Abstract
The savvy nature of academic cheating has outpaced educators racing to foil students’ high-tech high-jinx. Indeed, a culture of cheating in higher education has become pervasive, and even normalized. While problematic in all educational contexts, the implications of this erosion of academic integrity have particularly profound consequences in law school. There is no question that every law school has problems with cheating, but this Article is meant to cast doubt that engaging in a technological arms race with students to catch the cheaters is the best solution. Instead, a pedagogical commitment to teaching integrity in law school is a better low-tech solution to the high-tech problem of cheating. This Article posits that academic dishonesty can be addressed in law school by not only developing exam procedures to deter cheating, and appropriate procedures for handling allegations of cheating, but also by creating a law school culture that reinforces the high ethical standards that students will be held to once in practice. This Article contends that academic integrity should be part-and-parcel of legal education because nurturing a culture of integrity can lead to a significant impact on student behavior, and better prepare students for the practice of law.
Recommended Citation
Roberts, Lori A. and Todd, Monica M.
(2019)
"Let's Be Honest About Law School Cheating: A Low-Tech Solution for a High-Tech Problem,"
Akron Law Review: Vol. 52:
Iss.
4, Article 5.
Available at:
https://ideaexchange.uakron.edu/akronlawreview/vol52/iss4/5