Plagiarism Must be Punished

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Recommended: Why academic integrity is important to the learners

When a crime is committed it is certain that the offender will receive a penalty. It is necessary to serve punishment to learn right from wrong and better ones’ self. At least, that is what has long been our society’s moral standard. Christine Pelton’s situation, however, obviously demanded integrity be forgotten and those values be deemed insignificant. Pelton, a sophomore biology teacher in Piper, Kansas, noticed twenty-eight students’ semester projects had been illicitly stolen. Supported by higher officials, Pelton justifiably failed those sophomores. But wait! Parents’ moaning, preventing Pelton from implementing known consequences to students that immorally cheated, clearly comprised of very logical excuses for the students’ plagiarism. On the contrary, plagiarism must not be disregarded as it entails three vital matters: students’ liability, intervening whiners and dissipating integrity. Despite numerous excuses, punishment must always be executed.

In the event that someone is caught stealing a vehicle, is it honestly morally justifiable to condone the theft? The sophomores that cheated on their biology projects are as liable as the car thief; both robbed another citizen. Leeway is not given to the car thief and therefore, the students that stole another’s hard work must receive punishment if our society’s moral standards are to be sustained. It is mandatory all students are knowledgeable about plagiarism laws and take extreme caution not to infringe upon them. “But I did not know!” is not a valid vindication. Imagine that all crimes were pardoned by mere explanations such as, “But I did not know!” or “I did not mean to!” Our world would be completely chaotic. All students are responsible for their own actions....

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...e world constantly failed to implement laws and penalties; criminals would leave without penalty and learn no lesson of right and wrong. The School Board did exactly that; they deviated from their rules and allowed the criminal students to be free of punishment, wasting an opportunity to teach them what is socially acceptable and what is not. A Judge cannot risk being dishonest, and society must not accept it either. Fading integrity makes a strong statement about the current position of our society’s moral standards, but we can and must change it.

Of course though, whining is always a justifiable excuse for crime, which is obviously why the plagiarizing students escaped penalty. Forget Jesus; forget society’s moral standards; forget integrity. In reality, integrity must be upheld and punishments must be enforced if our society’s moral standards are to be maintained.

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