The honor code is a constant presence at Langley. Students are often reminded by their teachers that they must cite their sources in papers and homework assignments, or else risk getting a zero. However, the recently changed honor code at Westfield High School takes the issue of cheating prevention to a whole new level.
At the beginning of this school year, a new addendum to the Westfield honor code was introduced, that only applied to AP World History students. Entitled “Expectations of Integrity,” the addition prohibited Westfield students from discussing answers, ideas, questions, and opinions with friends, siblings, parents, and even complete strangers. The addendum also banned students from accessing any online source, even Encyclopedia Brittanica, for help with homework.
Parents were asked to sign “Expectations of Integrity” and return it to school. However, the rigid rules angered some parents, who refused to sign it. One Westfield parent, Amy Fuentes, began a movement called “Fair Honor Code” in oppositon to the Expectations of Integrity document.
Fuentes outlined several reasons why Expectations of Integrity was not fair. “If a student talks with a parent about what he is learning in class, he could receive an Honor Code violation referral and be subject to the same consequences as someone who cheated on a test. [Also,] the “Expectations of Integrity” violates the students’ rights under the First Amendment.”
Fuentes’ protests against the document were enough to get it revoked. On October 26, Westfield principal Tim Thomas sent out a school-wide email, stating, “The AP World History teachers and the WHS administration are working together to craft a revised set of directions that will reinforce the intended message, which is that students are expected to complete homework assignments independently.”
This revocation was a success for Fuentes, but she is still unsatisfied with additional portions of the Westfield Honor Code, such as the rule that forbids parents from attending honor council hearings. In a “Cease and Desist” letter sent to Thomas, she asked him to stop holding hearings without parents present. Fuentes asked Thomas to reply by October 29 but since there was no reply, she is submitting a formal complaint to the Board of Education.
What will happen next is uncertain. However, one thing is for sure – a heightened vigilance on cheating is prevalent throughout Fairfax County, not just at Langley.