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!