Cheating Teens

" I don't follow the story broke yesterday now about a new study showing how dishonest American teenagers might be you. They surveyed nearly 30000. Teenagers from a hundred randomly selected high schools shows that lying cheating and stealing are on the rise. Well that was enough to get our attentions of a man whose organization conducted it survey presidency of the justice in our. Institute of ethics Michael Josephson as my -- now sir good morning to you. Good morning -- here's what you found in part roughly 80% of high school students. Admit lying to the parents about something significant. Here's study also found 64%. Of students admit cheating on its assets of four points in 2006. 30% of students admit to stealing from a store that's up two points -- most sex. What does it say to you about America's view Michael."

" Well I also says something about America as adults so where were raising youth that this is the next generation of nuclear inspectors and police chiefs and generals and if they're going into the workplace with this capacity to a willingness to lie and steal and probably have all those numbers the one that shocks me the most is the theft rate. While 30%. Of over 30000 kids admitted they stole something from a store in the past year. You're making good point about the adults committed to kids just being more honest. Religious more honest than we well they did. They're they're more honest about cheating because they think less of cheating and that's that's because they're no consequences that the fact of the matter is today cheating and even shoplifting. Is a very high reward low risk circumstance. We know that over half of all high school students have been cheating for a decade. And yet as skinny high school principal how many disciplinary actions. They have a year it's it's less I think that that's a good lord I'm taking it seriously -- who is looking at just twenty years fewer than thirty years ago it was a say the kids of today or it worsened last generation. Well one there is empirical evidence in terms of those who lived through at that but secondly there are studies and we've been taking studies for over twelve years. But I want to stress while I do think the evidence is pretty clear it's worse."

" What if it wasn't worse isn't it bad enough what do you get moral outrage drew a little bit of fear that we have a whole generation that's predispose. And willing to lie steal and cheat. I don't have to take this seriously and it's not like Katrina that we can't do anything about it."

" Pro active character development practices work and that's what we want parents and teachers and coaches doing -- I."

" Think you're making good points but what I saw this I was dubious. Obviously it about the methods for the testing and I got the -- was it done in private. Was it done in public was on the phone was that on computer that I you know how kids are it'll we'll give you different -- using -- given different settings."

" I think those are good questions but remember in order to have a study of this dimension we had did. Do it in a way that was statistically sound and in fact it was a random -- 30000. There's a plus or minus 1%. Most of fox polls don't have that level of accuracy we shouldn't be arguing with the numbers we should be arguing about what we need to do about it our website character counts dot org has all kinds of free. Online things for parents and teachers to start dealing with this problem are you made two great points there are adults and teachers in the school I still have faith and America's youth though Michael. I'm not given up that well you should but you've got to do a better job. I have for school age kids and I'm not only worried about their character I'm worried about your kids character because they may date my kids. -- Point taken thank you Michael today."