What do you think about opening an Afro-centric school in Toronto?

A student at my school is suing one of my co-workers, a professor, what do you think about this?

• At the school I work at a student is suing one of my co-workers, because she accused her of cheating and failed her. Our school "legal team" came in to talk to us about making allegations of cheating for which we have no proof. Apparently, the other professor only thought the student had cheated on an exam, but didn't actually see them cheating. The school's lawyer held an "in service" about making false accusations and the potential legal ramifications. The student is suing the professor and the school for both libel and slander. At our school if you fail a class due to cheating you get an "XF" on your "report card" which can not be undone, even if the cheating is shown to have not happened. The student is alleging that this has damaged her reputation and that other school and employers will be less likely to take her with an indication that she had cheated and failed a class. Since she was supposed to graduate this semester she is also suing for lost wages that she will not get because she'll be in school another semester or two and she is also suing the school for the entirety of her tuition money back. I'm kind of torn about this, my place of employment has fostered this extreme no tolerance policy on cheating where everyone is a cheater until proven otherwise. It's on the students to prove that they did not cheat if they're accused rather than for the professor to prove the accusation. In a way I kind of back the student, from what the school's lawyer said she has a strong case on all of her "charges" against the school. We live in a very litigious society, he said, and he said you simply can not go around making accusations for which you have no proof. I feel bad for my co-worker because the school has distanced itself from her actions, even though they have been enforcing this "everyone is a cheater until proven otherwise" type of policy for years now. They're probably going to fire her over this and that'll be the end of her career in education. In reality, I don't think the student was trying to cheat and I think the professor honestly thought that she had seen her cheating. It just seems like a misunderstanding that's being blown way out of proportion. What do you think?

• Answer:

  Sure it's a misunderstanding. I don't think the teacher made the allegation maliciously. But it's not been blown out of proportion at all. As a result of this "misunderstanding" the student has a permanent mark on her transcript that says she failed for cheating. And yes, that could affect her if she applies for grad school and with employment. Some employers do review your college transcript (mine did). She also has to incur the costs of another semester at school and looses credit for a class she should have passed. And yes, her reputation has been damaged. She has every right to be mad. It's likely the law suit was a result of the schools unwillingness to correct the "misunderstanding'. They should have conducted a confidential investigation. Once they were unable to prove cheating they should have given her the grade she earned on her exam and the earned grade on the course. No...the student does not have to prove their innocence. The school is the one making the charge of cheating. The school is the one exacting the punishment. The school better be able to back up that charge and punishment with proof. The school is 100% in the wrong on this. The school can give her credit for the class she passed. The school can change the grade on the report card. It's their grade. They gave it. They can change it. They choose not to. The fact that the student is fighting this hard to correct the matter tends to indicate that she was not cheating. A guilty party would not be pushing this hard. Since the school refuses to make the necessary corrections, the student has no choice but to pursue legal action. Hopefully, the school can learn from the law suit and make the necessary changes.