Some readers prefer cheating

Carla Rivera's article "Orange County group wants AP scores restored" has drawn some unlikely reader support -- for cheaters. A group of high schoolers is suspected of "paying a former student, who used fraudulent identification," to take the ACT test under their own names. The ACT is practically a rite-of-passage for college-bound high school students, and a hopeful alternative for those who earned less than stellar scores on the SAT.  The College Board's decision to investigate the matter, and potentially cancel the suspects' scores, has caused a debate among readers.

Reader Sloan believes that the real problem lies with "the cheaters who get caught. Concealing the cheating is the winners touch. People who don't cheat have no idea."

X takes a similar, pro-cheating stance; "Cheat and don't get caught. You success depends on it. And if you do get caught cheating -- never admit to it. Just keep your mouth shut, and let everyone else do the talking. Let them threaten you. Even if they through the book at you -- never ever tell anyone what actually happened. Not your mom, not your friend -- nobody. If no one can prove it -- you can't get in trouble."

Cucucachu sympathetically wonders "if they only knew how simple it is to cheat on that test."

Sahar is more neutral on the topic, but does acknowledge that "high school classes are really hard and the pressure that is put upon us makes everything harder. We realize that we have to score really high on tests such as SAT or ACT to be able to get into good colleges. Not only do we have to score high on the entrance exams, we also have other classes that we have to get A's in. For an average student, there are 6 classes everyday with the exception of tests/quizzes and homework everyday. I am not saying that cheating is the right thing, but many students do it because they are backed in an corner and have to pass the exams."

But Spider87 thinks that it's a moot point, "because the students will get lawyers and sue. The same is true at the colleges and universities, which have very weak ethical standards for the students. I've seen an adjunct faculty member at a community college not hired back because he refused to pass a student who cheated."

Matt believes that the test itself is to blame; "You gotta love these so-called 'ethicists' and 'educators' who rain judgement down on teenagers for something they call 'cheating.' They never talk about the real cheating going on -- that is, the fact that high school kids are cheated out of a genuine education by the unreasonable demands of a multi-billion dollar standardized testing industry."

But not all readers took a lenient stance toward the students. SomeoneRaisedNotToCheat bemoans that  "In some schools, the so-called educators aid and abet cheating, which leaves the few honest ones paying a terrible price for integrity. If I had my way, such teachers and principals would be charged with criminal fraud and punished appropriately."

If SomeoneRaisedNotToCheat joins the College Board, all these proud cheaters could get in some in major trouble.

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-- Amy Silverstein

Photo: Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times