Honor Code

Official Honor Code

In coming to Bolles, students are committing themselves to adherence to the Honor Code:

They should study the Code and direct questions concerning it to one of the Honor Council members.

ARTICLE I

Section 1.

The regulations concerning student conduct in regard to lying are:

1. In any instance in which a student is asked a question, either pertaining to their conduct or to School business, they are on their honor to tell the truth or they may remain silent. Students have the right to remain silent; however, the Honor Council may take failure to respond to its questions into consideration in its judgments.
2. Deliberate verbal or written falsification is a form of lying and, therefore, a violation of the Code. Examples of falsification include, but are not limited to: inventing or altering data or statistics, inventing or misrepresenting sources or their content, falsifying signatures (electronically or on paper),
3. Deliberately allowing a false assumption to be drawn also constitutes lying. This includes telling only part of the truth.

Section 2.

The regulations concerning student conduct in regard to cheating are:

1. Students are on their  honor neither to give nor receive any unauthorized information in any form of schoolwork where credit is earned or lost.
2. In a testing or make-up setting, students are not permitted to have access to any material, including but not limited to texts, study guides or notes of any kind, unless previously authorized by the teacher. Also prohibited in these settings are any accessible electronic or other devices (including phones, smart watches and open computer tabs) that could provide unauthorized aid to the student taking the test or to other students who have yet to take it. Students are not permitted to contact other students or have access to the work of other students during the testing period.
3. Teachers will determine what constitutes authorized and unauthorized information and make their expectations for the class clear.
4. If two or more students turn in identical work, this may be considered cheating unless the teacher specifically gave permission to do so.
5. Plagiarism of any type is considered cheating. Plagiarism is academic theft in the form of stealing  ideas or material from any source and presenting them as one's own without proper citation.

Section 3.

The regulations concerning student conduct in regard to stealing are:

1. Students are on their  honor not to steal; no student has the right to take or to use anything which is not their property without the express consent of the rightful owner or author.
2. This aspect of the Honor Code applies to stealing at all times, including away from campus.
3. Unauthorized borrowing of an item is also a violation under this section.

Section 4.

Toleration of lying, cheating, or stealing is an Honor Code offense. If a student witnesses another student committing any of these violations, they must promptly:

1. Report the incident to the Honor Council chair or faculty advisor as set forth in Article III, below; or
2. At a minimum, address this concern with the student and tell the student that their act was a violation of the Honor Code and either suggest they turn themselves in, or warn that student that if another violation is witnessed then the witnessing student will have no choice but to report the incident to the Honor Council; or
3. Notify the teacher of the class in which the violation occurred that they suspects a breach of the Honor Code has taken place (without being compelled to identify the student committing said breach) and that the teacher may wish to take steps to remedy the breach or prevent future occurrences.

ARTICLE II

Section 1.

The Honor Council shall be the sole judge of honor offense cases.

Section 2.

The Honor Council is selected by a committee composed of the rising seniors of the Honor Council and the Council's faculty sponsor, with final approval by the Associate Head of School. The term of membership on the Council is one year. Applications for the following year’s Honor Council will be available during the third quarter and application due dates will be announced to the student body. An application and an interview will be required.

Section 3.

The Honor Council ideally should be composed of four (4) seniors, three (3) juniors, two (2) sophomores, and one (1) freshman. Ideally, one of the council members will be a current or former resident student.

Section 4.

Students who have not been at Bolles for at least two quarters may not be appointed to the Honor Council.

Section 5.

The term of the Honor Council is from the beginning of the fourth quarter of one year to the fourth quarter of the next; members may be re-appointed to the Council. Seniors on the Honor Council remain on the Council during the fourth quarter in an advisory capacity.

Section 6.

The members of the current Honor Council, in conjunction with the Honor Council advisor, shall elect from the new members a chair whose duties are:

1. to determine with the Honor Council advisor the validity of all accusations and to decide whether to convene the Honor Council when an accusation is made;
2. to conduct proceedings at all sessions of the Honor Council;
3. to announce at all sessions the decision of the Council. they shall also 1) maintain a record of all accusations and of all action taken on them; 2) place approved cases on the agenda; 3) publicize the Honor Council and the Honor Code to the members of the faculty.

ARTICLE III

Section 1.

The process by which a case is brought before the Honor Council is as follows:

1. If a student or faculty member feels that an honor offense has been committed, they contact the Honor Council chair or faculty advisor.
2. The Council advisor meets with the accused student and their advisor and determines whether a valid case exists. If it is decided that a case does not exist or should be disposed of alternatively, the person reporting the offense is thus informed. If the Council advisor feels that the charge warrants a hearing, the persons involved, including all witnesses, and the accused student's advisor are notified and the Council convenes.
3. If it is determined that a valid case exists, the student will be given the opportunity to discuss this with their or her parent(s). The student’s advisor shall also contact a parent and confirm that the parent is aware of the case.
4. The student will have the option of providing names of students that they feel will confirm their innocence as witnesses. The Council advisor shall contact those students and ask for an account in writing.

Section 2.

Students who commit honor offenses may turn themselves in; their integrity in doing so will be taken into account by the Honor Council.

ARTICLE IV

Section 1.

A session of the Honor Council shall proceed as follows:

1. The accused student appears before the Council while the chair reads the charge against them.
2. The accused either admits guilt or declares their innocence. In certain cases, documented, written testimony, or evidence will be admissible.
3. All statements and claims of both parties are directed alternately to the Honor Council. All questions, information, and rebuttals exchanged shall be mediated through the Council chair.
4. After the Honor Council is satisfied that all relevant information has been presented, the members shall arrive at a decision in private. The Council may reach its decision through consensus; if there is dissension, the chair conducts a vote.
5. If the accused student is found guilty, the Council determines a penalty either by consensus or by a vote.
6. If a student feels that they have been treated unjustly, they may appeal to the Associate Head of School within twenty-four hours following the decision; this requirement may be extended only in extraordinary circumstances.

Section 2.

Students have the right to remain silent; however, the Honor Council may take failure to respond to its questions into consideration in its judgments.

Section 3.

Students brought before the Honor Council have the right to have their advisor present at the session.

Section 4.

The Honor Council advisor may give suggestions, opinions, and information to the Council members, but may not participate in the judging of students, nor may the advisor challenge or question witnesses or members of the Council.

Section 5.

The accused student may present written evidence from witnesses or other evidence.

Section 6.

1. The maximum penalty for a student found guilty of an offense is that the President, and Associate Head of School, may decide that the student be expelled. This is usually considered if the student has two offenses in one year or three throughout the high school career.
2. Honor Council members may be removed from office at the discretion of the Honor Council chair and Honor Council advisor for conduct a) unbecoming of an Honor Council member or b) detrimental to the integrity of the Honor Council.

ARTICLE V

Section 1.

The Honor Council may hold sessions as the chair or advisor deems necessary; the Council requires six (6) members to convene, unless a small group hearing is specifically requested. More than one case may be reviewed during a session.

Section 2.

When an accused student is summoned before the Honor Council, the sponsor shall notify the student's advisor, person reporting the offense, and teacher of the outcome of the case.

Section 3.

An Honor Council member shall disqualify themselves when a) they feel that they are unable to judge a case objectively, b) they themselves bring a case before the Council, or c) they are a witness.

Section 4.

1. The proceedings of an Honor Council session are closed to all except those directly involved. The identity of the person reporting the offense and opinions set forth by members of the Council during a case is privileged information; divulgence of these or any aspects of a Council session constitutes a special honor offense.
2. Any attempt by the accused student to influence potential witnesses shall be treated as a disciplinary offense and referred to the Dean’s office.

Section 5.

All records of Honor Council cases are kept confidential and filed with the Honor Council advisor, with immediate access limited to the Honor Council chair, and faculty advisor, and Associate Head of School for Student Life; the Council may use its discretion in granting other persons such access.