Radical Chemo. Thomas Mahon

in that room and study some more.” Consider the countless American parents who have said, “I’ll call the principal. In the meantime, Mommy will write your report for you.” What message is the parent sending the child?

      Our honor council recently saw a young man accused of cheating on a Geometry test. He admitted to the deed, claiming he rarely understood anything in the class. “I didn’t know any of the answers, so I had to look at someone’s paper. I couldn’t just sit there and do nothing,” he said. Little did he know the teacher had passed out two versions of the test, and he had all the correct answers to the wrong test. The kids on the council felt so bad for the boy they assigned him several hours of work in our school’s tutoring program. A few of them personally offered him help if he wanted it. His mother had a simple take on the situation that, unfortunately, did not even remotely address the honor issue. “I know he struggles with math,” she said. And that was that. If that isn’t a tacit excuse for academic misconduct, I don’t know what is.

      Our parents are very supportive of our educational mission. They genuinely want their children to earn a top-notch education, and earn it the honest way. But I know there will always be some who see the school thing as a bottom line business: grades, class rank, teacher recommendations, college acceptance, and diploma—by any means. I often wonder what they’re thinking as they watch the commencement exercises, and the graduates parading across the stage. The parents whose sons and daughters earned the diploma the honest way, can be proud of a job well done. But what can the others, the members of TheWinning Class, pride themselves on? The bottom line, apparently. Talk about the pressure to cheat. Talk about your need to have a little chat with Leon Festinger.