Academic Contest Ethics Code

ACADEMIC CONTEST ETHICS CODE

Abiding by the general Spring Meet Code means to:

1. Participate in contests with a spirit of fairness and sportsmanship, observing all rules, both in letter and in spirit.

2. Sponsor and advise individuals and teams without resorting to unethical tactics, trickery (which attempts to skirt the rules), or any other unfair tactic which detracts from sound educational principles, decisions of officials and judges without protest and extend protection and courtesy to officials.

3. Accept decisions of officials and judges without protest and extend protection and courtesy to officials.

4. Regard opponents as guests or hosts while placing personal and / or team integrity above victory at any cost. Maintain grace and poise in victory or defeat. Conduct that berates, intimidates, or threatens competitors, based on gender or ethnic origin, has no place in interscholastic activities.

5. Provide information or evidence regarding eligibility of any contestant or school to local school administrators or to the appropriate judicial bodies upon request.

6. Understand and appreciate the educational values of competition and abstain from modifying or soliciting another teacher to modify grades for eligibility purposes, knowing that such behavior defeats the character-building purposes of extracurricular competition.

7. Abstain from any practice that makes a student feel pressured to participate in non- school activities.

8. At all times, ensure that competition is relative to a more important overall educational effort, using competition as a tool in the preparation of students for citizenship and successful adulthood.

9. Ensure that UIL Academic District, Regional, and State Meets receive precedence over non-qualifying contests or meets.

10. For School Districts – Notify the Academic District or Regional Meet Director no later than the end of the second school day following academic district or regional competition if a student or a team will not complete at the next higher-level academic meet.