<p>At the university where I work, students are expelled for cheating. One foreign student was sent back to her home country senior year.<br>
It's better to live one's life with a clear conscience. Do the work yourself! It's good for you!</p>
<p>Plus Jamming, it's not just the morality issue... when you attain a certain grade you are saying i am capable of this job and when someone hires you they expect a certain expertise based on how you've represented yourself! So when you drive over a bridge that collapses for no aparent reason.... think back! ofcourse cheating happens BUT IT'S WRONG! </p>
<p>If it's so unimportant, why do people do it? cheating isn't a mistake that accidently happens... you have to decide to cheat! Seriously!</p>
<p>And the only people who resent the people who have the backbone to stand up to cheaters are spineless themselves....</p>
<p>Jaming (and supporters)-</p>
<p>Where do you draw the line? When does it change from "it happens, get over it" to "it is wrong and 'they' should be punished"? Drunken driving accidents happen, theft happens, armed robbery happens, rape happens, murder happens......the list goes on. It isn't as if texastaximom is simply complaining about the system and the situation, she is actually doing something about it. Why does she have to "get over it" then? Do you honestly think that a) ignoring the problem will make it go away or b) that students who think like <em>you</em> do will actually do something about it themselves?</p>
<p>Why is it that people tend to be the most vocal against the person who is trying to do the right thing no matter how "minor"? I can't tell you how many times I've had to defend my convictions about something that people kept telling me were "no big deal". If it is no big deal, then why are <em>you</em> so upset about it?</p>
<p>Texastaximom, I am also behind you and wish you luck with you goals. It would be nice to see more schools with an honor code that is upheld. Maybe then we can get more quality workers, leaders, etc.</p>
<p>Students might be under the illusion that "everybody does it" and that cheating just "happens." But teachers and employers are not (for the most part!) stupid. The honest and hardworking ARE noticed ... hired ... awarded scholarships.<br>
If you cheat, you might be surprised how many people know, and how significantly your reputation is affected.</p>
<p>"And the only people who resent the people who have the backbone to stand up to cheaters are spineless themselves...."</p>
<p>In addition, the people who resent those who advocate for ethics are likely to lack ethics themselves.</p>
<p>Or in the case of CC, sometimes they are people who just like to stir the pot and get everyone riled up....</p>
<p>When I was 5 I took a piece of candy out of one of those 'Brachs' bins that used to be at the end of the aisle in the grocery store. Several miles away, nearly home, with melting groceries in the back seat, my Mom discovered I had it. She turned the car around, drove back to the store, and made me apologize to the manager in person and pay for the candy.</p>
<p>I have NEVER had the slightest temptation to shoplift, lie, steal, cheat. I credit my parents with that. (As a mom I realize much better now what a pain in the rear it was for my mom to drive a kindergartner back to the store & go through all that when it was basically an innocent mistake.) She grabbed the teachable moment. </p>
<p>Honesty and integrity are foundations of a civilized society and are worth fighting for.</p>
<p>"Honesty and integrity are foundations of a civilized society and are worth fighting for."</p>
<p>You are so right, SBmom, and the other posters here.
Corruption ruins governments, economies, whole societies.</p>
<p>Whether we like it or not, jamming's thoughts are the prevalent ones in our schools today. Some very courageous kids are standing up and complaining about this. Last year, one of the kids in the top 10 bragged at the Honors banquet that he got there by cheating. Whoever was #11 should have been screaming! (Unless he, too cheated). And I had this kid in class. Quite frankly, I thought there was something going on, but never could catch him. He was too good at it. He is going into the medical profession. Needless to say, I will Never allow him to get near me with a stethoscope. When I was studying in Mexico MANY years ago, our Spanish teacher, a native, with a Ph.D, told us that if we ever got sick, to request a doctor trained in the military. They did not allow payola. They actually had to learn the material. In the school, a few Mexican natives were architecture students. We wondered how they were able to party every night, and not attend school. They had $ and paid the secretaries to amend their grades. They all had straight A's. A couple years ago, there was a collapse of a building in Mexico - payola was involved, the cement had too much sand. But cheating is OK - let it go! People lost their lives over that. We CANNOT and WILL NOT let it go!</p>
<p>evitajr1...you story reminds me of a girl I ran into. She was a summer intern at the architecture firm I went to and she was talking to be about applying to my grad school. I was all set to help her...until she happily told me that she was able to get another grade of hers changed and now she was at the top of her class! This girl made an academic career of pestering and complaining to get her grades changed. When I saw her portfolio it only confirmed that she became the top of her class dishonestly. I avoided that girl like the plague from that moment on. I don't know if she got into grad school but I atleast it wasn't with my help.</p>