DOCUMENT RESUME AUTHOR Is the Honor Code a Solution
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
DOCUMENT RESUME ED 423 191 SO 028 965 AUTHOR Niels, Gary J. TITLE Is The Honor Code A Solution to the Cheating Epidemic? INSTITUTION Columbia Univ., New York, NY. Esther A. and Joseph Klingenstein Center for Independent School Education. PUB DATE 1996-00-00 NOTE 86p.; Some pages contain filled-in or dark print. PUB TYPE Information Analyses (070) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC04 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Antisocial Behavior; *Cheating; *Codes of Ethics; Discipline Problems; Elementary Secondary Education; *Ethics; Moral Development; *Moral Values ABSTRACT This research paper critiques the philosophical basis, developmental appropriateness, and effectiveness of a school honor system and questions whether a school honor system is still an appropriate tool for character instruction in the twenty-first century. Characteristics which induce a subculture of academic deceit, as well as attributes which can promote academic integrity are discussed. Sections of the paper include: (1) "Preface"; (2) "Social Factors Influencing Cheating"; (3) "Curricular Factors Influencing Cheating Behavior"; (4) "Defining Academic Integrity"; (5) "Peer Influences in Establishing Community Values"; (6) "The Teacher and Academic Integrity"; (7) "The School Ethos and Academic Integrity"; (8) "Revisiting Moral Education"; and (9)"Illustrations of (Possible) Cheating Behavior." Newspaper articles on high school cheating and school honor codes are appended. (Contains a 37-item bibliography.) (EH) ******************************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ******************************************************************************** Is/ The/Honor Cocie/A S oiatto- (I/ To- Mei C heart/iv/ Ep tcLenni,a Qcory;I. Mingenstein jet!~ PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND 5prin9 1996 DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY P.±g_ kr) TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) 1 0C3 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement The, MA'Atcd.enisteiNv Center EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION 00 CENTER (ERIC) 11/Thisdocument has been reproduced as received from the person or organization Teachers, College, originating it. O Minor changes have been made to Colkutayia/Uniiversity improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent 1Je4u York/ official OERI position or policy. ci) Dtrector profe4}cw Pearl/ R. Kane. NEST COPY AVAILABLE Table of Contents Acknowledgements Klingenstein Proposal 3 Preface 5 Social Factors Influencing Cheating Curricular Factors Influencing Cheating Behavior 12 Defining Academic Integrity 20 Peer Influences in Establishing Community Values 26 The Teacher and Academic Integrity 30 The Schbol Ethos and Academic Integrity 38 Revisiting Moral Education 40 Illustrations of (Possible) Cheating Behavior 45 Bibliography 46 Newspaper Articles: High School Cheating Appendix I Newspaper Articles: School Honor Codes Appendix Il -2- Acknowledgements My 1995 1996 Klingenstein Fellowshipyear at Teachers College Columbia University has been the most refreshingand stimulating professional experience of my career.I am deeply grateful to SaintAndrew's School for supporting me in this venture.The Reverend George Andrews,the Head of Saint Andrew's School, in particular,.was an advocate and I am professionally indebted to him for enablingme to pursue this endeavor. My thanks alsogoes to the Klingenstein Foundation for theirgenerous support.I hope that in the future I will prove myself worthy of theirinvestment. Professor Pearl Kane, theDirector of the Klingenstein Center, has beenan inspiration. Professor Kane is a tireless teacher/educator who deeplycares about the issues of education;moreover, I am grateful for her backing throughout thisyear. Finally, the one person above all otherswho enabled the Klingenstein Fellowship year to happenwas my wife, Susan. Susan encouraged this adventure from day one and optimisticallymade the very best ofa year in cramped "married family housing,"as well as the Teachers College schedule of classes which broughtme out of the home during the most challengingtime of a family's day dinner time and bedtime. Susan has been the UnsungHero of my Klingenstein Fellowship 4 THE JOSEPH.KLINGENSTEINFELLOWS APPLICANT'S PROGRAM PLAN Applicant's Name GARY JOHN NIELS my Proposed Project And Courseof Study: To critique the philosophicalbasis, developmental effectiveness of a school Honor appropriateness,and System. Is it stillan appropriate tool for character instruction in thetwenty-first century?. Six years ago,I announced toour school community that I were the Headmaster and supporting theinitiativesof twostudents student-led Honor System. andinstituting a In my firstfew monthsas Students, I had been the new Dean of deeply dismayed bythe numberof unconscionableepisodes blatant and of. forged "parental notes," copied assignments, disguisedphone homework calls (allegedly fromparents) granting weekend permissions , and even episodes ofstudents (and telling bald-faced lies. rumors of parents) I had recently moved to Saint Andrew'sSchool from a reputable school, where well-heeled Virginian boys instinctively reported _violations, occasionally even thosecommitted by their best had never previously friends and roommates. I known of such obedienceto honor. frightened by the severity Frankly, I was of it,but this fearwas suppressed by the constant rhetoric aboutthe Code's sacrednessand by the realization trust the fruit of the Code that permeated thecampus . school's proximity to Moreover, my old reputable universitieswith prominent HonorCodes of their own fueled thecampus-wide devotionto honor. Saint Andrew'swas not blessed with such natural resources. Boca Raton, settled by some realestate speculators and paradise and pleasure, developed upon principlesof had recently beendubbed the "white collar of crime." Saint Andrew's School capital had been founded withan Honor System; an early school publicationread: We expect all boys to be gentlemen, livingup to their word of honor and observingthe common amenities high standards. expected of youngmen of Every boy is on hishonor always to tellthe truth,to avoid cheating andstealing and to be these principles on.guard that are observed throughout thelife of the School. Nevertheless, what may have begun asa "system" had, by neglect, meldedintotheassumptions simply of the community. Morerecently, Andrew's had beenthrough some difficult Saint had grown administrative years, andstudents accustomed to the factthat there was little aberrant behavior. Such was the setting accountability for System. in which we institutedour Honor Today, six years later,after the publicationof an Honor Handbook, integration ofour Code into the School's the "Pledge" literature, easilyidentifiable reminders posted inallclassrooms, a more effective student orientationto the Code, a well-developedHonorBoard trainingprocess, the publication selectionand of Episcopal of an article in theNational Association Schools Handbook,a workshop offered at the Independent Schools Florida Council of Convention, some local publicity in with the aid ofsome respected newspapers,and community of colleagues who sharemy passion for a truthfulness andtrust,I struggle with questions Code's ability toadapt to modern about the embrace dilemmas and our student'spotential to BEST (NNYPNV U LAB LE , 5 Students today are under more pressure than evei- to succeed. College olacement is no longer a means .to an end, but is an end initself. Old virtues now sound empty, hollowand other worldlY-. Can an "Honor System" adapt itself to thisnew world order? survival in a complex and threatening world isa legitimate and worthy consideration. How can young people be persuaded of thetheological, psychological, and sociological benefits of truthfulness? What are :hese theological, psychologicaland sociological benefits? The outcomes of recently publicized legal battleshave revealed anew peculiarity to our thinking the "no-fault" societyor "the abuse- excuse" culture. These clichés describean apparent unwillingness to accept responsibility forpersonal wrong. How can schools be effective at communicating more the responsibilities ofattending a school with an Honor System? Since friendship, howeverfleeting, is the strongestpriority of most teenagers, should/can a code of conductfor teenagers callupon them to go against these instincts andreport or judge apeer for cheating? what happens when school ethics clash with the valuesof students from families who do not sharethese values?Which values win out? .7-_re Honor Systems effectiveonly where long traditionsof their existence and the culturalmores of the school support their continuation? In my coursework I wish topursue issues of character adolescence. formation in Recent writings on adolescent charactereducation Thomas Lickona, William (i.e., Kilpatrick, Grant P. Wiggins,etc.) will enable to confront the realities me of modern ethics education. Character formation frc7. a theological perspectivewould also be beneficial. study in Ethics (possibly This would mean at Union) . Sociology plays an importantrole in the study and implementationof Honor Sytems,as well. above, are Honor Codes As mentioned most effective in-regions ofthe country or places where cultural mores strongly endorse honesty? Finally, there are psychologicalissues. "Trust"is one qfthe chief goals of Sys7.em. Yet, an Honor given the adolescentpropensity to questionauthority