CHAPEL HILL -- Four Chapel Hill High School students have been disciplined for cheating on a mid-term social studies exam and the school is continuing to investigate the matter, a spokeswoman for the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools district said today.

The students used a master key to enter a room and obtain the test answers. They received a zero on their mid-term and were suspended, a punishment that typically lasts one to five days, spokeswoman Stephanie Knott said.

The school and district have not pursued criminal charges. When asked why not, Knott said so far school officials have focused on the students' lack of academic integrity and not on their breaking and entering. Charges have not been ruled out, she said.

Knott held a press conference Tuesday afternoon to answer media questions about the cheating scandal, which some students and a teacher said Monday might involve as many as 20 or more students.

Principal Jackie Ellis sent an e-mail message to all the high school parents Thursday sharing that the school had discovered a group of students passing down this master key from year to year. Ellis also wrote that a larger group of students knew about the key and kept silent.

Knott stuck to the number four throughout her press conference. "Right now we're really only aware of four students in this building at this time," she said.

She said she wasn't aware of the school attempting to contact former students about the accusations that this has been done before. "If students have graduated at this point, there's little probably that can be done about it," Knott said.

Knott said the school has no evidence to prove cheating in previous years. Security cameras, which implicated these four students, were only recently installed at the school, she said. And her own five-year review of grades at the school did not reveal an unusual spike in academic performance.

Knott also wouldn't say what year these students are in high school. Other students and faculty have identified them as seniors taking an advanced placement government course. Knott said she didn't think there had been any discussion about contacting the universities that have already accepted these students to notify them of the cheating.

Chapel Hill High Principal Jackie Ellis is leading the investigation. Knott said she had hoped Ellis would join her at the press conference. Ellis wasn't there and did not return a phone call or e-mail seeking comment today.

Knott had few details. She couldn't say how many years the master key has been in students' possession. She didn't know whether all four students broke into the school. She didn't know when the incident took place.

She couldn't say why students and teachers are under the impression that 20 or more students are involved.

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