Should Honor Code Prevent Dishonest Behavior?

803 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The importance of moral education in school

Some say that honor codes cannot prevent dishonest behavior because "a cheater will cheat no matter what” but that’s not completely true. At my high school here in Sacopee Valley, we have an honor code-- and people follow it most of the time. Unlike some schools, we aren’t required to write pledges of honor on our tests. We all get an updated student handbook every year when school starts and always have full access to the school rules. All our honor code does is act like a rubric for student integrity, and it works for almost everybody! We should maintain this current honor code because of how it encourages students to be honest but doesn’t punish students who choose not to turn their classmates in. We have teachers who watch for plagiarism and students are allowed to privately report people if they want to. There are reprimands to cheating here but they’re not too excessive. Our honor code is effective and should be maintained because it’s not a rule to obey- it’s a friendly reminder of what our school stands for and what choices to avoid if you don’t want to get in trouble. …show more content…

If a student is never held accountable for dishonest behavior starting at a young age, they will develop bad habits that will be detrimental to their future. [Source F], Donald McGabe's "New Honor Codes for a New Generation", says that "the key to their [a number of colleges] success seems to be encouraging student involvement in developing community standards on academic dishonesty and ensuring their subsequent acceptance by the larger student community." The key word there is encourage. Our honor code is effective because it does what Mr. McGabe suggests, it encourages honest behavior among our students and

Show More
Related

  • Honor Codes

    1033 Words  | 3 Pages

    However, this may stem from a lack of enforcement of the rules. Even at the most prestigious schools, such as Harvard University, students are not upholding the rules implemented: “The possibility that 125 Harvard students ‘improperly collaborated’ on an exam in the spring has galvanized … discussion about … honor codes” (Source: C). In this case, people may argue that the only party at fault consists of the students. However, the faculty may be partially guilty as well, as their lack of care towards the rules has created a situation that jeopardizes the school’s integrity. Revision may then seem like the least of the school’s priorities, as they must show they seriously consider educational integrity. Likewise, at the University of Virginia, “157 students have been investigated by their peers in the largest cheating scandal in memory” (Source: D). Again, the school and all those who work there hold at least part of the fault for this ignorance because, theoretically, they should preserve and enforce the rules provided. The fact that the scandal exists means that they were not doing their jobs to their fullest. Although revision may seem simpler to carry out, the school’s staff must show an attempt at intervention within the student lives to keep them on a path towards

    Read More

  • Dishonesty In Dan Ariley's Essay 'Why We Lie'

    236 Words  | 1 Pages

    “Honor pledges, signature placement, moral reminder, and supervision”, are factors that (incite) dishonesty, according to Dan Ariley’s essay “Why We Lie”. Dishonesty is a very wide question with a lot of answers. As a college student, cheating is a very common option amongst students.

    Read More

  • BYU Honor Code

    988 Words  | 2 Pages

    Honor Code has evolved over the years and its becoming more strict in its ways and flaws. “Taggert accused the administration of using the code to punish rather than to help students improve themselves” (Bergera). It lists of forbidden acts are antiquated and invade the students’ sense of privacy without truly defining the quality of honor. Other seemingly arbitrary codes such as no herbal tea, no short skirts and no beards are strictly enforced. Even Jesus Christ could not have attended BYU without shaving first. As a m...

    Read More

  • Honor Code

    1104 Words  | 3 Pages

    In “Why Colleges Should Ditch Honor Codes” Susan Greenberg is trying to inform the audience as to why society does not require the honor code anymore. The rules that lie behind this regulation are becoming outdated and more students are finding themselves punished for disobeying it. A lot of honor code schools are trying to get rid of this process because it only brings the students more pressure. Typically, students that are in honor code schools tend to cheat more than schools that do not possess it. If a student is enrolled in a more prestigious school, he/she is more tempted to cheat in order to maintain his or her good grades. Greenberg explains a situation that took place in Stanford University that led more than 100 students in academic

    Read More

  • Honor Code Dbq

    650 Words  | 2 Pages

    Across the nation, schools, colleges and universities have established honor codes in their campuses to discourage cheating and promote academic integrity. Whether or not their honor codes are effective is a topic well debated and both sides have merit. At my school, Brookwood High School, the honor code should be revised, for only in an environment where the students are involved, consequences for cheating are high, and a culture of honor and integrity are established, can such as system thrive and succeed.

    Read More

  • Honor Code Reflective Essay

    1407 Words  | 3 Pages

    After some research on other university honor codes, the processes of honor codes are really similar to the University of Colorado at Boulder. In fact, Colorado State University (CSU) have a similar honor code pledge as us, which is “I have not given, receive, or used any unauthorized assistance. ” Comparing the discipline process between here and CSU and Stanford University, they are looks identical but written differently. However, the discipline from Stanford are harsher than here an CSU. From the Office of Community Standard Student Affairs website, “the standard sanction for a first offense includes a one-quarter suspended suspension. ” While CSU, they have a bit more lenient sanction for a first offense. From the CSU website, there are

    Read More

  • Honor Code Dbq

    521 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Honor Code system is the moral expectation of trusting students to confront and report their fellow peers when they see that he/she is not obligating the honor code policies. The Schools should eliminate all honor code policies. By eliminating the honor code policies the high schools and colleges will accept that the non-reporting of lying, cheating, and plagiarism is inevitable whether or not the students sign the honor codes. The schools will gain back the trust and respect of the students by changing the overall atmosphere. Not all schools have the abilities to prove these honor codes effective.

    Read More

  • Honor Codes Dbq

    1335 Words  | 3 Pages

    Honor codes have been created to maintain the integrity of schools and their non-tolerance of dishonesty during exams. This is due to the prevalent use of cheating in education systems all around the globe. Not only does cheating occur during exams, but it is seen in anything and everything, from quizzes and even homework assignments. In order to address such issues, schools are implementing honor codes in hopes of lowering their rates of cheating. My school does not have any honor code, or not any that I may know of, meaning they don't have any to enforce or aren't enforcing it as much.

    Read More

  • Importance Of Honor Code Essay

    1041 Words  | 3 Pages

    An honor code can affect students’ behavior positively by the student knowing between what is right and what is wrong; that builds a principle that student will follow for the rest of their life. Honor codes reduce the amount of cheating that is occurred in classrooms, this is very beneficial since cheating is looked at very negatively since it is a very dishonest way of showing your knowledge. Also, if a student has cheated their whole way through high school, their life would be much more difficult. An honor code not only gives a school a better name, but it also shows that the kids that come out of the school are honest and hard workers. We need honest hard workers for several important jobs, such as a doctor, etc. If people were cheating and did not learn what they were supposed to know for this job, that can become very harmful. An honor code is necessary to make the world a better

    Read More

  • Academic Honor Code Essay Examples

    1238 Words  | 3 Pages

    Another reason people oppose is that there are people who want to abuse the honor code. In fact, they don’t understand the full consequences of cheating. In high school, the worst that usually happens is a zero for the grade, and some students think that it doesn’t impact them, but the situation is completely different in college. In college, it depends on the severity of cheating. Inadvertently cheating in some colleges might result in a failing grade, but deliberately cheating would result in failing the class (Thompson). Many people can just blow it off, but they would have to take the class again, and spend more money, in order to graduate. In severe cases, people are kicked out if they get caught plagiarizing someone’s work. Being kicked out of college can make some people realize the mistake they and learn just how serious the consequences were, but they also don’t realize the cost of their choice. All of the classes in college would have just been as waste and can never be recovered or forgiven. The student will receive a mark on his or her transcript, and that will be viewed by job employers later in their life (Thompson). As Thomas Paine said, “Character is much easier kept than recovered.” Students can also follow by example. They can learn that adults even plagiarize someone’s work. Those students can believe they have to

    Read More

  • Student Led Honor Councils

    743 Words  | 2 Pages

    Honor codes are a vital part of all schools. They not only make sure that the academic integrity of students is held to a high regard, they also help to build and maintain a more trustworthy environment. Honor codes can be tricky to understand, and in some cases students may not be aware that they have an honor code. This is why in order for honor codes to be effective and efficient, schools should implement student-led honor counseling. Student-led honor councils will ensure that students are aware and upholding their schools honor code and actively encourage students to follow their schools honor codes.

    Read More

  • The Honor System or Honesty System: How Honest Are you?

    844 Words  | 2 Pages

    The honor system or honesty system is a philosophical way of varied endeavors based on trust, honor, and honesty. A person involved in the honor system has a strong concept of breaking or going against it. The negatives include community shame, loss of stature, and loss of a personal integrity and pride in extreme situations. They are more likely to do the good thing even when no one is looking or is around to witness their actions.

    Read More

  • Ethics And Integrity Essay

    1104 Words  | 3 Pages

    In conclusion, the issue of academic integrity does not only affect an individual, but also an institution. Therefore, it is the duty of students and schools to ensure that ethical principles are upheld all the time. Moreover, institutions of higher learning should deal with all reported cases of academic dishonestly severely to deter others. In addition, a culture of academic integrity should be promoted. For students, it is even more important because it helps them to avoid losing a potential career due to misconduct. Moreover, upholding the values of ethics and integrity provides them with intrinsic

    Read More

  • The Importance of Academic Integrity

    557 Words  | 2 Pages

    Academic integrity has been a major concern among many colleges and universities across the world. Many people may ask the question: what is academic integrity? University of Missouri’s Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities (n.d.) states, “Academic integrity is the core set of values and principles that underwrites the very mission of the University itself; integrity, honesty, hard work, and the determination to translate personal and professional principles into behavior.” Some also may view academic integrity as the act of sustaining honest and rightful behavior in an academic setting that avoids, prevent and provide disciplinary actions for those who commits academic dishonesty, plagiarism and cheating of any kind. Majority of college and universities in all disciplines has academic ethics and honesty policies for all students regardless of their academic statues as undergraduate or graduate students. For example, Webster University’s Statement of Ethics (n.d.) for both graduate and undergraduate programs says, “Those who elect to partici...

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay On Academic Cheating

    1206 Words  | 3 Pages

    From a young age we are taught the differences between right and wrong, but as we get older the line between moral and immoral is often blurred. Things that were once thought of as unacceptable are now perfectly fine in our minds. Have you ever seen anyone cheat on an assignment or exam? Do you know anyone that’s been expelled from school for cheating? What if it was discovered that a U.S. senator plagiarized his college thesis paper? Imagine if it got out that one of the most respected universities in the U.S. was involved in a huge fraud scandal that involved thousands of students. Academic cheating is a terrible offense because it is unethical, self-degrading, and can be detrimental to the learning environment.

    Read More

More about Should Honor Code Prevent Dishonest Behavior?

Open Document