Los Angeles Teacher Noticed Something Strange in Her Class. Her Students Were Cheating, But She Isn’t Disappointed: ‘It’s Been Years.’

In an age where AI and smartphones appear to be a pervasive problem in the education system, a staple cheating method in the classroom re-emerged. Cheri Guy (@attagirguy), a teacher from Las Vegas, didn’t feel disappointed at her class at all. She told TikTok about the note she took from her students, and she couldn’t be happier.

“Guess what I found in my classroom yesterday?” Guy pulled up what appeared to be a sheet of paper torn from a notebook. “This was from the floor. They were passing notes from the class.”

Guy seemed to be excited about the discovery, and why shouldn’t she be? Most students these days would have tablets or phones to communicate.

“Do you know the last time I found a note? It’s been years,” she said. But they weren’t passing notes to gossip during class. Back in the day, most kids would send notes in class because they had messages they couldn’t wait to tell friends. But another reason it was done is because it’s a staple cheating method across schools from all over the world. It’s a generational experience.

“We’re currently reading Gatsby, and there was a quiz yesterday. Clearly, somebody didn’t do the reading,” the teacher said. Although reading is definitely both an art and necessity, there are times people are just too crunched for time. These children could have easily read a SparkNotes summary—some even consult ChatGPT these days. But it seems that none of them were able to do even just that.

What’s in the class note? Guy tells TikTok

Guy started reading the contents of the note, and it wasn’t short on comedy.

“I forgot to look up a summary (because I didn’t read),” someone confessed on the note.

“George said whoever killed Myrtle was a sinner and something about God. He kills Gatsby, then himself,” said one person from class.

“So, Gatsby’s just dead?!” another one chimed in, and it’s increasingly evident that they didn’t even know how the story ends. Someone else confirmed the fact.

“Nick imagines Gatsby had a meaningless life and was thinking about Daisy at the end,” someone else wrote. Clearly, those who were providing summaries either did their research or faithfully read the book.

“Nick’s not wrong. What kind of life is that? He legit just got framed by the one not only did he live for, but loved. Like, huh? LMAO,” someone from class stated. Whoever this was probably loves reaction videos.

“They were passing notes about the literature! I call that a win. I’m a happy teacher,” Guy grinned. She acknowledged that “maybe” the kids were cheating, “but they were writing notes about the literature!” Doesn’t that count as learning? And if they’re all helping each other out, isn’t that plus points for group effort?

There have been reports of college students in the United States struggling to read books. In 2024, only 43% of fourth graders nationwide were considered proficient in reading. There is a literacy crisis. It also doesn’t help that with AI tools readily available, students are using them to get ahead. Literature as a subject has been greatly diminished in academia, so to see children in class enthusiastic to learn, even though they’re passing notes and trying to get through a quiz, must have been a refreshing sight for Guy.

“Fitzgerald would be so thrilled to know that all these years later, people are still writing notes about him,” Guy commented.

(featured images: greenwish_, Cheri Guy, Gamit Grifu)

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