Argumentative Essay on Why Schools Should Not Have Honor Codes

Honor codes, a seemingly good concept, which was put in place to prevent cheating. Honor codes are supposed to make a student aware of his or her responsibilities. They are supposed to make a student think about the consequences. They are supposed to make a student responsible for not only their own actions but the actions of their peers. Therefore, some schools have established the so called "honor code" but, It's funny because, back in middle school, the first thing seen as the teacher would enforce the honor code by having students pledge to not cheat, is kids cheating. Yeah, they would get caught but, not because of the kids, or the honor code it was because the teacher had to go out their way to catch them. Honor codes are meant to prevent cheating, but honor codes only make it harder to cheat. This might look like a good thing, but a school's main goal should not only be to prevent cheating, but it's also to educate and to help students thrive and reach their potential. Adding honor codes will just stress students out. Students will only perceive honor codes as something unnecessary. In fact, they are seen as just another rule and as excessive.

Establishing honor codes in schools is unnecessary. This comes as no surprise since there is absolutely nothing stopping a student from cheating, especially not when it's something as ridiculous as an oath. This is because honor codes do not differ from something as simple and untrustworthy as a promise. As matter-of-fact, honor codes are just that: a written or orally spoken rule. According to the survey in source F "Assessing Honor Effectiveness: Results of a Multipronged Approach from a Five Year Study" they had at a small university, encouraged the student honor council to create a survey and administer it in their classes. The results were less than promising, seeing as 40% of students had violated the honor code and had not been caught and only 8% of students would report a classmate for cheating.(Sledge, Sally, Pringle) This is important because it shows and gives people a more realistic idea of just how effective honor codes really are. Not only are honor codes not very effective, but students have also commented on how they much they dislike the honor code. There are lots of students who have a problem with the honor code. For example, in source B "The Honor Code Vote: One Student Senator's View" the author mentions how "Failure to confront or report a student would result in a period of probation." Then, after "much discussion and debate in class and Senate meetings, the proposal was revised to eliminate any formal disciplinary actions." Schools are places meant for learning and when there are certain rules like the honor code, which negatively affect a scholar's environment, it can take a toll on a student's ability to learn and to be educated. This conclusively proves and shows how unrealistic the honor code and the expectations for these students actually are. 

Not only are honor codes seen as excessive and as just another rule by students, but also honor codes are only effective when the students expect everyone else to abide by the honor code. The authors "Jennifer Dirmeyer and Alexander Cartwright" mention this when they say "not all colleges have what it takes to make an honor code effective not because the students aren't honest, but because they don't expect anyone else to be." (5-6) This might even lead to students cheating more since they will just justify cheating by telling themselves that "everyone else is doing it, so why can't I." Indeed, even Harvard students have talked about their skepticism. For instance, in source C "Honor Codes Work Where Honesty Has Already Taken Root" the author mentions that "Harvard students are skeptical that signing a piece of paper will suddenly cause a cheater to change his ways" this is important because it highlights and shows how an honor codes effectiveness depends on either school or student. It also adds on to the fact that honor codes wouldn't stop cheating because no matter what anyone does, they wouldn't be able to stop teenagers from cheating. It is impossible this is because the effect that an honor code has on students and schools depends on "culture of academic integrity"(McCabe, 6). According to the authors "Dirmeyer Jennifer, and Alexander Cartwright," Mr. McCabe also says "Honor codes don't always work." 

Some people might argue that even if honor codes aren't very effective, it's still better than having nothing in place. This would be true if it wasn't for the fact that students see the honor code as a negative thing and as extra rules. This might make students more stressed than they might already be. Students shouldn't need to have more rules. Instead, schools should introduce some other solutions. If honor codes aren't effective and don't work, then there should be no reason to establish these in schools. Establishing honor codes in schools is like giving a stranger money and making them promise to not take it. Yeah, maybe some people might not steal the money, but 9 times out of 10 they will take it and at that point it's best to just not have a stranger hold your money. Instead of relying on honor codes, schools should find other solutions that would make students cheat less since no matter what people do cheating will always be a thing.But cheating can definitely be decreased. This is what the honor code is bad at. It is bad at decreasing cheating. Yeah, they do to some degree, but cheating can be prevented to an even greater degree. For example, maybe instead of relying on honor codes, schools should identify why a student might cheat. Is it because they didn't understand the material? Or maybe it's because the teacher wasn't explaining the topic very well? Then from their schools can come up with different solutions. Maybe the professor can explain the topic again or explain it in a way that the students will understand. Of course, there is no way schools will ever fully prevent cheating. This is because there are students who cheat just to cheat, which is why cheating can never truly be prevented but it can be limited. By doing something as simple as talking to the student's in said school, it will make a greater and better difference.

In conclusion, if honor codes aren't very effective and are unnecessary, then they should not be established in schools. Honor codes only create more rules for students to follow, which is a big problem. This becomes an even bigger problem when people realize honor codes also create a more stressful learning environment for students. Schools should abolish the honor code all together and instead of enforcing the honor code, schools should encourage students to not cheat, then teachers or schools should conduct a survey to identify the underlying reason students are cheating at that school. From then schools can come up with a solution that works for everyone. Teachers should also make sure that a student has the help they need, as not being confident in a certain subject will make a student more likely to cheat. Of course, this solution should not give people unrealistic expectations. This solution should not stop all students from cheating. If it does, then people are living in a perfect world or the school has not caught any students cheating. Instead, this solution should make students more confident in their abilities to learn and it should make a student able to do well in school by hard work rather than by cheating. This way, schools achieve their two main goals which is to help kids achieve their full potential and to prevent cheating.