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<p>This is exactly why I believe punishments should not be so severe for first-time offenders. If teachers are too indifferent, lazy or fearful to try an catch cheaters, or they pretend to trust students when all the evidence shows that a high proportion do not merit that trust, they are transmitting a terrible message to malleable youths and are responsible for propagating the problem. You can’t put all the blame on students for adopting “might as well” attitudes when teachers and administrators don’t care enough to crack down.</p>