West Point Military Academy has expelled and suspended several cadets for cheating on a May 2020 calculus exam. It is one of the biggest cheating scandals for the academy ever.
West Point Cadet Cheating Explained
Cadets Expelled, Held Back For Cheating. “West Point has expelled eight cadets and held back more than 50 for a year after completing its investigation into cheating on a remote learning May calculus exam. The U.S. Military Academy West Point investigated 73 cases of suspected cheating, a statement from the school said.” [UPI]
Cadets Cheated On Calculus Exam. “The cadets were accused of cheating on an online freshman calculus exam in May while students were studying remotely because of the coronavirus pandemic. An investigation was launched after instructors noticed irregularities in answers. All but one were freshmen, or plebes, in a class of 1,200. The other was a sophomore.” [Army Times]
Most Of The Cadets Were Athletes, Football Players. “In all, 52 of the 73 cadets accused of cheating on a calculus final exam in May were athletes, many of them on the football team, according to figures released to USA TODAY by West Point.” [USA Today]
West Point Has Had Problems With Athletes Cheating. “Tim Bakken, a professor of law at West Point, said the involvement of so many athletes in a cheating scandal was a recurring theme at the academy and he called for greater scrutiny of the issue and more transparency on the part of the institution’s leaders. “We have to ask the question of whether there is something about the culture of athletics that is at odds with the academy’s mission with regard to honor,” he said, adding that he was in favor of second chances and hoped that “West Point discloses more about what happened here.”” [NY Times]
Some Cadets Escaped Punishment. “Of the 73 cases investigated by the cadet honor committee, six cadets resigned during the investigation, an additional four cadets were acquitted by a board of their peers, and two cases were dropped due to insufficient evidence. Of the resulting 61 cases that were fully adjudicated, eight were separated, 51 were turned back one full year, and two were turned back six months.” [West Point]
West Point: Cheating Is “Serious Breach Of Integrity.” “West Point considers every violation of the cadet honor code a serious breach of integrity. All cadets found guilty immediately received a course grade of “F”, lost cadet rank, and lost privileges. After adjudication of final punishment, all cadets who remain at the academy were barred from representing West Point in NCAA competitions, club sport competitions, club trips, semester abroad, academy exchange programs, brigade open finals, and public relations until the Superintendent approves completion of their Special Leader Development Program for Honor, which normally takes four to six months.” [West Point]
West Point Had 1976 Cheating Scandal. “The 1976 scandal involved 153 upperclassmen who resigned or were expelled for cheating on an electrical engineering exam. The secretary of the Army appointed a select commission headed by former astronaut Frank Borman to review the case, and more than 90 of those caught cheating were reinstated and allowed to graduate.” [King 5]
One of the first political bloggers in the world, Oliver Willis has operated OliverWillis.com since 2000. Contributor at Media Matters for America and The American Independent. Follow on Twitter at @owillis. Full bio.