Congratulations to The Belltower for provoking such thoughtful discussion.

And for the record, my high school had an honor code. We signed every test, “I pledge that I have neither given nor received information concerning this test.” That was almost 40 years ago!

Let me first applaud you for starting a dialog on such an interesting topic. I personally believe that an honor code will not do much in the short term to deter cheaters and liars. The Liberal Arts school I attended, Colorado College, had an honor code and I think its impact on cheating was marginal.

Maybe it is a fact of life that that those obsessed with their self-interests will get better grades and pay fewer taxes than they should. Yes, the greedy will benefit at the cost of the honest. Your neighbor’s avarice will spill over into your life like a toxic sludge. An honor code will force many students to pause and reflect but the cheaters out there, who have not recognized the inherent dishonor of cheating, may easily be able rationalize their unscrupulous behavior.

Many cheaters that I knew in high school and college showed the signs of an underdeveloped prefrontal cortex (the judgment center in our brain that is not fully developed until we are 26) mixed with raging hormones. I’m not sure if they reflected on their behavior at the time, or since. I know that I have thought a lot about the vows I’ve taken in life and I’ve arrived at the belief that the best part of a vow is not to keep the dishonest honest. Rather, it is to instill pride and provide a place for reflection. It gives the honest a chance to say, “I’m really proud that I stuck to my guns” or those who succumbed to temptation, “I regret that I broke a promise to myself and I will try to mend my ways.”

I think the pledge that Refuse to Use has students take provides a chance for pledge takers and breakers, parents, volunteers, community members, and those students who refuse to be involved with the program at all, to have a long think about what honesty means. I don’t think Refuse to Use is meant to paint people certain colors. There is no “right” and “wrong.” Honor is not binary. But, philosophies aside, I know that as a graduate of BBA that Refuse to Use has had a positive impact.

“Idle hands are the devil’s playthings” was true in Manchester, Vermont during high school when I was a student (I graduated in 2001). I played three sports, was a good student, and had enriching summer experiences. I was busy kid yet I was no stranger to mischief and he no stranger to me. Akin to the mischief that I perpetrated was boredom and the pressures of academics, athletics, and girls. Even with everything I had going on, I was easily bored in Manchester, VT. My senior year I couldn’t play basketball because I just had shoulder surgery. During this time I made choices that I ordinarily would not have made. I was bored and there were few positive alternatives that are currently offered by the Collaborative.

I am glad that the Collaborative is starting to tackle the boredom that was like a virus to my friends and me in high school. The Refuse to Use program has forced people in this community to think more deeply about solutions to this boredom. I commend the Collaborative and I commend the authors of these posts for the profundity of their thought.