Special Edition
January 2002
Point-Counterpoint

Pro
Honor Code Would Reinforce Mason’s Ethos of Academic Excellence

By Mike Denny

Honor is a complex moral virtue dependent on the formation of leaders who understand the value of individual and collective responsibility. Honor is nearly vacant in the high school environment and in modern adolescent society. The concept of honor is no longer taught to the upcoming youngsters destined to take over the leadership of the world.  (complete story)
 

Con
‘Honor Code is Simply Painting an Old House a New Color’

By Alice Newhall
 

Not a Big Deal--cheating. Isn’t it awful? Isn’t it horrible? Isn’t it simply astonishing that at George Mason, one of the top public schools in the United States, something like that occurs on probably a daily basis? No, not at all. It’s that simple. It doesn’t surprise me that people cheat, it certainly doesn’t shock me, and it doesn’t create in me any sort of moral outrage.  (complete story)

Lasso Logo by Kevin Dorsey (October 2001)