the appleton north NOCTILUCA Appleton, Wisconsin February 2011 Vol. XVI Issue VI Inside Plagiarism plagues schools this issue: By Catie Edmondson High school and college ad- ministrations nationwide con- cede that cheating has emerged as a prevalent practice accept- ed by students. A poll taken by The Noctiluca suggests that North may be the next school to fall victim to this epidemic. Polling 50 students at North from a variety of different class- es and grades, The Noctiluca asked students to define cheat- Reform under way ing. Students most commonly replied “taking someone’s work in Egypt that’s not your own.” Despite pg. 3 this interpretation, 94 percent of students admitted to copy- ing from another’s homework Photo by Jensen Enz or allowing someone else to Cheating is not acceptable in the Appleton Area School District. copy their homework. Nearly 60 percent of the students stat- has stayed the same, science ment, quiz, or test, additional half the students confessed that ed they didn’t think cheating teacher Mrs. Stidham-Gebert school consequences includ- they have looked at a neigh- is a serious problem at North. remarked that she has seen ing Code of Conduct violation bor’s answers during a test, and “Nobody really cares except an increase of cheating in her and privileges revoked, as well 60 percent said they have given the teachers,” reflected a stu- classroom. Stidham-Gebert as possible removal from the answers to another student dur- dent. “Everybody does it,” ex- stated she sees a larger amount class with an F. ing a test or asked a neighbor plained another. “I don’t mind of more subtle attempts, such Stidham-Gebert acknowl- for an answer. Students also this problem,” smugly replied as looking at a neighbor’s pa- edged that in the 14 years she commented that there was an one student. per during a test, but also cited has taught at North, she has important distinction between This defiantly compla- an instance where a student ejected three students from her homework, quizzes, and tests. cent attitude is visible within wrote answers in white-out on class after the individuals were Student Staples: “Homework and quizzes don’t North’s records; according to their black backpack. caught cheating on two sepa- really matter,” remarked one Dean Salm, 21 incidents re- According to Student Ser- rate occasions. What teens need student, “but I don’t think I’d garding cheating have been vices Staff, the consequences Driven by the pressure to re- pg. 6 cheat on a test.” reported this year alone. Al- for being caught cheating or ceive or maintain good grades, Though the poll indicates though Salm said the amount aiding a cheater range from students ignore the threat of frequent incidents of cheating, of cheating within North receiving a zero on the assign- See Edmondson, page 2 Walker’s ‘budget fix’ draws fire from teachers By Abbey Edmonds Governor Scott Walker’s latest plan to balance Wiscon- sin’s 3.6 billion dollar bud- get which seeks major public union concessions, inspired Packers win community members and edu- cators to protest the proposed Super Bowl XLV “budget fix” outsideThe Post- pg. 9 Crescent office February 11, where Walker was scheduled to be interviewed. Congregating prior to Walk- er’s arrival, about eighty edu- Photo by Abbey Edmonds Photo by cators, union representatives, Protesters outside the Post-Crescent office February 11 voice their complaints. and public employees shouted their protests and carried signs the last forty five years. The public employees, and I repre- to do what is necessary to reading “Teachers say no at- climate would be so odorous sent everyone.” bring the state’s spending in tacks on workers rights.” The that people would not want to Walker expects the motion line with our taxpayers’ abil- demonstrators’ shouts greeted work here.” to pass in the Republican con- ity to pay.” State Rep. Kevin the governor, followed by sev- Representative Penny Ber- trolled House and Senate, and Petersen, R-Waupaca, said eral state patrol officers, upon nard Schaber agreed, saying has renewed National Guard Wisconsin faces a “grave situ- Global Week arriving to the building. “I think the governor is doing emergency plans, in case pub- ation.” a success Union Representative and these changes in the wrong lic services are disrupted. If passed, the bill will re- pg. 12 Appleton East teacher Corey fashion, he’s making public Walker defended the bill quire public employees to pay Otis explained “the bill will employees a problem, not a in an interview with The Post- more of their salaries to pen- undo everything we have been solution. I’m here because Crescent stating, “I ask that sion, health insurance, and working for in education for many of my constituents are we continue to work together limit union bargaining rights. NEWS Appleton, Wisconsin February 2011 Vol. XVI Issue VI Page 2 Cheating persists in college Date rape issue By Catie Edmondson “National studies put the level of cheating in college needs awareness in a range of 20-60 percent of By Marit Bakken the fact that it occurred very students,” according to Mark close to Appleton, in Green Olkowski, the Judicial Affairs Two male soccer players Bay. In the wake of this inci- Coordinator for UW-Green permanently suspended from dent, many students are won- Bay. UW-Madison reported 51 their UW Green Bay team dering what is date rape and cases of academic misconduct along with one female college how to protect themselves. last year. “College campuses freshman who will never be When people think of are experiencing increases of the same again represent the rape, they might think of a academic misconduct,” says terrible consequences of date stranger jumping out of a dark Yolanda Garza, the Assistant rape that took place in Oc- alley and sexually attacking Dean of Students at Lawrence Photo from futurity.org tober on the UW Green Bay someone. This however is not University. Counteracting the Cheating at college also carries consequences. campus. true. Strangers are not the only supposed growth between The woman, who is not people who are guilty of rape. high school and college, it ap- electronic devices to cheat, UW-GB is $872. At Lawrence, named, said that she had con- In fact, about half of all people pears that the means by which Olkowski said that the majori- Garza says on a first offense, sensual sex early October 10 who are raped know the per- students cheat and their mo- ty of misconduct is perpetrated the student meets with their with one soccer player after son who attacked them. tivations for cheating do not using “old school methods.” professor to “respond to the al- consuming alcohol, and that In the UWGB case, the girl drastically differ from those in These methods include writing legation.” If the professor “de- this soccer player told her to who was assaulted had been high school. answers on arms, and cutting termines the student engaged have sex with his roommate. to a party with the two soccer Olkowski says that the most and pasting parts of papers in academic misconduct…the She eventually did, but then players and knew them. popular excuses for cheat- found online onto their assign- professor decides what the ap- she stated that she “blacked Alcohol is often involved ing include “pressure to suc- ment; a technique “not hard to propriate sanction should be,” out,” then woke up at her in date rapes, for drinking can ceed and fairness (others are catch.” which is often receiving an F home later on October 10 with loosen inhibitions, dull com- doing it),” but students also The consequences for be- for the course. If a student is bruises, cuts and punctures to mon sense, and allow aggres- say “the material [they need ing caught cheating at the caught cheating multiple times her body. sive tendencies to surface. to learn] is trivial, or courses college level are significantly at UW-GB, they could get sus- She was treated at St. Drugs may also, and often do, are too difficult.” Olkowski more drastic than at the high pended for one to four semes- Vincent Hospital, and a rape play a role. commented that many of the school level, however. At UW- ters from all the University of examination was performed. Date rape drugs can be students caught cheating pos- GB, “a growing number of in- Wisconsin colleges, according The woman told investigators mixed into a drink to make the sess a “sense of entitlement.” structors have a zero tolerance to Olkowski. she believed she was slipped consumer black out and forget Adding that the majority of policy. Regardless of how the The bottom line, according a “mood-enhancing” drug be- things that happen. Both girls instructors at UW-GB require student cheated, they are giv- to Professor Peter Peregrine at fore the alleged assault, caus- and boys who have been given students to put away electronic en an F for the course,” says Lawrence? “When a student ing her to want to comply these drugs report feeling par- devices while taking exams to Olkowski, further stating that cheats, they only hurt them- with the wishes of the male alyzed, having blurred vision, thwart the new trend of using the average cost of a class at selves.” students and then, eventually and lack of memory. Mix- black out. ing these drugs with alcohol Edmondson: Cheating in school an issue The two suspects were is highly dangerous and can these severe repercussions. The Noctiluca spoke to a meantime, I need to get good indefinitely suspended from even be deadly.