Pressure Doesn’t Excuse Cheating

As an instructor at a community college, I was most interested in your article on cheating (April 29).

I noticed that something was missing. The article went to great lengths to explain the various pressures on students that might be increasing the cheating rate.

But students are not simply “victims” of pressures. Cheaters make conscious decisions to do what they know is wrong. They cheat because they are too lazy to study or to write papers. Being under pressure is no excuse for doing what is simply wrong.

On the subject of parental pressure: Some students think they “need” better grades than they can earn themselves. Perhaps it would be wise for parents to value reading and math skills (and character) acquired more than the grade received.

If the students had these skills, they would be better equipped to earn the grades they want.

VIRGINIA ROUNDY

Orange