DS accused of plagiarizing test

[Anonymous]

The teacher gave the class essay topics to work on for almost two weeks.
DS worked very hard writing and rewriting and editing until he was content with the final draft. The teacher chose one out of many for the final exam.
DS wrote it during the final test hoping for an A.
Instead he got a zero. The teacher is claiming he plagiarized but is not giving any specifications even though I asked for it various times. Without saying anything concrete, the school wants him to take the test again even though he'll be going out of town and out of the country for the summer.
Aren't they supposed to disclose the details of this supposed "crime" as the assistant principal very eloquently put it?

[Anonymous]

Wow. Private school? Do you think the teacher had it in for him? I'm really sorry, OP....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The teacher gave the class essay topics to work on for almost two weeks.
DS worked very hard writing and rewriting and editing until he was content with the final draft. The teacher chose one out of many for the final exam.
DS wrote it during the final test hoping for an A.
Instead he got a zero. The teacher is claiming he plagiarized but is not giving any specifications even though I asked for it various times. Without saying anything concrete, the school wants him to take the test again even though he'll be going out of town and out of the country for the summer.
Aren't they supposed to disclose the details of this supposed "crime" as the assistant principal very eloquently put it?

I would make them show you the test and prove he plagiarized!! That is a serious offense and you have the right to this information. If they don't provide it, and if I were in your shoes - I would smear their names all over DCUM and the particular school board that governs the school assuming they're private. That is BS.

If you don't step in and demand it and just let it go, that tells me you're unsure of his innocence.

[Anonymous]

Do you have versions of the drafts your son worked on? Do you have a version that was close to his last version? Can you look at it and maybe type some of the better phrases into Google or a couple of plagiarism checkers or something to see if it pops up? Do they think he plagiarized merely because the essay was so good? How are his grades normally?

I agree with PP. I would not let this go, and I would be down there in person demanding more of an explanation. That's a serious accusation.

[Anonymous]

how old is DS?

[Anonymous]

That doesn't make sense. If they have states it is plagiarism, they have to have evidence that led them to that conclusion. I would ask them in writing (email) so there is a paper trail to please detail the sections of the paper that were plagiarized ( paraphrased inappropriately or copied and pasted). They should actually highlight on his paper the sections that are under investigation and what the sources were. Ask to see their academic integrity policy. If they reply without evidence, ask who you should write that can provide the evidence. This is a serious charge and you should keep following up on it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That doesn't make sense. If they have states it is plagiarism, they have to have evidence that led them to that conclusion. I would ask them in writing (email) so there is a paper trail to please detail the sections of the paper that were plagiarized ( paraphrased inappropriately or copied and pasted). They should actually highlight on his paper the sections that are under investigation and what the sources were. Ask to see their academic integrity policy. If they reply without evidence, ask who you should write that can provide the evidence. This is a serious charge and you should keep following up on it

+1. They need to show you a copy of DS's paper as we all as a copy of whatever document(s) they're accusing him of plagiarizing. They can't just say he cheated and offer no further explanation. Keep pushing.

[Anonymous]

they can't just say he cheated and offer no further explanation++

[Anonymous]

Yes, keep defending your son and push back against the school! When i was in middle school, a teacher accused me of cheating on a report that i had worked really, really hard on -- she thought that i wasnt smart enough to have done such a good job. It meant the workd to me that my parents (and other teachers who knew i was smart) stood up for me.

[Anonymous]

There are computer programs that run the work through to see if it is plagiarized from anything online. Once you read something doing research, it's very hard to paraphrase it. Why don't you run his essay through one of those programs and see what pops up.

[Anonymous]

Is there any possibility that your DS cut and pasted something as part of his "revisions?"

Because that would, in fact, be plagiarism.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The teacher gave the class essay topics to work on for almost two weeks.
DS worked very hard writing and rewriting and editing until he was content with the final draft. The teacher chose one out of many for the final exam.
DS wrote it during the final test hoping for an A.

I don't understand. If you son worked on an essay for two weeks, what was chosen for the final exam? The essay the kids were working on?

How did he write the essay during the final test? Was it the same one he'd been working on for 2 weeks?

I'm confused.

[Anonymous]

I would demand proof and talk to a lawyer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would demand proof and talk to a lawyer.

A lawyer? The hell? What for?

[Anonymous]

I'd take the suggestion about copying some of into to a google search and see what comes up. Hate for you to fight to only find out your son did cheat.