Character - you either have it, or you don't.

The Atlanta, Georgia, school system is involved in one of the largest cheating scandals in U.S. history. Teachers and principals are accused of changing student test answers in order to increase the scores, leading to job security and higher pay for themselves.

The newspaper says pressure to meet testing targets was a major reason for cheating by 178 educators in 44 Atlanta schools. I disagree. The major reason for cheating is the lack of an ethical standard.

DeKalb County teacher Laura Pittman said she was convinced that teachers would be forced into more cheating. "Anybody whose job is tied to performance, it is a setup." What a sad way of thinking! In essence, what she is saying is, "We have to cheat because you expect us to do our jobs."

In today's society, it seems most people don't want to do what's right. They want to do what will get them the most in the shortest amount of time. Young college grads don't want entry level positions -- they want to be CEO's. People don't want to save a down payment for a home -- they want a sub-prime mortgage. People who can't afford a new car think they deserve it anyway. And teachers who don't want to put the time and effort into educating their students have to cheat on tests. For sure, it is a testing issue -- a test of character. And the teachers are failing.

"More cheating scandals loom, some say." The Dallas Morning News; July 12, 2011; p. 2A.