In PUC, as a rule it’s not OK to cheat in exams, and I so see the points of this that I abide by this rule and do not cheat. But what are those points that make me conform in such a way? First, I will not risk being caught and having my marks deducted or even having myself failed. So I don’t cheat. Second, as a student with quite satisfying academic records, I would like to continue enjoying the status as a good student without having my name spoilt by being known as a cheater. I want people to see me as a good student having good grades because I study hard and deserve them, not because I cheat in exams. So I don’t cheat. Third, after 3 years at PUC having gone with my record totally clean of cheating in any exam, I don’t think it’s worth it to cheat in the Introduction-to-Ethics exams and degrade this record. Although there is a chance that I would not get caught and no-one would ever know about it, at least I know and I will always do, which is something that can bring no pride, but guilt. And for that, once again, I don’t cheat.
Although having these in mind, I haven’t really extended the thought and questioned whether cheating is ethical at all; I simply don’t do it. I guess the question of ethics when it comes to cheating is at a different level – at a level that involves more than just me myself, but involves more about the act of cheating per se. I think cheating is unethical for several reasons.
First, I think it’s unfair to cheat. This may not apply in classes where every single student cheats; however, in PUC, where cheating is seen as an academic crime and thus only a minority of a class population cheats, this misdemeanor is unfair. If cheaters manage it without being caught and punished accordingly, the results they get do not represent what they deserve and may even outdo the results of those that don’t cheat and have studied hard. This is clearly unfair to the latter. I believe such unfairness is unethical.
Besides, cheating reflects dishonesty and deceit; that may be the reason why another meaning of cheating is synonymous with ‘unfaithfulness’. For one thing, when ones cheat in exams, they do the things that they are not supposed to do and try to conceal it; they are hiding the truth, or in other words, they are lying. This lie is not only made to their responsible teacher but also to those to whom they later show their grades or transcripts in the future. Though this is further debatable, yet I think lying and dishonesty is unethical.
Moreover, cheating demeans education. If cheating prevails in classrooms, education, through which schools and universities are there to educate people, giving them skills and knowledge, becomes pointless. Education should be there to encourage equality, fairness and ethical behaviors such as honesty, but not the opposites. From universities, students should graduate with skills and quality level of expertise, which can greatly be spoilt if cheating is a major reality in their history; in other words, those universities do not produce as qualified students as they ought to.
Finally, cheating also goes against one’s dignity. For me personally, once I cheat, I will lose my own dignity to the things I have been trying to distance myself from, which I have mentioned in the first paragraph. For some, they may be able to be cool and remain apathetic about what comes after the cheating; however, for others, me included, this simply goes against their values.
Those that stand in favor of cheating may stress the equal chance everyone to cheat, as opposed to the claimed unfairness, suggest apathy about the consequences against the points of losing one’s dignity, and emphasize students’ freedom and need to do whatever they can to get out of trouble and to succeed in today’s increasingly competitive way of living. I honestly see these counter-arguments as possible choices and as other possible ways of perceiving cheating; nonetheless, whether I also see them as ethical choices or ways, I absolutely doubt that. What I don’t doubt, however, is that how much unfairness and dishonesty I see in the nature of cheating, in addition to how self-dignity is lost and education is demeaned, is more than enough to deny its ethicality.
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