Desperate need for help - Accused of cheating in a SAC.

[Ghost!]

Desperate for some help from the VCENotes community!

Today I had an English SAC periods 5&6. It was the second half of a Context SAC. Before hand throughout lunch, and most of the day, I was going through my essay ROTE memorising what I had written in preparation for the SAC, as we were given the SAC prompts last Friday. I entered the SAC reading my practice essay, and when my English teacher announced that we need to put all of our books under the table, I did so. The SAC started, I wrote on hell of an essay.

Now, there's 30 seconds left of the last class for the day, and I'm putting the finishing polishes on my work, the final three sentences. A separate teacher comes in and wishes to borrow something from the shelf behind me, notices the paper on the ground and requests to speak to me in private. We go outside, she asks me what the paper on the ground in. I explain that it's the practice SAC I was preparing for. She then instructs me to gather all my property and make my way to the conference room.

In the conference room I'm interviewed by several teachers. I explain that it is the same essay, put I haven't used it to cheat throughout the entire SAC. I've been told that whether or not I looked at the paper, the broke the VCAA rules by having the essay in class. I then ask what the difference between me having the essay to read before hand and someone bringing all of their exercise books in class is, they tell me I specifically broke the rules by having the paper facing up (something I wasn't even aware of)

So, tomorrow I have a meeting with teachers. I've gone through the VCE and VCAL Administrative Handbook and read the rules and guidelines for this meeting, and I'm pretty upset and confused as hell at what to do.



Does anyone have any advice they can give me? Maybe someone has had a similar experience, can share some wisdom with me? I'm gutted that this has happened, considering I didn't cheat once. I understand most people will probably suggest there's nothing I can do, but to sacrifice a top rank in a cohort of 100+ and to destroy what was probably going to be my strongest study score, I'm miserable.

[mardat]

First question - is there any specific point at which they say you cannot bring a pre-written essay etc. into the SAC? If the only instructions they gave was to put any materials you had on the ground you technically weren't breaking any rules.

That being said having the paper facing up wasn't exactly the smartest thing to do - another step I would suggest is find the teacher who was supervising the SAC. They *should* have been paying attention during the SAC, and if so, they should have noticed that you weren't constantly looking at the floor.

Try to just explain everything to them as well as you can. Fact is they probably don't want you to fail, so if you can convince them you weren't cheating, they may be lenient and let the matter pass, or arrange for an alternative method of re-doing the SAC.

[nacho]

i doubt they're going to fail you/report you to vcaa, seeing
A) your rank 1
B) its' bad for their statistics, and if they didnt make it clear that 'you are not to bring any practice materials into class' that is their own fault for not enforicng and making clear what the rules are.
your essay you wrote, it wasnt an exact replica of the floor essay was it?

[burbs]

First off, make sure no to be rude, snarky or answer back. Be calm and explain the thing clearly. People may see:

I then ask what the difference between me having the essay to read before hand and someone bringing all of their exercise books in class is

as being rude (and an admission of guilt) even if you haven't done anything.

As you are highly ranked they may not do much, but you have to also see it from the school's point of view that you had an essays under your desk facing up, and the essay you wrote practically mirrors it. Explain that it was a mistake and you never looked at it, that you had already revised that essay beforehand and accidentally left it up.

Good luck man, I can imagine how annoying this must be.

[luken93]

Is your essay an exact replica - I mean word for word?

Even if they are slightly different, albeit a weak excuse, you haven't copied it word for word.

I wouldn't use this solely though, as it may be exactly the same and then it looks pretty bad.

Feel sorry for you man!

[Lasercookie]

Buy all your teachers chocolates? Wait no... that might come off as a bribe out of desperation.

You're in a tough situation, I hope everything works out all okay for you.

I would suggest try not to obsess and stress over it too much, there really isn't much you can do until the actual meeting; you might as well try to go into the meeting without any lost sleep.

[Ghost!]

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply guys, stressing so much.

Nacho - While I could certainly point out variations in sentences, and a slight change in the pattern of ideas (as well as things like a new title + persona + date) the essay is a pretty tight copy of the one on the floor. I memorised a lot of the work.

mardat - Thanks for your post, was some what calming. Whilst the idea that you couldn't use any other notes + essays in the SAC with you was never explicitly said, I'd assume that they will tell me that I surely know I'm not allowed to use supporting notes. However, I could always remind them of the fact that I didn't use it, but chances are they'll simply deny my claim.

Yeah, having the paper facing up certainly was stupid, but given the fact that I had zero intention of looking at it, I gave it zero though. I'm also particularly bothered by the fact that I didn't chose to bring my other books with me, because I probably would have slipped the sheet into one of my books and never thought about it again.

Thanks again guys.

[Water]

What you can do is bring your credentials. I think around this point in time, being an astute English student works fantastic here.

For instance, given your already high grades for English, there is no motive to cheat, as you'd only be cheating yourself. You have demonstrated that you haven't in your other sacs, so why jeopardize your English now?

Secondly, you were continuously writing, and to copy off the ground would mean witness. By asking other students in your surrounding area to prove your legitimacy would work in favor of you.

Thirdly, teachers work best here. If your in good line with some of your teachers such as in their good books, this will work wonders for you. They will be there to support you.


Don't point out that "teacher should've checked etc," you'll be working to undermine your teacher and thats bad. Most likely, it was by accident and you have to justify why it was an accident and you no intention and why your the victim in this case.




Anyways, I"m in a similar (emotionally) but starkly different situation with my context as well. My ranking has been hindered and I only have to wait and hear from my teacher in class of what awaits my fate (She is defiantly trying to support me here) >:.




PS: Essay facing upwards is pretty tough evidence lol.

[lexitu]

- You are the author of your own work and can memorise as much of it as you want, they can't pull you up on that
- Where specifically in the handbook does it say that you can't bring the work with you? Read very carefully into that, it could be codswallop
- The supervising teacher did not notice anything, the teacher that intruded had no contextual evidence other than what she witnessed in that instance

The only thing they have you on is that you had the essay haplessly facing upwards, so technically that's an issue (obviously). Just be firm, confident and relaxed in the interview. Some teachers prey on these situations and it's important that you defend yourself. All the best

[dinosaurs]

This does not sound like an absent-minded mistake - an essay, practically identical to the one you had written, laying face up within your sight?

Follow water's advice, it should be fine.

[Twenty11]

- Tell the truth. Tell them to take your word for it. Look them in the eye, ask them 'Why would I give up all my hard work and No.1 ranking, by cheating and getting 0, resulting in stuffing up my ATAR, rather than getting a lower mark and having minor influence on my ATAR'

[MJRomeo81]

Your class gets the actual SAC prompt before the SAC? Are any other schools similar? My school certainly doesn't do this (and it doesn't make too much sense since anyone who relies on this is pretty much screwed in the exam).

If I were you man I'd just admit to not knowing the rules, while asserting that you never looked at it. Given your #1 sac ranking, tell them you're willing to resit the sac (with a different prompt).

It sucks when honest people like yourself get called out for such bullshit. I see so many idiots getting away with cell phone in the lap, writing on thighs (for girls), paragraphs inserted in dictionaries, etc.

[pi]

I see so many idiots getting away with cell phone in the lap

Mine went off in the SAC today. Mental note: don't give younger brother your phone number.


Re: Topic

Ghost!, I really feel sorry for you. If I were in your position, I would just go with the truth and take the interview as calmly as possible. All the advice has been good, but take burbs', Water's and lexitu's advice on board especially.

Good luck, hope it all works out

[Ghost!]

Well, time to update this!

First of all, thank you so much to everyone who wished me luck & offered advice, means a lot to me.

So, how did things go?

Both my parents came along with me to the interview, and provided amazing moral support. The teachers, particularly my English teacher, tried to lull me into owning up to cheating a few times, but I adamantly told them that I made an honest mistake with no intention to cheat or break any VCAA guidelines. After a while, they relented and told me that given the issue at hand, they'd offer me three options. I resit the SAC, but have to provide yet another 90% copy of my essay, which I decided would be far to strenuous. The second option was to be graded on my original failed attempt in the first period, about 3 pages of a poorly structured essay not remotely finished. The final option, the option I chose, was to sit a test on this Friday after, written or oral, based on the SAC I've written. They'll be questions about the overall structure and the themes I discussed, and considering it is my own work, I should be able to pass with flying colours.

So, everything has really worked out to the very best! My English teacher is being reprimanded for poor conduct throughout the SAC (failing to monitor the room, and to notice my mistake) and I am on my way to receiving close to full marks for my essay, based on what a coordinator told me.

Thank you very much to everyone who offered advice and showed support, means a lot to me guys!

[funkyducky]

I was gonna say to prove that you'd memorised it by reciting it, but seeing as everything has worked out quite nicely, I'm just going to say well done and good luck!