West Mesquite High School

West Mesquite High School Honor Code
“It’s a Matter of Pride”

Open and clear communication among educators, students, and parents is the heart of West Mesquite High School’s educational expectations. It is the goal of the Wrangler staff that all students achieve academic success. So that student success can occur and all Wranglers can embrace academic integrity, these guidelines will be endorsed by all staff and students.

Students are expected to come to class prepared to work on all classroom assignments.
Students will be personally responsible for the completion of their classroom assignments.
Students are expected to do their own work at all times.
Students will keep their papers covered during tests and keep up with their homework so that another student cannot copy answers.
Students will not be permitted to share assignments unless a teacher has given permission for a collaborative project.
Students will accept the grade they have earned on assignments. Each student may politely discuss possible clerical errors or mistakes individually with his/her teacher before or after class.
Students will be honest and truthful.
Students will show respect to all Wrangler staff and to other students.
Students will follow the classroom policies of each teacher and the WMHS Code of Conduct policies.
WMHS teachers and staff will clearly communicate to students their classroom expectations for behavior and assignments.

Choosing to disregard these guidelines could result in the loss of credit for an assignment or the reduction of the student’s citizenship grade. Participation in school organizations could be jeopardized, and letters of recommendation from WMHS staff could be denied. Above all, each Wrangler student must protect his/her reputation and guard it wisely as it relates to classroom participation and assignments.

Definitions:

Honesty occurs when a student

completes his/her own work.
gives credit for another’s words, pictures, facts, and ideas.
keeps his/her eyes on his/her own paper, assignment, or exam.
does not copy work from another person or source.

Dishonesty occurs when a student

misrepresents his/her own personal work by plagiarism or cheating.
encourages or assists in an act of plagiarism or cheating.
allows other students to claim his/her words or work as their own.
has wandering eyes during individual classroom assignments or tests.
copies printed material, videos, or images without crediting the source and thus willingly violates copyright laws.

An individual student assignment is defined as any classroom activity given when the teacher has communicated to students that they must complete their work by themselves.

A collaborative student assignment is defined as any classroom activity given when the teacher has communicated to students that they may complete their work with the help of a peer, parent, or resource.

WMHS teachers must take an active role in discouraging student dishonesty because

it is the teacher’s responsibility.
employment expectations encompass academic honesty.
as a role model to students, teachers must have high standards for behavior.
student accountability and responsibility are very important to producing good citizens and lifelong learners.

Suggested Consequences for Student Dishonesty

All parents will be notified by WMHS staff when student dishonesty occurs in class. WMHS staff will notify other teachers if they have gained knowledge of student dishonesty involving another teacher’s classroom. Proper documentation of student dishonesty will be kept on file with the teacher. Consequences for student dishonesty will be on a year to year basis and will not start over at semester.

First offenses that involve daily classroom or homework assignments:
The teacher may

notify parents.
reduce citizenship grade one letter.
conduct an individual student conference.
deduct points from the assignment.
assign a teacher detention.

Second or repeated offenses that involve daily classroom or homework assignments:
The teacher may

give a grade of zero on the assignment.
automatically deduct one letter grade in citizenship.
schedule a parent and student conference.
notify appropriate WMHS staff and sponsors.
deny to write letters of recommendation for that student.

Student dishonesty offenses that involve tests, major assignments, or research projects:
The teacher will

have written guidelines for student work and evaluation.
have proper documentation of student dishonesty for parent and administrator’s examination.
consult with campus administrators if appropriate.
have the power to give a zero on a research paper.
lower citizenship grade.
deny to write letters of recommendation for that student.
notify appropriate WMHS staff and sponsors.