This time I won.

Today in my Government classes, my students took a test on the presidents of the United States.

They only had to know the first 10 (so far).

I noticed one particular student acting extremely "guilty" during the test.

So I kept my eye on him.

Was he cheating?

As they passed the tests forward, he was very careful to keep his arm covered.

Well, that is sure suspicious, dear student.

We met eye contact.

And it was an "I know exactly what you did, and we will talk soon" kind of eye-contact.

But then I made a mistake.

The incident briefly left my mind as I reminded my students of upcoming assignments.

I allowed my students to take a quick bathroom break--and then realized I had yet to talk to this particular student.

He took an unusually long time returning from the bathroom.

When he did return, I talked to him out in the hall.

And sure enough, he had writing on his arm.

But...it had nothing to do with the test. 

Just three huge letters, colored in with ink.

After school, when I checked my email, I saw an email from another teacher asking if I was giving a tests on U.S. presidents today.

When I responded that I was, she told me that she saw a student writing the answers on his arm.

Original, right?

And whatdyaknow.

It was the same student.

I'm betting he colored in his arm when he "went to the bathroom."

These little suckers.

They must be so smug to think they outwitted the teacher.

And, I must admit, there are plenty of times they successfully get away with it, and there's not a darn thing I can do about it.

But this time--this time I won. 

I have a strange satisfaction with that knowledge.

C'mon...why you gotta cheat!?