28 Air Force Academy cadets face possible expulsion

[babylonsister]

http://www.gazette.com/display.php?id=1329718

28 AFA cadets face possible expulsion

School reacts swiftly to cheating allegations

By TOM ROEDER, THE GAZETTE

More than two dozen freshman cadets, including 19 athletes, face possible expulsion from the Air Force Academy in a cheating scandal acknowledged by the school today.

The cadets allegedly shared answers to a test of basic military knowledge by using instant messaging over the Internet, academy spokesman Johnny Whitaker said. So far, 19 cadets have admitted cheating on the Jan. 31 test and nine others will be tried by the school’s wing honor board to determine their involvement.

“The honor issues here are very disturbing,” Whitaker said.

The academy’s honor code requires cadets to swear they won’t lie, cheat, steal or tolerate
others who do. Those who violate the honor code face trial before a panel of fellow cadets and possible expulsion if convicted. Often, though, the academy cuts freshmen a break, putting them on a stringent probation program for first-time honor violators.

Final decisions on punishment would be made by commandant of cadets Brig. Gen. Susan Y. Desjardins and superintendent Lt. Gen. John Regni.

Citing the federal privacy act, the academy would not identify the cadets, nor would they say which athletic teams could lose players in the incident. He said the cadets involved were all from different squadrons and different athletic teams, but socialized on the same Web site.

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[patrice]

1. Our schools have made "Cooperative Learning" THE preferred

methodology. Is it any wonder that kids can't function without it now? Many don't have the ability to form "original" thoughts at all.

It's still their fault for cheating, but they DO get such mixed messages about this. We're talking about a generation that quite simply does not regard cheating in the same manner as previous generations did. I know, because I taught high school for 10 years.

[donco6]

4. I don't see this as the same thing at all.

Yes, I've used cooperative learning in the classroom, but there's never been any confusion as to what a test is about. At least not in my or my collegues' rooms. . .

[madame defarge]

2. Not the first time this has happened.

As far back as I can remember, there have been discipline problems at the AFA. What is it about military schools that bring out this kind of behavior...

[hobbit709]

3. "a test of basic military knowledge"

They're in a military academy and don't know this?????????