Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is essential to teaching and learning and to maintain a sense of mutual trust and respect within a school community. To present others’ work as one’s own is dishonest and undermines trust across the school community. Teachers should feel confident that all of the work students present is the student’s own, and students should feel confident that no classmate has obtained unfair advantage on an assignment or assessment through academic dishonesty.

Copying from another student’s homework assignment, quiz, or test or allowing another student to copy from a homework assignment, quiz, or test; using crib sheets on a quiz or test; giving or receiving information on or about quizzes or tests, and giving or receiving help on take-home tests, papers, or projects (unless otherwise assigned as a group assignment) without the specific permission of the teacher all constitute cheating. We believe that a student who helps another student cheat is just as guilty as the student who cheats.

Plagiarism is an equally serious violation of academic integrity. Plagiarism involves presenting words, ideas, images, text, or data created by others as one’s own, without acknowledging the source. Copying and pasting words, images, and data from a website into a report or essay also constitute plagiarism. Classroom teachers can explain to students how to acknowledge the sources they use in their work. Students who are unclear about what may or may not constitute plagiarism should speak with a teacher directly to get further clarification and support.

Teachers should assume that all the work students submit, including homework, must be their individual work unless the teacher states that collaboration on a particular assignment is permitted. Any assistance a student receives from another person on an assignment, including, but not limited to, a parent or tutor, must be acknowledged. When in doubt, students should either cite the source or consult the teacher.

Academic Integrity Violations

If a middle school teacher suspects that a student has been guilty of cheating or plagiarism, he or she will meet with the student to discuss the work in question. If after the meeting the teacher remains concerned, he or she will consult with the student’s advisor, dean, and the Assistant Principal for Academic Life.

First Violation

If it is determined that the student violated the academic integrity principles, the student, his/her advisor, the dean, and the Assistant Principal for Academic Life will meet. The student’s parents/guardians will be informed, and the Assistant Principal for Academic Life will write a record of the incident to be placed in the student’s file. In consultation with the department chair, dean, teacher, and advisor, the Assistant Principal for Academic Life will determine the appropriate consequence for the first offense.

Second Violation

If a student is found to be in violation a second time of the academic integrity policy at any point in middle school, in addition to receiving a zero on the assignment, the student, along with parents or guardians, will be asked to appear before the Disciplinary Committee to review the specific case. The decision of the committee may include but is not limited to, placing the student on academic probation or suspension. The Assistant Principal or Principal will notify the student’s parents, advisor, dean, and teachers of this decision.

Third Violation

A third violation of the academic integrity policy at any point in a student’s middle school career will lead to another Disciplinary Committee review and is likely to result in expulsion from the Ethical Culture Fieldston School.