School Suspends Teacher for Showing Exam Content to Students

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Category: Education/Family

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. restricted / rɪˈstrɪk tɪd / (adj) – describing something that is known or accessible only to a few people
    Example:

    Not everyone is allowed to enter the room because that’s where we keep restricted files with top-secret information.


  2. subsequent / ˈsʌb sɪ kwənt / (adj) – describing something that follows at a later time
    Example:

    Subsequent studies revealed that past knowledge about the plant is incorrect.


  3. otherwise / ˈʌð ərˌwaɪz / (adv) – in another way or manner
    Example:

    My teacher instructed us to follow her instructions for the project, so my classmates got a low grade for doing otherwise.


  4. notice / ˈnoʊ tɪs / (n) – a warning, reminder, or announcement about something
    Example:

    The school has put up a notice that warns all students about using phones during class hours.


  5. offense / əˈfɛns / (n) – a violation of a rule
    Example:

    The school decided to not punish the students for their first offense.


Article

Read the text below.

A public high school teacher in Canada is scheduled for suspension after using a restricted test material to help her students study for an exam.


Reports say that Maria Concetta MacDonald used a secure test copy to prepare her students for the provincial examination—an assessment test given to students from grades 9 to 12 in Canadian provinces. The Ministry of Education prohibits the use of previous provincial exams as a study aid because some readings and questions from them may be reused in subsequent exams. The teacher was reportedly aware of this rule and the limits on the use of the exam copy.


MacDonald was able to obtain a copy of the exam because she had to review a student’s results from a previous test. The principal of the school where she is teaching instructed her to discard the exam after use, but she did otherwise.


According to the Vernon School District, a notice warning against “copying, storing, or sharing of the exam” was concealed on MacDonald’s copy. When investigators asked MacDonald why the warning was hidden, the teacher claimed she thought it was just a random piece of paper.


Following the violation, a Ministry of Education employee filed a complaint to the British Columbia Commissioner for Teacher Regulation (BCCTR) against MacDonald. The teacher then faced a one-day suspension without pay on March 12, 2018.


After this, the Vernon School District filed a separate complaint for the same offense in September 2018. MacDonald signed an official agreement on October 4, 2019. The agreement states that she agrees to undergo a three-day suspension this December.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

• Do you think the punishment given to MacDonald is fair? Why or why not?
• Do you think MacDonald’s students should retake the examination? Why or why not?

Discussion B

• In your opinion, what are the negative effects of showing students an exam’s questions before the actual test (e.g. the exam becomes ineffective)? Discuss.
• If you were a teacher/educator, what do you think is the best way to help students prepare for an examination? Explain.