The intent of the Personal Integrity Code is to instill a sense of moral responsibility within each of our students. It is the expectation of Father Ryan High School that each member of the community will assume responsibility for his/her own actions and develop intrinsic values of personal integrity. Students who witness a violation of the code are expected to report such violations to a teacher or administrator immediately. A violation of the Early Intervention and Prevention Program or the Computer Use Agreement is also considered a violation of the Personal Integrity Code.

The community of Father Ryan High School, in accordance with our mission statement, mandates that each person in the school display the highest standards of personal integrity at all times. Stealing, lying, academic dishonesty, or any other activity that conflicts with these standards and undermines the integrity of the community cannot be tolerated. Actions that violate this Personal Integrity Code will result in serious consequences, including possible dismissal.

There are three major components to the Father Ryan Personal Integrity Code:

• Academic Dishonesty—takes place when one uses or takes credit for the work of another person, whether the material is used directly or superficially disguised (plagiarism). Cheating also includes the divulgence of any information, without the expressed consent of the teacher, regarding the contents of any assignment, homework, or tests.
• Lying— is any intentional misrepresentation or omission of facts in order to deceive or obscure the truth.
• Stealing— involves the failure to respect the rights of another by taking something without his or her permission. Stealing also includes vandalism to the property of individuals or the community. These definitions of stealing are not limited by the personal or monetary value of an item.

Consequences for Violations of the Personal Integrity Code

• Academic Dishonesty: Consequences for academic dishonesty, as defined by the Personal Integrity Code are as follows:

  First Offense —The student will receive a zero for the assignment or test. The teacher involved will call the parents of the student and alert the Academic Dean.  A letter from the Academic Dean will inform the parents that the student is being placed on probation for a violation of the Personal Integrity Code.

  Second Offense —The student will receive a zero for the assignment or test. The teacher involved will call the parents of the student and alert the Academic Dean.  The student may be placed on suspension. A letter from the Academic Dean will inform the parents of the violation.  Parents may meet with the Principal and/or the Academic Dean to discuss the seriousness of such violations.

  Third Offense —The student will receive a zero for the assignment or test. The teacher involved will call the parents of the student and alert the Academic Dean.  Following the third offense the student will, at minimum, be placed on a contract to define conditions that govern a student’s continuance at Father Ryan High School, or may be subject to being asked to leave Father Ryan High School.

• Stealing: Students found guilty of stealing, as defined by the Personal Integrity Code, will be given an automatic penalty comprised of suspension and possible dismissal from school, which is subject to the discretion of the Dean of Students.

Lying: Students found guilty of lying, as defined by the Personal Integrity Code, will be subject to disciplinary action at the discretion of the Dean of Students.