More Than 70 Cadets Implicated in West Point's Worst Academic Scandal in 45 Years

President Trump Speaks At West Point Graduation Ceremony

(Photo : Photo by David Dee Delgado/Getty Images)
WEST POINT, NY - JUNE 13: West Point graduates attend the U.S. Military Academy Class of 2020 graduation ceremony while socially distancing on June 13, 2020 in West Point, New York. The graduating cadets were sent home in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but have been ordered back to attend the commencement after the president announced he would continue with the previously planned address.

The worst academic scandal since the 1970s at the premier training ground for officers of the Army as more than 70 cadets at the United States Military Academy at West Point were accused of cheating on a math exam.

The examinations which were administered remotely due to the coronavirus pandemic, had fifty-eight cases of cadets who admitted cheating on the examinations, as most of them have been enrolled in a rehabilitation program and will be on probation for their remaining time in the academy as others resigned, while other face hearings that could result in their expulsion.

The reputation of the academy was struck by the scandal for rectitude which is supported by its own moral code, and is literally etched in stone as cadet will not lie, cheat, steal or tolerate those who do.

Law Professor at the West Point, Tim Bakken called the scandal as a national security issue wherein the West Pont cadets become senior leaders that the nation depends on, USA Today reported.

Bakken also added that there is no excuse for cheating especially when the fundamental code for cadets states that they should not lie, steal or cheat.

He also added that when the military tried to downplay the effects of cheating at the academy, they are really hoping to downplay the effects on the military as a whole as he emphasized that the people rely on the military to tell us honestly when people should fight wars and people can win them.

Ryan McCarthy, the army Secretary shared that the disciplinary system at West Point is effective.

He also added in the statement that the honor process is working as expected and cadets will be held accountable due to the move that they have done done which resulted to h broken code.

According to The Washington Post, the academy's superintendent, Lt. Gen. Darryl Williams, mentioned in the statement that the honor system at West Point is strong and working as designed.

He also added that the deliberate decision that has been made in order to uphold the academic standards during the pandemic, as they are holding cadets with those standards.

West Point's chief of staff, Army Col. mark Weathers shared in an interview on Monday that he was disappointed in the cadets for cheating, however, he did not consider the incident as a serious breach of the code and it would not have occurred if the cadets had taken the examinations on campus.

Leader of the personnel panel of the House Armed Services Committee, Rep. Jackie Sppeie, D-Calif., who leads the personnel panel shared that she had found the scandal deeply troubling and West Point must provide more transparency in order to determine the scope of cheating, The New York Times reported.

Speier also mentioned that the cadets at West Point are the cream of the crop and are expected to demonstrate unimpeachable integrity and character.

He also added that cadets shold be held to the same high standard gurng remote learning as in-person.

The said cadets all made the same error on a part of the examination as the instructors have determined that they cheated on a calculus final exam in May.