At the beginning of the school year, during a special honor ceremony, faculty and students declare their honorable intentions and publicly acknowledge their support of the Honor System by signing a pledge to follow and uphold the Honor Code. Adherence to the Honor Code is not limited to the four guiding principles, but requires that students understand the general spirit of honor and the types of conduct that are unacceptable and thus prohibited by the code. Faculty and students alike are responsible for maintaining and upholding the principles and ideals of the Honor Code, so as to keep “Honor above Everything.”
Mission and Philosophy
The chief purpose of Darlington’s Honor Code is to create and maintain within each member of the Darlington Community the proper attitude toward honor and honorable living, so that throughout one’s daily activities and interactions, a spirit of fair play and truth is encouraged, while dishonorable conduct is not tolerated.
To accomplish the mission of the Honor Code, every member of the Darlington Community pledges to follow and uphold the Honor System’s four guiding principles:
Lying
Any action, appearance, or statement that an individual knows, or should know, to be untrue, given with the intention to deceive.
Cheating
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.
Stealing
Taking, attempting to take, or helping to take property, whether physical or intellectual, without right or permission. Since theft is not only a violation of the Honor Code but also an offense which violates rights pertaining to personal property or the property of Darlington School, it is considered a more serious offense. Therefore, any student guilty of stealing from others or the school may be subject to dismissal depending on the severity of the offense.
Honor Always Applies
It should never be assumed that the Honor Code does not apply to an assignment unless the teacher has made it explicitly clear that using outside assistance is acceptable.
