This week, USA Today continues "Testing the System," a multi-part series exploring the extent and causes of cheating -- by teachers, principals and schools -- on standardized tests. While cheating happens in every field and system, today's polarized debates around education reform can easily turn this type of series into a hammer of blame -- toward teachers, standardized tests and even publicly-funded education -- for whoever partisans of either side want to demonize. Instead, it's important to remember that as is true for many issues, this is one where multiple things can be true -- all at the same time.
1. Cheating is Wrong. Period. -- Cheating is not new and there have always been stakes in education, mostly for students. And, despite the high stakes, such as failing a grade or not getting a diploma, it's always been wrong for a ninth grade student to cheat on his final exam, for a senior to plagiarize his term paper, or for educators to adjust the grades of a star football player. Likewise, despite high-stakes financial pressures, it's always been just as wrong for schools to manipulate attendance records for extra funding. Yet, we don't blame cheating on classroom exams, term papers, academic standards or financial rules. We hold the cheaters responsible.
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