Discuss this Article

• Erick Peña (View Email) on December 31, 1969
  I don't see the point of ASKING student to sign this if we are going to be forced to sign it anyway. And wouldn't asking someone to sign something against their will and presenting consequences for not doing so considered black mail?
  Reply
• a student on December 31, 1969
  the reason i dont like the idea of the faculty being able to make us sign the honor code isnt about the honor code itself but about the fact that they forced all the students to sign it by using intimidation. if this event is not challenged whats to keep the faculty from issuing more such papers which we will be "asked" to sign? if we dont demand to be given a choice (a real choice) then in the future we could see extremely unfair documents which the student body will "understand, support, and agree to follow" despite thier obvious hatred for them. that is all...^_^*
  Reply
• Ron Miller (View Email) on December 31, 1969
  My daughter informed us of the honor code last evening. No prior information or warning came from Blair. My daughter was told that if she did not sign the agreement that she would need to bring a parent to school with her today (2-8-02). Several other parents were at the school this AM for the same reason and we were told that we could not meet with the administrator but would need to meet with the principal. We all left in amazement and bewilderment at the ineptitude of this process. Where is the parent, SGA and the PTSA input into this process and why would such a far reaching and important issue be so hastily introduced at mid year? The document was poorly designed and written. I agree with Erick Pena about students being forced to sign.
  Reply
• Joe Howley on December 31, 1969
  It should be noted (probably in the story) that the "Honor Code" was originally supposed to be distributed at the beginning of the school year, but there was apparently significant debate over it within the staff. This is something we will report more on in future coverage.
  Reply
• Tamea Stover (View Email) on December 31, 1969
  I think that we had no other choice but to sign it becasue some teachers did say that if you don't sign it you will get suspended and/or expelled.
  Reply
• harr on December 31, 1969
  I simply crossed out the parts I didn't like in the horner code and then signed it. Acttual most of my class did that.
  
  Also according to the Honor code the staff do not have to infom you if you break the Honor Code. So they could call your parents and such with out you knowing that any had happened. This sittuation would be if a teach thought that your work looked to much like someone else and then call you parents, and when you get home, your parents confrount you about something you don't even know you did.
  Reply
• R.C. P (View Email) on December 31, 1969
  The administration is saying that they don't allow students to be in the honor counsel because if somebody decided to sue or something they couldn't do anything against the students. A teacher said students have to have somebody else sign papers and contracts(if you are buying a car or something,ect) Well if the administration believes that then that means we shouldn't have signed the honor code. It is sort of like a contract right? So somebody else had to signed it for us. Like our parents. Yet they gave it to us to sign. Is there something odd about that? They didn't even say anything to our parents or guardians about it. If they believe that we can't be in the counsel because we can't signm contracts till we are "Adults" then how come they made us sign this nonsense paper called The Honor Code" We should make a stand against the faculty.
  Reply
• Eugenia Semirot (View Email) on December 31, 1969
  The Honor Code campaign undertaken by this school is simply a way to emphasize a number of particular expectations of student academic behaviour. These rules are already in place (READ your Student Handbook!).
  However, I believe that the wording on the form to sign needs to be changed from "I understand, support and agree..." to something like "I understand the standards of academic behaviour expected of me and I know the consequences of not meeting them."
  While supporting the idea of emphasizing the Honor Code, I don't believe in forcing students to sign the form. The Honor Code cannot be enforced by measures that may belittle one's sense of honor.
  Reply
• R.C. P (View Email) on December 31, 1969
  The administration is saying that they don't allow students to be in the honor counsel because if somebody decided to sue or something they couldn't do anything against the students. A teacher said students have to have somebody else sign papers and contracts(if you are buying a car or something,ect) Well if the administration believes that then that means we shouldn't have signed the honor code. It is sort of like a contract right? So somebody else had to signed it for us. Like our parents. Yet they gave it to us to sign. Is there something odd about that? They didn't even say anything to our parents or guardians about it. If they believe that we can't be in the counsel because we can't signm contracts till we are "Adults" then how come they made us sign this nonsense paper called The Honor Code" We should make a stand against the faculty.
  Reply
• That Yaoi Boy on December 31, 1969
  The signing of this Honor Code is totally unacceptable. Especially the way they are 'forcing' the students to sign. In fact, forcing the students to sign the code without parent signature is Illegal if you hold the students up to it, if they are under 18 that is. I believe this honor code should of never been placed by force, but by choice.
  Reply
• Greg Tucker (View Email) on December 31, 1969
  I opposed signing the Honor Code in both my 2nd period where we were surprised by it's distribution, then in my 4th period where were supposed to be bullied into signing it. My teacher, when I questioned signing it, said that I had to write that I wanted to talk to Mr Gainous on it and then just sign not on the line. I did, and I believe I got about half of my class to. The honor code is so ridiculous for many of the reasons already mentioned:
  1. They gave us about 20 minutes to review it, and were forced to signing it without our parents present or even discussing it with them. 2. It is supposed to "foster trust" etc, between staff and students, but I doubt that there will be any trust in the slightest from the teachers. 3. No students... 4. THe rules are so poorly phrased such as the one about "Not programming formulas into calcualtor" I can't sign anything that says that, becasue I do that... I don't use it on tests, but that's not what the rule says, it says I can't even program it in! 5. We are going to be punished before we even go before the "Honor Committe", don't we have some right to due process (going before the committee for punishment?). THere are many more things, but I'm sure I've taken up too much space already... so wish us, the students, luck against this oppression.
  Reply
• Student on December 31, 1969
  I think that the overall idea of having an Honor Code is important. The hope is that students will be more honest and will not commit wrong-doings such as plaigurism, cheating, and dishonesty in general. However, everything stated in the Honor Code is already in each of our planbooks, so technically, we should already know this things. Before the Honor Code was instituted, an accused student (that is guilty) might have claimed that he/she "did not know" that plaigurism is wrong...or something along those lines. However, we as a student body KNOW what is wrong and what is right. I think that it is important to be reminded of what those rules are, and we were, however, I agree with Eugenia Semirot, in that the wording could have been improved.
  
  Overall, to me, the idea of having an Honor Code is quite important, however I do not think that it will change much. Students know if they are doing something wrong already, even with out the Honor Code. So, if someone committed a crime, they would know what they were doing was wrong, even without the Honor Code. While it promotes change and is an overall good idea, unfortunately, I do not think that much change will come from it.
  Reply
• Betsy Haibel (View Email) on December 31, 1969
  I have nothing against the concept of honor codes. I even support their fundamental concept--teachers and students coming together in a statement of mutual trust and respect. This is not an honor code under that definition. All these rules are rules we already must follow; they're MCPS regulations we are obligated to follow from the moment we walk into Blair. The wording of the document shows complete lack of trust, and the way in which students were coerced into signing it shows an utter lack of respect. I have heard from friends that when students went to administrators and requested to talk to their parents first, the students were first told to be quiet and sign and then threatened with expulsion--for requesting that which is their legal right. Student input should have been asked for in the formation of this honor code, and student participation should be a fundamental element of the honor council. To do otherwise shows that the administration has no respect for or trust in the student body... while their objection regarding age-of-majority is valid, many seniors are eighteen. I believe that a new honor code should be formulated using student input--an honor code that is more than just a way to add arbitrarily severe punishments under an overbroad definition of "academic dishonesty."
  
  I also have one extreme disagreement with the wording of the signature form. "Understand, support, and follow." Understand, yes. Follow, yes. Support? One cannot force anyone to support something. More fundamental than freedom of speech is freedom of thought. No one should coerce people into pledging their support for a document they have severe reservations about. To do so is to lie--and the first regulation of the honor code is against lying.
  Reply
• Emily Prevo (View Email) on December 31, 1969
  I agree with Eugenia Semirot. The rules have always been stated in the student handbooks, and threatening students into "agreeing" with those rules not only has absolutely no effect on what the students will/will not do, but it causes anger and frustration in them. I'm glad to hear, at least, that there was debate over it within the staff. It certainly hasn't increased the students' cooperation with the staff in following the rules.
  Reply
• student on December 31, 1969
  I don't see what the big deal is. All of these rules are common sense and punishable regardless of whether you sign the honor code or not. You're not giving up any rights or anything by signing this, and you're not benefiting by not signing, and you can still cheat if you really want to either way. Nothing in the honor code is new. These rules apply whether you sign the paper or not. I think forcing students to sign forces them to read and understand the rules, which is very beneficial to students who are unsure of the exact definitions of academic dishonesty. No one feels opressed when they are forced to agree to a software lisence, and nobody even reads those anyway because they know what the general rules are. The honor code isn't different from this at all. And how would you explain this as oppresion to Afghan women who until recently couldn't get an education no matter what they signed? The honor code may be poorly written and it may seem rather silly, but it really shouldn't be an issue.
  Reply
• the idiot on February 9, 2002
  the honor code itself has nothing wrong with it. its just getting people to not cheat or use fake ids. but, there are several problems with how it was written and given to us. the idea that teachers can choose any punishment for cheating is absurd. that gives teachers the chance to let some people cheat and crack down hard on others. it also allows teachers to crack down hard on people that might not even be cheating. the consequences should be specified specifically. then, the idea that we are threatened with meeting with the administrators is really a cheap blow. who wants to waste learning time to see their administrators? then lastly, the idea that we have to sign the contract no matter what is stupid. if we dont sign it at first, we will eventually be forced to sign it so why not just tell us the rules and tell us the conseqeuneces? why waste the time and make it seem as if we have a choice?
  Reply
• Elliott Wolf (View Email) on February 9, 2002
  The main thing is that if a person signs something that they don't fully undersand or agree too, then that in itself is dishonoranble. Most people (including myself) most likely signed it because they didn't want to deal with the hassle of being sent to their adminstrator, and they knew that they would be eventually forced to sign it.
  
  If a person is willing to cheat, then they are probably also willing to sign a piece of paper promising not to cheat anymore, even though they will most likely continue to do it. Making the entire school sign their names to something that they don't necessarily support or agree with is wrong. If the people who wrote the honor code were so concerned with honor, then I think that they should have considered this.
  Reply
• Anonymous (View Email) on February 9, 2002
  I don't see the point of the "honor code". First, they are rules that we are supposed to follow anyway. Second, the tone of the document is that we are GOING TO BREAK THE RULES. For students to be seen as such is extreemely offencive. I personally didn't sign the stupid form. I was sent to my administrator, who threatened me with expulsion. I didn't sign it because I didn't understand it. If you look at the language, the document implies a lot of things that it can't mean. The use of unathorized resources, for example. Does that mean that we arn't allowed to use any resource for a paper that our teacher hasn't approved? If we find something that was left on top of the lockers and bring it to the office, we can be suspended because we are sighted with something that has been reported missing? I didn't sign at first because I know that I should understand everything that I sign. And now I WILL NEVER SIGN because I disagree with the total lack of respect with which we were treated. We, the students who did not sign, wern't even listened to untill security came to "escort us out of the building" and then only BY the security and a passing teacher. This is wrong.
  Reply
• Nick on February 10, 2002
  I can't say that I am opposed to the idea of an honor code because I do believ in academic honesty, but I must disagree with the way that the school went about it. 1) Only two people were involved in the production of the honor code. 2) Given on short notice without a chance for anyone to challege it. 3) No student representation. Although I believe that an injustice has been done, I also think that a majority of students are challenging the honor code in an attempt to be difficult.
  Reply
• Janelle Winters (View Email) on February 10, 2002
  The Honor Code at Blair violates students rights. If they force you to sign it, what good is it doing? It does not mean that people will follow it. Also, it is not fair that studens must sign it but teachers don;t have to. They should have to be just as responsible as us. I also think that it should have been more of a total- school unity effort. Everyone should have designed it together so that it was more fair. I mean, i would not ever cheat, and I think that it is really a violation of my rights and a put down to my morals to have to sign it.
  Reply
• Eno Aquaowo (View Email) on February 12, 2002
  I do believe that the Honor Code promotes good behavior in school. I also think that signing the Honor Code should be voluntary. Even though I do not have any reason not to sign the Honor Code, I don't like the fact that I'm given an ultimatum. Besides that, student representation in the Honor Code is not seen.
  Reply
• Pamela J. (View Email) on February 12, 2002
  I think that honor code is just another propaganda to get students to exercise their rights not to sign a peice of paper. I believe that Blair has already established an Honor Code, but we've never had to sign anythig for it. If students don't want to sign because they don't agree with all the statements given in the article, then they have the right not to sign it.
  Reply
• Matt (View Email) on February 12, 2002
  While the honor code may be poorly worded and was forced on the student peoples reaction to this have been to anti-code. The honor code is confirming the public and how it is unfair but must of the rules have always been in place. People need to pick their battles and this is not one that people should fight for.
  Reply
• Terry Li (View Email) on February 12, 2002
  I do support the purposes and principles of the honor code, but I do not agree with the method through which it was carried out. We should have had time to review it extensively and with our parents at home before being "asked" to sign it. I thought that the whole point of giving us a written honor code document to sign was to stress the seriousness of the issue, but how serious is it going to appear when the school only gives us half an hour to consider the whole thing? It almost seemed as if the administration was trying to slip the honor code beneath our noses so they could hold it against us in the future. Despite my problems with it, I still signed it because it was simply not worth the time or trouble to argue over. It's not like refusing to sign the honor code allows you to cheat anyways.
  Reply
• E. Paspalis (View Email) on February 12, 2002
  First of all, I really don't think that the Honor Code is as much of a big deal as some people are making it out to be. Of course, I also agree that it really wasn't that necessary, but I'm not about to complain about it and make waves and bring my parents to school to yell at the administration because an Honor Code was forced on me. I think we all have our own morals and we all have a different definition of honor, but the truth is that the majority of us, myself included, are still minors. I don't agree with the signing of the Honor Code being forced on us. If we are under 18 we need to have our parents' permission before we sign anything. I'm not saying that I'm in favor of an honor code because I didn't feel it was necessary. We are not convicts. We are not at a center for delinquents. I doubt that a restatement of the rules at Blair were even necessary. Furthermore, I don't see how it is dishonorable to let another student borrow your ID. It maybe disHONEST, but not dishonorable. Also, most of us have known the consequences for cheating on tests; I doubt a restatement of the consequences is going to scare a potential cheater into not looking off so-and-so's paper. And what exactly is the purpose of the Honor Code? Just so everyone can say, "Oh, guess what?!!?! Blair's got an Honor Code!" well, whoopee, that's not really much of a big deal because it was just like going over the rules. Actually, I would classify this as SCARING us into following the rules. "You don't have any honor if you let Billy borrow your I.D." That really is not the case. Last time I checked, "honor" is not defined by breaking a rule that is, in my opinion, minor. However, aside from these infractions, I really don't think that any of us need to lose sleep or cause our parents to lose sleep because of the Honor Code. Although I felt forced into signing it, and I thought it was incredibly heinous that it is labeled "insubordination" if you do not sign it, I DID sign the Honor Code, basically cuz I didnt want to make waves. Why should I-or anyone else for that matter-get in a battle with the administration because of something this minor? I don't see it as an infringement of freedom; dude, this is still the land of the free. Having an Honor Code and throwing a temper tantrum about it has nothing to do with freedom. It has to do with the fact that sometimes you just need to go with the flow. Although I disagree with the way the information was presented in the Honor Code, and how it was like, "you sign or you die", or whatever, I honestly do not feel as though I have been tied down in anyway by this Honor Code. I think some people just blew it completely out of proportion...it's not like this Honor Code is gonna follow us around for the rest of our lives, guys. Choose your battles wisely. We're all gonna be out of here in 4 years, maximum (1 more year for me!!!) and it's not like the Honor Code is gonna give us serious mental trauma. Take everything at face value. Jesus, you sign, you get on with life, you forget about it. I'm not saying I'm totally in favor of the Honor Code, but I'm not totally against it, either. I'm not gonna sit here and analyze everything about trust and yada yada...it's just an Honor Code! I think that we've all kind of forgotten that. This is not making us any less free. You go to school 5 days a week for 7 hours...and you feel restricted? There are plenty of ways we can express ourselves that are NOT covered in the Honor Code. I really don't think any of our rights were taken away by the Honor Code. I've said it b4, this is still the land of the free, and the honor code doesnt change that.
  Reply
• student on February 12, 2002
  Although I do believe that cheating and many of the things outlined in the honor code are wrong and that we need to do something to address these issues at Blair, I also believe that the honor code was a poor way of doing so. As many have already addressed, students were practically forced to sign it. One person brought up in my english class that a contract that you are coerced to sign is not legally binding. If so then why have it at all? The administration is acknowledging the need for change, but this is a poor way to do it. If the students are already breaking the rules that are in place and forging signatures, than how much is their signature going to matter on the honor code? In addition, if the administration is going to distribute over 3,000 copies of a document (its merits aside) the least they could do is print on both sides of the paper. The honor code was five pages long with text only on one side, that's over 15,000 sheets of paper, not to mention the additional sheet to sign on which filled about a fourt of the page it was printed on, a true waste.
  Reply