Cheating Crisis in American Schools

Picked up this article today on the ABC News website, about the cheating pandemic happening in America's high schools and colleges:

http://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/story?id=132376&page=1

It is sad indeed to read that cheating has become pandemic among students (it's possible that it's widespread in other places), and most students feel no remorse about cheating (they are only afraid of getting caught). Joe, a student at a top college in the Northeast said, "The real world is terrible. People will take other people's materials and pass it on as theirs. I'm numb to it already. I'll cheat to get by."

Will, a student a top public high school said, "Whether or not you did it or not, if you can get the jury to say that you're not guilty, you're free." Many students pointed to Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky, Enron and other financial scandals and the inconsistencies of the justice system, and say cheating in schools is a dress rehearsal for life. Sigh, to them, life is about cheating your way to the top. Sadly, this has been true on too many occasions.

Technology has made cheating even more pervasive. Some students are able to access the Internet while taking exams with their hand-held devices. 

In any given poll, more than one-third of students admitted to cheating. Teachers and professors admit to ignoring signs of cheating. A reader, Ron Butts, left a comment saying, "Kids are cheating because they see a society of cheaters from their sports 'heroes' to major corp. chiefs. The reason? It's worth it! The diference between 'the best' and second are extreme. We know that Michael Phelps is about to make between 50 and 200 million dollars for his gold metal performances...what do you think the silver medals will get in endorsements...next to nothing. CEO's are making an average of 400 times what the average employee is making for any given corp. The schools are cheating in their recrutment process of high school athletes and all of this is being witnessed by their student bodies. All the while, there are cuts in programs for the people that are to monitor indiscretions. It's a fast sinking ship."

I wonder how is the "cheating situation" is in Malaysia. Will we have the courage to do a comprehensive study on cheating in our schools? It is sad indeed to see our young people, the leaders of the future, resorting to under-handed methods to get ahead in life. Our future will be bleak indeed.