In another “sign of the times” with the apparent “onslaught” of artificial intelligence in all walks of life, a professor at the University of Crete this week took to FB to describe something he “saw for the first time in the 23 years” of teaching at the higher education level, namely, failing students for using AI to write an exam paper and then having to…fend off one of the failed students’ protesting mother.

According to political studies lecturer Dimitris Xenakis, who spoke to Mega Channel this week, “…it’s not the first time we’ve ‘caught’ a student trying to cheat during exams. What changed in this exam period is that there was very extensive use of artificial intelligence to plagiarize, and we changed some grades after discovering afterward that they were exactly the same texts that AI produces when you ask it the (specific) question.”

He further lamented: “It is certain, because it wasn’t done by just one student but by around 40.” Prof. Xenakis explaining that the students had the same text “with very small differences and all using the same ‘stilted’ AI language, which is now easily recognizable. The course concerned international relations.”

What made the incident somewhat unique, however, was when one of the failed students’ mother, and a colleague-cum friend, flew in from mainland Athens and demanded that he change the grade to passing.

His full post reads:

“Today, for the first time in the 23 consecutive years that I have been teaching at the University of Crete, a student’s parent appeared and asked me to re-examine the paper and revise my grading! Initially, the student had sent me an email asking for explanations about the grade, to which I replied with the option of an oral examination this morning. Instead of the student, however, the ‘immortal Greek’ mother showed up.

“She justified her son’s absence by saying he had developed some kind of stomach ache and could not come. I would have had no doubt about the validity of her claims had she not replied that her son could not be examined because he would need to (re)study, as nearly a month had passed since the written exam.

“She also thought it a good idea to bring along a colleague of hers, who barged into my office and, in an insistent and demeaning manner, demanded to remain during the parental ‘request.’ She stressed that they had come together from Athens specifically for this purpose, but above all they repeatedly and pointedly emphasized the position and office (!) they hold, apparently thinking I would be frightened or in some way wish to benefit from it, and thus change my mind about ‘our dear boy’ (who failed due to copying from AI).

“Fortunately, my good colleague G.D. was also present for all this; otherwise, even I would have struggled to believe it. Although they probably came from the capital (Athens) for the Rethymno carnival (over the weekend), perhaps they thought that we professors … are clowns as well. Or is this how they are used to getting their little jobs done?

“I would not have made an issue of the fact that, after so many years, an overprotective parent overstepped the boundaries, had her position and the method of pressure she followed—together with her particularly aggressive and provocatively colleague—not been of enormous importance.

“When I even tried to explain to her that, in her place, I would feel ashamed and that she should reflect a little on what she was doing, the response was even more disheartening …regarding corruption, injustice, and decay around us.

Don’t wonder if I changed my mind about the grade. Rather wonder what kind of work—and what kind of damage—these two ladies are really doing.”