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Peninsula
Catholic High School |
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HONOR CODE COUNCIL ESTABLISHED IN SCHOOL YEAR 2002 Purpose of the Honor Code The Honor Code is based on the belief that true learning depends on honesty. Peninsula Catholic High School functions on the basis of mutual trust and respect between all members of the community. As a result, students are expected to demonstrate integrity and individual responsibility, both personally and academically, in order to maintain a fair and honest environment. Students who commit themselves to upholding Peninsula Catholic’s honor code will be instilled with a sense of honor and integrity that will last beyond their high school years. Honor Code Pledge The following Honor Pledge will be recited by all Peninsula Catholic High School Students at the beginning of the school year: “On my honor, I will not cheat, lie, or steal, nor tolerate those who do.” This pledge will also be posted in all classrooms. On written assignments, students will write, “I abide by the Honor Code.” Their signature will follow this statement. By reciting the pledge and by writing and signing the statement, the student claims that he or she will not violate or has not violated any part of the honor code which includes: cheating, attempting to cheat, plagiarizing, lying, stealing, or failing to report an act of dishonesty to the proper authority. For cooperative work to be acceptable under the Honor Code, the teacher must specifically make such an assignment. Otherwise the student is to assume that the work must be done individually. Each teacher will address the Honor Code as it pertains to his/her class in the class syllabus. Honor Code Violations Cheating is defined as submitting for credit as one’s own, someone else’s work obtained either in or out of school; giving or receiving from another student unauthorized assistance in the preparation of that work for credit; and using any unauthorized materials in the preparation of work for credit. Attempted Cheating is defined as the attempt to accomplish any of the above. Plagiarism is defined as submission of work copied directly from any source whatsoever that is not properly enclosed in quotation marks and acknowledged by parenthetical documentation and/or in the Works Cited; paraphrasing and/or restating an author’s original idea that is not acknowledged by parenthetical documentation and/or in the Works Cited. Lying is defined as the willful and knowledgeable telling of an untruth and any other form of deceit, be it oral or written. This includes but is not limited to: lying to administration and faculty members; forging or falsifying any official school document (i.e. progress report, detention slip, etc.); lying to Honor Code council members during investigations and/or hearings. Stealing is defined as taking or appropriating without permission to do so any property belonging to any member of the Peninsula Catholic High School community or property located on the school grounds. Toleration is defined as the knowledge and acceptance of any of the above (i.e., cheating, attempted cheating, plagiarism, lying, and stealing). A student has an obligation to inform any faculty member, administrative authority, or an adult member of the Honor Code Council within three school days. Failure to do so is considered toleration, which is itself a violation of the honor code. Honor Code Violation Hearings All honor code violations will be first reviewed by one adult member of the Honor Code Council who will examine the evidence to determine if sufficient evidence is present to justify calling the accused student before the Honor Code Council. The investigative member will inform the accused student whether he or she has been cleared or whether an administrative hearing is warranted. If an administrative hearing is warranted, a letter will be sent home to the accused student’s parents informing them of the nature of the alleged violation as well as the time and place of the administrative hearing. This administrative hearing takes top priority in the student’s schedule. Sports or extra-curricular activities must be postponed on the day the administrative hearing is held. The accused student may bring a parent and/or a faculty advisor appointed to them by the Honor Code Council upon the request of the accused student. Any member of the Honor Code Council who feels he or she cannot remain unbiased will be excused from service during this administrative hearing and a substitute from the other council will serve in his/her place. The administrative hearing will begin by presenting the nature of the violation and the evidence. The accused student may present witnesses whom he or she feels will enhance his/her position, but these witnesses must have factual evidence concerning the alleged violation. “Character” witnesses are not permitted. Members of the Honor Code Council will be permitted to ask questions of the accused student and/or any witnesses. The accused student has the right to make a final statement before a verdict is reached. An audiocassette recording of the testimony during the Honor Council hearing will be made. The cassette remains the property of the Honor Council. In cases of acquittal, the cassette will be destroyed. Determination of an Honor Code Council Violation Once all the evidence has been presented, the council may discuss any necessary issues in a closed deliberation. Using secret ballots, the council will vote on whether a violation of the Honor Code has occurred. A majority vote is required for a positive determination that an Honor Code violation has occurred. If it is determined that no Honor Code violation occurred, then any written statements or audiocassettes will be destroyed. If it is determined that a student has violated the Honor Code, all written statements and audiocassettes made during the administrative hearing will remain property of the Honor Code Council until his or her graduation at which time the documents will be destroyed. Should a student depart Peninsula Catholic for other reasons, the disciplinary record sent to their next high school will include their Honor Code violation and the subsequent penalty/penalties. Honor Code Council Penalties After it has been determined that the student violated the Honor Code, the council will then enter into closed deliberations where the penalty for the violation will be decided. The Honor Code Council recommends the penalty for any violation; the principal must give final approval. He/she may ask the Honor Council to modify the penalty. Penalties for Honor Code violations include but are not limited to the following:
The Honor Code Council will inform the student of the penalty in writing within 48 hours of the administrative hearing. If a student is found to have violated the Honor Code on three separate occasions, he/she will be permanently withdrawn from Peninsula Catholic High School with the approval of the principal. Honor Code Council Appeals Any student who has been found to have violated the Honor Code has the right to one appeal. The appeal may be granted based only on new information that can be presented to the Honor Code Council. Upon receipt of the written findings of the Honor Code Council, a student has three school days to submit a written appeal to the principal. Any appeal made after three school days is untimely and invalid. In cases that are appealed, the principal reserves the right to use the cassette to assist him/her in the appeal process. The principal may also discuss the substance of the hearing with an adult member of the Honor Code Council. Based on the appeal, the principal may grant a new administrative hearing. If the principal orders a new administrative hearing, the hearing will proceed within three school days after the principal has informed all parties. The same council who presided over the original case will preside over the appeal. If a student appeals and it is determined that a violation did not occur, then any written statements or audiocassettes will be destroyed. The determination made by the Honor Code Council in the second administrative hearing is final and may not be appealed. Honor Code Council and the National Honor Society According to the bylaws of the St. Vincent de Paul Chapter of the National Honor Society, “As members of the student body, National Honor Society members are subject to the school-wide Honor Code.” NHS students should refer to the chapter bylaws for further procedures. Honor Code Council Membership The Honor Code Council will have two councils (Council A and Council B) each of which will consist of eight voting members. This includes six students: two from grade 12, two from grade 11, and two from grade 10 and two faculty members. One additional faculty member will preside over the hearing. Upon request, an additional faculty member will serve as an advisor to the accused. When Council A is in session, alternate members from Council B (two students and one faculty member) will hear all the evidence but will not be able to discuss the case nor vote unless a member of Council A cannot attend. When Council B is in session, the same applies to Council A. All voting members of the council will take their own notes, which will be kept on record for as long as necessary. Eligibility for Honor Code Council Membership and Eligibility The presidents of the sophomore class, junior class, senior class, Student Council Association, and National Honor Society and each faculty member will recommend students. Students must have a 2.0 average and hold no more than one major office (president, vice-president, treasurer, secretary, historian). Any student who was not initially recommended but would like to apply may do so if he/she solicits a teacher’s recommendation on his/her own. Recommended students will be asked to fill out an application if they are interested. Faculty members on the Honor Code Council will conduct interviews and select the final six student members of Honor Code Council A and the final six student members of Honor code Council B. These twelve students will be asked to serve as members of the Honor Code Council for a period of one full school year. The members of the Honor Code Council are expected to serve as a model for honorable behavior, attend all required administrative hearings, and maintain strict confidentiality. |