THE GREAT CHEATING SCANDAL

When we were in Year 6 or perhaps it was Year 5 we were required to sit for an Intelligence Test.  Sister Regina was our teacher and she split the class up so we were not sitting anywhere near our friends or anywhere near our usual places.  

I had to sit near a boy whose I shall not identify other than to call him AL.  Now AL was a very strange kettle of fish and I would describe his demeanour and behaviour as very odd.   Looking back I suspect he was probably on the autism spectrum but that was never talked of back then.  He was averse to anyone looking at his work and would drape his entire arm around his book so no one could see what he was doing.  This was his strategy to prevent “copying”.

Anyway, when the results came I was called to the front of the room and asked in front of the entire class if I had cheated. A collective gasp went up from my classmates and of course, I replied “No Sister” because I had not cheated. She then called AL to the front and he was asked if I had copied his work.  He of course responded, “I don’t know Sister”.  I was kept in at lunchtime and Mum was summoned to a meeting with Sister. 

She told Mum that she suspected that I had copied off AL because my score was almost identical to his.  Mum said maybe AL had copied off Anne. Sister of course said this was not possible.  She told Mum if my score was accurate I was not using the gifts that God had given me and not using my intelligence appropriately in class.

That evening at home I was questioned by Dad. “Did you copy off AL?”. “No” I responded. I didn’t think to tell them about AL’s habit of covering his work to protect it from prying eyes but I convinced Mum and Dad that I had not cheated. 

The outcome of this was Mum had to take me into Hunter Street Newcastle to Latec House (before it fell into disrepair and was later resurrected into apartments) to see the vocational guidance counsellor to re-sit the test.  Mum had to leave me there and I was put into a room on my own and I redid the test.

My score on the second test was almost the same as the first time but a few points higher.  Sister was perplexed as she said my work in class was at best ordinary and with a score like that I should be working as well as the top students in the class.  She obviously did not take into account my penchant for daydreaming. She did tell Mum that if I did less talking and paid better attention then I would be able to improve my grades. Talking was the only thing that I ever got into trouble for at school and I must admit I did not learn the lesson easily as I was on the verandah with some regularity.

Again the injustice of this situation has been bought to the fore.  There was never any question that AL had copied my answers because he always came top of the class each week in our spelling and Mental Arithmetic. I suspect that he had a photographic memory and I often wonder what become of him.  Until I have written this story I have not thought about this kid since I was in Year 6.