Prestigious Phoenix high school reports widespread cheating

PHOENIX (AP) — Brophy College Preparatory has learned of “widespread even pervasive” cheating among students in several math sections in its all-male student body, the principal of the prestigious private high school says.

Principal Bob Ryan said Friday in a letter to parents that school officials had learned of “academic dishonesty” in which an unspecified number of students devised a system in which students were paid by others to complete online homework and tests, local news outlets reported.

“Sadly, we believe a significant number of the students in these courses have been engaged in, if not at least aware of, this system at some point this semester,” the letter said.

Students who “propagated” the system would be held accountable, but the discovery of the cheating immediately before Saturday’s graduation made it impossible to ensure that all students involved would be held appropriately accountable, Ryan’s letter added.

The school plans an internal review, Ryan added. “Rest assured that this situation will have lasting implications for our administrative team and faculty.”

The website of Brophy, Arizona’s only Jesuit high school, said the school is “ focused on forming Men for Others and educating graduates to be open to growth, intellectually competent, religious, loving and committed to doing justice.”