MCA HONOR CODE

**Required for all Middle and High School Students as a condition of enrollment**

The Memorial Christian Middle and High School Student Honor Code

INTRODUCTION

The Honor Code is not only at the core of the discipline system at Memorial Christian School, it is also the foundation of our school community. The Honor Code begins with a commitment by each student to personal integrity, is expanded by a refusal to condone dishonorable behavior, and is strengthened by support of appropriate consequences for those who violate the Honor Code. The system will be as successful as the members of the community are willing to hold one another accountable.

MOTIVATION FOR THE HONOR CODE

At the heart of Memorial's mission statement is the sincere hope for a truly Christian community. For this mission to be realized, the members of the community must commit to follow the two greatest commandments as expressed by Jesus Christ in Matthew 22:37, 39. The first is "to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." The second is "to love your neighbor as yourself." These two commands have called our school community to formulate the Honor Code as the inspiration and core of an honorable lifestyle. The desire of Memorial is that its members individually and corporately strive to walk worthy of the calling to faithfully follow Christ.

The Honor Code is intended to work for the students, not against them. It is structured to encourage them to live with integrity. The effectiveness of the Honor Code is directly proportional to the level of student ownership. Ultimately, the strength of the Honor Code rests with our students' commitment to follow it and their commitment to hold each other accountable.

VISION OF AN HONORABLE COMMUNITY

An honorable community is one of mutual trust, honesty, and respect. It is a community where each individual is expected to live honorably and each individual is expected to encourage his/her peers to live honorably as well. It is a community where students do not feel the pressure from peers to lie and cheat, and where students are not ridiculed for their commitment to live honorably.

An honorable community is more than a commitment to follow a set of rules. It is a commitment to an honorable lifestyle . It is our hope that our student's commitment to an honorable lifestyle will far outlive their time at Memorial. We hope our students see the benefits of an honorable lifestyle and allow the principles of the Honor Code to govern all aspects of their lives.

HONOR CODE VIOLATIONS

The following is a list of the most common Honor Code violations, including specific examples of dishonorable behavior.

Lying

Definition: Any action, appearance, or statement, which an individual knows, or should know, to be untrue, given with intention to deceive.

Examples of lying include, but are not limited to:

• Making a false statement in an attempt to gain an unfair advantage
• Giving false excuses and explanations for being absent or tardy.
• Bending the truth or pretending not to understand information that one is expected to know.
• Lying by omission.
  • Leaving out pertinent information in order to gain an unfair advantage or to protect others.
• Receiving permission from a teacher to go one place and going someplace else.
• Forgery

Stealing

Definition: Taking or attempting to take property, whether physical or intellectual, without right or permission.

Examples of stealing include, but are not limited to:

• Taking something without permission of the owner even if the intention is to return whatever is taken.
• Borrowing something without permission even if the intention is to return whatever is borrowed.
• Finding something and making little or no effort to locate the rightful owner.
• Unauthorized removal of academic materials from a teacher.

Cheating

Definition: Using or attempting to use unauthorized assistance or advantage in academic work that is submitted as one's own individual efforts or the giving of such assistance to others.

Examples of cheating include, but are not limited to:

• Turning in work that was not entirely done by the student and giving the impression that the work was done by the student.

• Copying homework without the consent or approval of the teacher.
• Using translation sites off the internet or software in foreign language classes.
• Using workbooks from a previous year with answers already written in.
• Working with others on any assignment which is intended to be an independent effort.
• Dividing up work among group members that was intended to be done together.
• Using a similar assignment from a past class (book report, essay, etc.)
• Allowing one’s academic work to be used in place of another’s.
• Having notes or textbooks visible during tests or quizzes.
• Giving or receiving information about a test, quiz, or other assignment prior to starting the assignment.
  • This includes receiving from someone unauthorized specific test questions or information about topics included in the assignment.
• Glancing at someone else’s test or quiz or allowing someone to glance at your test or quiz during the administration of the test or quiz.
• Using a calculator when instructed not to use it.
• Not telling your teacher that the score on your test is added wrong.
• Not telling your teacher when a wrong answer was not marked wrong.
• Instead of reading the original book or original literary work:
  • Reading a condensed version.
  • Seeing the film or video.
  • Using Cliff’s/Spark Notes etc.
  • Reading an English version of a work assigned in a foreign language.

Plagiarism

Definition: literary theft, misrepresentation, and falsification.

Explanations of plagiarism include, but are not limited to:

• To plagiarize is to steal someone’s ideas or thoughts or to borrow dishonestly from another.
• To sign one’s name to a daily assignment or major work is to declare that work totally one’s own. By not clearly marking the source of the information, thoughts or ideas, a student commits plagiarism.
• To copy directly, paraphrase, or summarize with premeditation and without documentation is to deliberately plagiarize.
• Inadvertent documentation mistakes that allow another’s words, thoughts, or ideas to be credited as one’s own due to improper referencing is considered plagiarism.
• "Plagiarism is a serious violation of another person’s rights, whether the material stolen is great or small; it is not a matter of degree or intent" Plagiarism is prevented when the proper form of documentation is followed.

Standards for Proper Documentation

Items that must be documented are facts, quotations, paraphrases, and summaries. Writing that expresses one’s own thoughts, experiences, or interpretations and is stated in one’s own words does not require documentation. Also, when information is common knowledge or is from a specific text, it does not need citation.

OTHER DISHONORABLE ACTS

These acts include, but are not limited to, the use of alcohol, tobacco, tobacco products, illegal drugs, pornography, divinity/occult activity, unauthorized use of legal drugs, sexual immorality, inappropriate and abusive language, student and teacher disrespect, skipping school, vandalism or any other inappropriate actions that bring dishonor to the name of Christ and Memorial Christian School. 

Dealing With Suspected Honor Code Violations

If a student suspects a classmate has committed an Honor Code violation, he/she has several options:

1.      Discuss the potential violation with the student and keep the conversation confidential.

2.      Discuss the potential violation with the student and give the student an opportunity to turn himself/herself in to the Principal.

3.      Go to the Principal or a teacher with the suspected violation.

4.      Do nothing.

Based upon the principles established in Matthew 18: "If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you;" and in Galatians 6: " If another Christian is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path," we strongly encourage our students to follow the first or second options. This conversation is best handled with an attitude of care and concern for the suspected violator and not with an attitude of harshness or reprisal. In an honorable community, students have a responsibility to "help each other back on the right path." This policy does not leave room for students to discuss (gossip) about suspected violations among themselves. Gossip falls under the category of "other dishonorable behaviors" and is an Honor Code violation itself.

If a member of the faculty or staff suspects an Honor Code violation, after discussing the incident with the student, he/she is obligated to turn in the violation to the Principal.

Once an Honor Code violation has been reported, the Principal will act in accordance with school policy.

Consequences of Honor Code Violations

The seriousness and nature of an Honor Code violation in large part determines the consequences. 

Consequences

• Disciplinary Probation 

Students that commit an Honor Code violation may be placed on disciplinary probation—length of probation to be determined by the Administrator.  A subsequent Honor Code violation or other serious discipline problem could put the student’s future at Memorial in jeopardy.

Any student on probation at the end of the school year will be evaluated by the Administrative Team to determine whether they will be allowed to return in the fall.  A student's disciplinary record, teacher recommendations, and in some cases, an interview will be used to evaluate the student’s future.

Students whose behavior is consistently disruptive or chronic may also be placed on disciplinary probation.

• Student Leadership

Students who hold a class office will be removed from those positions of leadership.

• Academic Consequences

If the Honor Code violation involves academic work, (homework, tests, quizzes, papers, projects, etc.) the student will receive a grade of zero for the assignment.  In rare cases, instead of a zero, a student may receive a reduction in grade.  

• Suspension from Extra-Curricular Activities

Classroom Behavior

Many behaviors are consistent from classroom to classroom, such as respect for the teacher, respect for fellow students, and being on time.  Other behaviors may be acceptable in one classroom and unacceptable in another, depending on such factors as teacher style and course content.  For example, certain behaviors are acceptable in PE class but not in an English class.  Each classroom teacher is responsible for communicating his/her distinct discipline policies and consequences to the students. 

Off Campus Behavior

Once a student is admitted to Memorial, certain responsibilities accompany that privledge.  Attending Memorial Christian School means that wherever a student goes, the name of Memorial goes with him/her.  Each student’s actions will be judged as an extension of the reputation of Memorial.  That responsibility must be taken seriously, especially since the name does include the name of Christ.  It should be that members of the Memorial community would always desire to conduct themselves in a way that brings honor to the name of Christ.  All individuals are responsible to conduct themselves in a way that does not dishonor what Memorial desires to represent.  Bearing a name with honor is a serious responsibility and must be considered at all times. This includes actions and behavior in the online world of social media.  Hence, Memorial Christian School must care what all its community members do both on and off campus since an honorable reputation is to be highly valued.  “A good name is to be more desired than great riches.” Proverbs 22:1a

Discrimination and Harassment

The Memorial Christian School community is expected to be one of respect and reconciliation.  Therefore, student or teacher disrespect will not be tolerated.  Students are to refrain from words or actions that demean, insult, bully, or threaten others.  Even if a student considers his or her disrespectful comments or behavior to be a joke, such activity will be considered a violation of the Honor Code.  Verbal attacks on one’s sex, race, religion, or ethnic origin is not acceptable.  Explicit or subtle references of sexual nature, e-mails, notes, letters, comments, or jokes with sexual overtones, obscene language, unwanted physical advances or the invasion of one’s personal space have no place within the Memorial community.  Any student engaging in such activity will be considered in violation of the Honor Code.

The Honor Code Always Applies

Honor Code is always in effect.  Whether openly stated or not, the principles and policies of the Honor Code are continually applicable, unless the authority figure specifies for an exception.