1-14-21 - Standardized Cheating

 Standardized Cheating

IDEA - 1-14-21

by

Patrick Ryan

The day finally came, the state paid a visit to Principal Knoll and told him that if test scores didn't go up by at least 25% over last year, they would close the school down.  Rodney Knoll had been Principal of Highlander High School for 20 years. Right smack-dab in the middle of two of the most dangerous neighborhoods in the city, Principal Knoll knew that if the school closed, the state would send these students to other high schools that weren't anywhere near where they live. That would mean bus rides up over 40 minutes in traffic every morning. Just another obstacle to get in the way of them earning their high school diploma. Most of the students were on the brink of dropping out anyway. If the state were to add another burden, half would just call it quits. It was that time of the year again; UPS delivered the state test in secure plastic wrap. A large sign sealed the plastic, "do not open until test day." The tests were delivered a week in advance to Principal Knoll's office. There they sit,  staring at him as the students left for the day. It was three days until they had to take the test, and Principal Knoll couldn't help himself; he tore open one of the sealed packages and looked at the test. He memorized the questions and created a test prep review, and distributed it to teachers. With two days until test time, the teachers gave the test review and helped them answer the questions. Little did they know, they were reviewing with the actual test. When the test day arrived, Principal Knoll walked the halls, peeking in on classrooms taking the test. He saw students smiling. They finally knew all the answers, something that rarely happens in their lives.  When the test was done, Principal Knoll packed up the test and shipped them out to be graded. The test results had arrived, and Principal Knoll didn't know what to do. If he was ever caught, he would lose his job and never work in education again. Principal Knoll sits at his desk on a Thursday afternoon, stares at the envelope with the results,  feeling the guilt of a gesture he made with best intentions.