Cheating has become a staple at STA. There is no denying, avoiding, or ignoring it. Last year, the Dart published what was supposed to be a controversial center spread, ‘Cheater, Cheater,’ and although it was disconcerting to parents, no one was shocked.

Or at least I wasn’t.

My first thought should have been, ‘Wow, I can’t believe cheating has become such an issue at STA that we felt it was center spread worthy.’ But it was actually, ‘Wow, I can’t believe we are publishing this, this is going to make our school look so bad.’

Students say they cheat because their classes are impossible, because their teachers are bad, because our grading scale is so difficult, because everyone else cheats so it’s not fair if they don’t too. The list goes on and on.

But most students don’t need an excuse to cheat. They just do.

It’s not because they are lazy, incapable, or corrupt.

It’s because cheating is something that has become embedded into the culture at the academy.

Younger students see the ‘successful’ upperclassmen (honors students, club presidents, class officers) cheating, and think, ‘That is how I get ahead, that is the only way I can succeed academically at STA.’

Can we really be that surprised that a culture of cheaters has developed?

Do we have any right to be appalled when some of them become thieves as well?

When things go missing around campus everyone becomes shocked and furious.

But really, what can we expect?

We welcome students into our doors and inadvertently tell them that cheating is ‘okay,’ that ‘everyone does it,’ and that ‘no one cares as long as you don’t get caught.’ I can only imagine their confusion at the outrage expressed when students simply steal items instead of answers.

It’s a slippery slope, my friends, and since cheating has become acceptable behavior, I can only imagine what crimes are awaiting us in our future.

Poor sportsmanship? Vandalism? Is someone going to kill Critter?!

We can only hope not.

Cheating isn’t just a serious issue simply because cheating is wrong. It’s a serious issue because it is the first coil in a downward spiral of unacceptable behavior. In my opinion, it can’t be stopped by any measures taken by the faculty or staff. The change has to come from within.

Our student body needs to decide that we want girls to succeed based on their merits, not their resources. I know how frustrating it is to discover that someone else had the answers to a test that you killed yourself for. But if we all set an example (especially us older girls) of honesty and integrity, the cycle can stop, or at least be slowed down.

We just got a fresh new crop of freshmen students with sharp minds and strong consciences. Let’s try not to corrupt them.

Deal?