individually. Giving retests offers one good solution because it will be evident who cheats, and without any old copies in circulation, the results will be accurate.

            Inevitably, there will always be opportunities to take a shortcut, or cheat in life. However, it is up to the individual to decide which path to take. More importantly, upon choosing, one must always take responsibility for his or her actions. To blame the teacher is sophomoric, because at ages fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen and eighteen, students know what is right and wrong.