I swapped classes and still had access to the google classroom in the last class. The teacher posted a test in that class’s google classroom which was a day before my class.
This means that I had access to the test papers before my actual class the next day.
Response by Senior, Charlie Doherty
My google classroom is in shambles. Whether that be still being in classes from two years ago, or my French teacher using the same google classroom for a decade, it’s the most disorganized part of my life. The amount of notifications, random to-do list tasks, or teachers posting “Happy Magnificent Monday” announcements which crush my inbox, make it so easy for me to understand your problem. So when posed with your ethical dilemma, I think it really is important to start with one thing. This isn’t your fault. High school, especially 9th grade, is one of the most confusing parts of anyone’s life. From the huge jump in learning (both in rigor and amount), your changing social life, and the ever present fact that it “all matters now”, switching google classrooms and leaving the other should not be at the top of your priorities. While this is wholeheartedly not your fault, having access to something that others don’t have, especially like a test, can 100% get you in hot water, not only with that teacher, but the school itself. So, while the access to a test isn’t your fault, and it may seem easier to look at the test rather than study, to ensure that you are truthful to not only yourself but others, let’s take the test, and tell the teacher after.
To explain it in simpler terms, while a test might seem like a whole other universe, let me paint you the picture of having the test early, in another situation. Forgive me, this might not be your favorite subject, but indulge me while I go on a history ramble. While I seem to be the only nerdy kid in my grade who knows what the Watergate Crisis is, let me break it down for you. Between 1972 and 1974, some folks from former President Richard Nixon’s re-election campaign broke into the Democratic National Committee (his opponents) Headquarters (at the Watergate Hotel, hence the name) to gather information –basically, trying to sneak a peek at the other side’s playbook. Doesn’t this sound familiar? The important part isn’t just that they did it, but that they got caught. The scandal didn’t destroy Nixon’s career (he had to resign under the threat of being removed from office) because of what he saw/ordered– it destroyed his career because of his handling of it, as well as how it implicated him. The lie, the cover-up, the attempt to pretend like he wasn’t holding something he wasn’t supposed to? That was the real issue.
Now, don’t get me wrong. You are not Richard Nixon. You didn’t break in, you didn’t steal, you didn’t even mean to be in the Google Classroom. But you are in a position of unexpected power — an accidental inside scoop. And just like the Watergate folks, which matters now is how you respond. You can choose to be honest, rise above, and to value your own learning over a shortcut. And at ISB, that’s hopefully what your teachers have gotten you to believe in – integrity, courage, and being the kind of person who does what’s right, even when no one is watching (or when the test is already in your Google Drive).
So here’s what I’d do: take the test without looking at the preview, tell your teacher after, and be honest. Not because you have to, but because doing the right thing feels way better than the stress of being in trouble later. As I said before, and I’m sure your parents will beat into you nonstop, it all matters now. It is easier to fix a bad grade than it is to fix a cheating issue. And hey- if all else fails, use the chaos of Google Classroom as your excuse. If Nixon had that, maybe he wouldn’t have needed to break into the Hotel.