Academic Honesty Policy

Meridian School Academic Honesty Policy

ACADEMIC HONESTY RATIONALE

Meridian School Academic Honesty Policy is based on the idea that true learning is built on honesty and integrity. In order to maintain an ethical environment centered on learning, students must be principled and commit themselves to upholding the Meridian School Academic Honesty Policy, facilitating our school’s mission to develop responsible citizens who can artfully navigate our complex world.

The following actions represent a breach of the Meridian Academic Honesty and are subject to disciplinary action.

PLAGIARISM

Plagiarism is a form of dishonesty where a student presents the work of another as his or her own. It is important to acknowledge that plagiarism is not only the theft of words but also of ideas.

Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to:

• Copying information word for word and turning it in as one’s own work from print and/or digital resources

• Copying another student’s work such as a quiz, test, homework/assignment and presenting it as his or her own

• Paraphrasing (with minimal changes) information and presenting it as his or her own

• Taking ideas and patterns of thought from published sources or individuals (peers, parents, etc.) without permission and proper citation      

• Collaborating with peers on an independent assignment without permission from the teacher

CHEATING

Cheating is acting dishonestly for your own gain and is a form of intellectual theft.  Academic honesty promotes good character while dishonesty prevents students from gaining a full grasp of information presented to them. Cheating prevents teachers from fully evaluating the progress of students.

Cheating includes, but is not limited to:

• Using a “cheat sheet”, notes,  electronic device, or other unauthorized resources during a test, quiz, or assignment

• Presenting the same work (e.g. essay, project, etc.) for multiple classes 

• Using old assignments written by the student or someone else instead of creating original work

• Giving another student an old assessment or using an old assessment without teacher permission

• Looking at or copying all or part of someone else’s work 

• Having someone else do all or part of a student’s homework or assignment for the student

• Failing to mark an answer wrong when self-grading or peer grading

• Telling others or asking others about the content of a test, quiz, or assignment

• Looking at a test or exam prior to taking it without a teacher’s permission

• Stealing or using stolen copies of assignments, tests, or answer keys

• Splitting an assignment into parts and doing a section, sharing it with others, and copying the rest from another student without teacher permission

• Using a translator (online or otherwise) without teacher permission

• Altering a teacher’s gradebook

• Falsifying information for applications; this includes student organizations (Student Council, NHS), college applications, scholarship applications, etc

• Using professional help such as an author, expert, or purchased service without teacher permission

• Any other violation intended to obtain credit for work which is not one’s own

Group Work/Collaboration

Collaboration and group work will be explicitly assigned by the teacher.

Acceptable Collaboration

• When a task is expressly assigned as a group project or assignment by the teacher with shared responsibilities

• When a student asks or gives a peer verbal assistance on an assignment for the sake of learning (not copying)

Unacceptable Collaboration

• When a student checks his or her work against another student’s work and then changes or copies answers without verbal assistance/explanation from his or her peer.  

• When a student fails to uphold his or her responsibilities on a shared or group assignment/project. 

PROCEDURES AND CONSEQUENCES FOR ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

If a student is suspected of academic dishonesty, the following procedure will be followed:

1. The student’s assessment or assignment will be taken and held by the teacher, and the teacher will conference with the student. 

2. If the teacher determines there is evidence that academic dishonesty has occurred,  1) a referral will be written to the assistant principal with attached documentation of evidence; and 2) the teacher will notify the parent about the incident and a grade of “Missing” will be recorded pending investigation.

3. The assistant principal will investigate and if it is determined that academic dishonesty occurred, appropriate consequences will be assigned such as:

1. The student will be assigned a three-hour Saturday detention (or equivalent as determined by the assistant principal)

2. The student will write a reflection about what he/she did, why it was the wrong choice, and his/her intentions for approaching academic work honestly in the future.

3. The student will be permitted to redo the assessment or an alternative assessment for up to a 70%.  This assessment can be done in the assigned Saturday detention or at another time determined by the teacher/student.

4. The assistant principal will conference with the parent (in person or by phone) to explain the above consequences.  

5. The reassessment or alternative assessment option is not available for academic dishonesty on a semester exam.

6. The Assistant Principal will notify pertinent school organization sponsors/coaches of incidences of academic dishonesty so that appropriate measures can be taken in regards to membership/participation.

In cases where the administrator determines that there was no intentional breach of academic honesty, the student may still be required to write a reflection about the incident, including how to prevent such an incident in the future.

Repeated or more serious offenses

Additional or more serious incidents of academic dishonesty shall be dealt with more severely by the administration. Consequences for repeated or more serious offenses may include:

1. Meeting with the parent(s)

2. One to three days of out-of-school suspension

3. Exclusion from extracurricular activities or school-sponsored social events

4. No public recognition of the student at any honors function

5. No distinguished academic or extracurricular recognition (if applicable)

Recommendation for Expulsion from Meridian School

Students who commit one or more of the following offenses in violation of the Meridian Code of Conduct may be recommended for expulsion:

1. Theft, sales, or distribution of any materials including, but not limited to tests and/or quizzes

2. Breaking into and/or examining a teacher’s personal possessions (e.g., desk, files, cabinet, etc.) to obtain or view assessments

3. Changing and/or falsifying a grade in a teacher’s grade book, on the computer, or through other school devices used to record student grades

4. Possession of a stolen assessment

Responsibilities of the Student

It is the responsibility of the student to be aware of and adhere to this Academic Honesty Policy. The policy is in place to foster true learning, built on honesty and integrity.  

Students have the responsibility to turn in work that is truly of their own creation and they must utilize the skills they have learned in citing and referencing sources. If a student is not clear on the expectations for a specific assignment, they should seek clarification from the teacher. 

If a student is suspected of academic dishonesty, the student will have the opportunity to explain his/her perspective to the teacher and assistant principal as part of the investigative process.  The expectation is that the student be forthright in this process for his/her own benefit.  

Responsibilities of the Teacher

Faculty have the responsibility to clearly outline expectations for work that is assigned to students.  If students are not to collaborate with others (e.g. peers, parents, tutors, etc), or if they are not to use online resources (e.g. Google translate), the teacher needs to make this expectation clear in advance. Faculty have the responsibility to teach students the skills necessary to effectively cite and reference sources in their academic work. Faculty are asked to lead by example in regards to Academic Honesty, serving as role models for our students.  It is the responsibility of the teacher to be aware of and adhere to the expectations and procedures outlined in this Academic Honesty Policy.  

Responsibilities of the School

It is the responsibility of the school to uphold the expectations and procedures outlined in the aforementioned Academic Honesty Policy and to maintain the school’s commitment to an honest academic environment and the expectations set forth by the IB Programme.  

Responsibilities of the Parent(s)

It is the responsibility of the parent(s) to be aware of and encourage their student(s) to adhere to the aforementioned Academic Honesty Policy by promoting and supporting the school’s policy in the home thus advocating the expectations of academic honesty set forth by the school.