Cheating in FRC

[Jon Stratis]

Reporting something like this can be scary. It's easy to worry about possible repercussions - if the team is negatively impacted the student may be treated badly by mentors or Fellow students, and here "badly" is a relative term - it could be anything from shunning to physical assault, depending on the individuals involved.

So I'll offer up an alternative solution. Find a mentor or volunteer on here from an area different from yours. One that doesn't interact with your team or your events, and one that doesn't work for FIRST. Private message them (from a new anonymous account if you feel it necessary) and ask if they would be willing to advise you. Bring the problem to them, go back and forth filling in the details that have been mentioned in this thread, and see what they say. Let them mentor you through the situation. I would willing volunteer for this role for any student who needs it, and help them as best I can, without making anything public or reporting it to FIRST without the students agreement. Of course, if you attend one of the Minnesota events that may not help, as my role of LRI at those events puts cheating like this under my purview... But that may also make someone like me a great resource for anyone going through this, as I can look at the situation from both sides (as a mentor and as someone having to enforce the rules).

In short, please reach out and talk to someone. It doesn't have to be public, and at least in this situation it sounds like being public isn't really an option. But all the same, Talk to someone who will listen, and listen to their advise!. Perhaps the best thing about the internet, when it comes to something like this, is the anonymity... If you don't provide a name or team number, then it can't flow back on you!

[MamaSpoldi]

Originally Posted by Jon Stratis

Reporting something like this can be scary. It's easy to worry about possible repercussions - if the team is negatively impacted the student may be treated badly by mentors or Fellow students, and here "badly" is a relative term - it could be anything from shunning to physical assault, depending on the individuals involved.

So I'll offer up an alternative solution. Find a mentor or volunteer on here from an area different from yours. One that doesn't interact with your team or your events, and one that doesn't work for FIRST. Private message them (from a new anonymous account if you feel it necessary) and ask if they would be willing to advise you. Bring the problem to them, go back and forth filling in the details that have been mentioned in this thread, and see what they say. Let them mentor you through the situation. I would willing volunteer for this role for any student who needs it, and help them as best I can, without making anything public or reporting it to FIRST without the students agreement. Of course, if you attend one of the Minnesota events that may not help, as my role of LRI at those events puts cheating like this under my purview... But that may also make someone like me a great resource for anyone going through this, as I can look at the situation from both sides (as a mentor and as someone having to enforce the rules).

In short, please reach out and talk to someone. It doesn't have to be public, and at least in this situation it sounds like being public isn't really an option. But all the same, Talk to someone who will listen, and listen to their advise!. Perhaps the best thing about the internet, when it comes to something like this, is the anonymity... If you don't provide a name or team number, then it can't flow back on you!

This is great advice. Some of the judgement here seems to be going back on the reddit OP... that is upsetting. This is a student looking for guidance without shaming his teammates. If Minnesota is not an option perhaps Connecticut is. I have been a team mentor for 10 years and have been a sounding board for several students who were trying to navigate difficult situations. I would be happy to help talk through the situation up to and including helping you talk to FIRST if that is the right option.... with complete anonymity. Feel free to pm me if I can help.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Originally Posted by Jon Stratis

So I'll offer up an alternative solution. Find a mentor or volunteer on here from an area different from yours. One that doesn't interact with your team or your events, and one that doesn't work for FIRST. Private message them (from a new anonymous account if you feel it necessary) and ask if they would be willing to advise you.

Great suggestion, I will certainly offer to be that contact. I am a chief volunteer but I am not a FIRST employee. I am a member of a HOF team and a 21 year team veteran.

Every year I will hear allegations of a very similar story. It is rare, extremely rare, for a team to flaunt rules. Mentors are not perfect and they sometimes misunderstand the rules. Young team members are also capable of this same misunderstanding. Usually, in short order, the mentor and/or student will see the error of their ways and correct their behavior. I can tell you that Chairman's teams are accused of misstating facts in their presentations every year and likely every event. This is an indication of how important the award is and how desirable for teams to achieve.

In spite of the desirability, many teams still do not make the attempt. When a team actively pursues Chairman's, it affects the way they think and make decisions. When a difficult decision comes before the team, they start to think "What would a Chairman's team do?" This is why I encourage every team to pursue the Chairman's award. Every team thinks they don't do enough to win, but you can't win if you don't try.
Congratulations to Team 597 the Wolverines of LA, 2015 Champs winners. Welcome to the Hall of Fame!

[gblake]

I'm just a bit surprised that when I skimmed through this thread, I didn't see anyone point out that everything read in the Internet should be taken with a large grain of salt.

The Reddit OP could very well be a troll doing a little fishing. For me, until the story is corroborated by credible, independent evidence; it's interesting, but not worth more than a 6-word reply that says, "If this is real, contact FIRST."

Some of the follow-on and side-discussions here have been valuable, but when I imagine the OP, I'm as likely to imagine someone laughing, as I am to imagine someone distressed.

Don't jump into the boat folks... Know what I mean? Use due diligence before putting your faith into internet heroes, martyrs, rabble-rousers, or victims.

If that due diligence shows that a real need for action exists, *then* grab the pitchforks, and light the torches.

Blake