The Defamation of the Honor Code

When Prometheus cheated Zeus, his liver was eaten by eagles until the end of days.

When Paris paraded away with Helen, his country was burnt to the ground in glorious flames.

In April, when rumors arose about plagiarism in multiple classrooms across multiple subjects, the true victim was the honor code. The suspected perpetrators— who cannot be named because of slander laws— singlehandedly broke the trust of an entire generation.

After years of tests and assignments, a culture has developed among Century students and beyond that disenfranchises the honor code. When attending elementary school, peeking at a neighbor's paper was considered cheating. Today, with higher stakes and sharper deadlines, small peeks have escalated to full-fledged plagiarism.

“It’s very difficult to combat, honestly,” said Carolyn Hainline, AP Literature and Japanese teacher, who was disappointed to find that students had been plagiarizing each other’s dialectical journals.

“Cheating is impersonal to the student,” she shared, detailing a cycle of dishonesty that reflects the convoluted goals of the American educational system.

While there is no ethical, direct excuse for cheating, there are evident causes; stress, social pressure, parental and adult expectations, and even monetary reasons. Students today are facing an uncertain economy where secondary education embodies the necessary golden ticket to success. Hard work has become an option many people can bypass by either taking pictures of their exams or copying a friend’s homework.

Today, cheating may seem like a personal risk that brings isolated consequences, but Teresa Kirsch's Statistics classes faced a far more serious reality. After getting word of an exam image that circulated amongst students, Mrs. Kirsch was forced to require her students retake that test.

With class sizes ranging in the thirties, teachers must place trust in their students, even if this trust is abused. Ms. Hainline shared her disbelief for the ease in which students hand over assignments for friends to copy, “We have to find a way to hold each other accountable.”

Unity is the backbone to the success of many grades, but has this unity been corrupted? Peer camaraderie has transformed into guilt by association and guilt by assistance where, knowingly or unknowingly, students are helping one another break the honor code.

It's okay to admit that high school is difficult and stressful and sometimes absolutely horrid, but one mustn't allow that to compromise a long-standing moral code. Today, as students, it is time we uphold the importance of honesty and hard work. It is time we redefine success and begin to once again take pride in our academic performance.

“The reward can be very gratifying when you allow yourself the joy of discovery and the joy of learning.” said Ms. Hainline with a solemn voice.

As time progresses and we transition into the realm of higher education, we must be cautious and we must be honest. Cheating is wrong; it demeans our successes and it breaks an unspoken agreement between educator and student— one which hurts far more people than intended.

Take back your education. Believe in your own ability to succeed and help rebuild the crumbling honor code.

Photo Credit: Marissa Godwin