Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
New York Times
May 2, 2007
By Dan Frosch
Fifteen cadets have been expelled and three others have resigned in a cheating scandal at the United States Air Force Academy near Colorado Springs, an Air Force official said yesterday.
Thirteen more cadets have been placed on probation, and there was insufficient evidence to mete out any punishment to nine others who were under investigation. Johnny Whitaker, director of communications for the Air Force Academy, said the action was the result of an investigation that began in February after a group of cadets, all freshman, were accused of cheating on a weekly multiple choice test taken Jan. 31.
Mr. Whitaker said fellow cadets reported the cheating, which involved the sharing of answers over the Internet. As stipulated by the Air Force honor code, cadets, supervised by military officers, undertook the inquiry of their peers.
After a series of administrative hearings, Air Force cadets determined that 31 of their classmates had violated the honor code when they cheated on the exam. The names of the cadets were not being released because of privacy rules.
According to the Air Force, 9 of the 16 cadets originally expelled appealed their punishment to the Air Force Academy superintendent, Lt. Gen. John F. Regni; eight of the nine expulsions were upheld.
“Obviously, we’re very concerned,” Mr. Whitaker said. “The honor code is the foundation of everything we have. Our mission is to train, educate and graduate leaders of character, and so obviously, honesty and integrity are paramount.”
“Any time a cadet lies or cheats or steals,” he said, “you’re just as guilty if you know and don’t do anything about it.”
The Air Force Academy has faced other cheating scandals. In the mid-1980s, a ring involving cheating on tests by several hundred cadets was uncovered, Mr. Whitaker said.
May 2, 2007
By Dan Frosch
Fifteen cadets have been expelled and three others have resigned in a cheating scandal at the United States Air Force Academy near Colorado Springs, an Air Force official said yesterday.
Thirteen more cadets have been placed on probation, and there was insufficient evidence to mete out any punishment to nine others who were under investigation. Johnny Whitaker, director of communications for the Air Force Academy, said the action was the result of an investigation that began in February after a group of cadets, all freshman, were accused of cheating on a weekly multiple choice test taken Jan. 31.
Mr. Whitaker said fellow cadets reported the cheating, which involved the sharing of answers over the Internet. As stipulated by the Air Force honor code, cadets, supervised by military officers, undertook the inquiry of their peers.
After a series of administrative hearings, Air Force cadets determined that 31 of their classmates had violated the honor code when they cheated on the exam. The names of the cadets were not being released because of privacy rules.
According to the Air Force, 9 of the 16 cadets originally expelled appealed their punishment to the Air Force Academy superintendent, Lt. Gen. John F. Regni; eight of the nine expulsions were upheld.
“Obviously, we’re very concerned,” Mr. Whitaker said. “The honor code is the foundation of everything we have. Our mission is to train, educate and graduate leaders of character, and so obviously, honesty and integrity are paramount.”
“Any time a cadet lies or cheats or steals,” he said, “you’re just as guilty if you know and don’t do anything about it.”
The Air Force Academy has faced other cheating scandals. In the mid-1980s, a ring involving cheating on tests by several hundred cadets was uncovered, Mr. Whitaker said.