200 Houston High Schoolers Caught Cheating on Exam

All 600 students were given two options: retake the exam, or have their final semester grade calculated without the exam.

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Hundreds of students from Clear Lake High School in Houston tried to pull a fast one on their teachers by texting one another answers to a final exam last month.

According to NBC affiliate KPRC-TV, teachers were skeptical when over a third of 600 seniors turned in the same answers on an English exam. “We believe about 200 students engaged in cheating on the final exam for the English 4 test,” said Elaina Polsen, director of communication for Clear Creek ISD.

Senior Anthony Dabideen told KTRK-TV he received the text message with the exam answers. “I got them from friends I don’t even talk to any more,” Dabideen said. “Like everybody had them, I’m pretty sure the whole senior class (did).”

Although Dabideen did not show KTRK-TV the text message, he said he considered using the answers.

“I had it on me and stuff and I was just like kind of peeping at it and the test,” he said. “They were all wrong. I was like, OK, definitely don’t go with these answers.”

Due to the large number of students involved in the cheating, disciplinary action is yet to be determined. All 600 students were given two options: retake the exam, or have their final semester grade calculated without the exam.

MORE: Investigation Finds ‘Widespread’ Cheating in Atlanta Schools