The goal at every level of education is to provide an academic environment that is conducive to learning. Ethical behavior by students and teachers is essential to building a positive learning environment. According to the Bryan (Texas) Independent School District Student Code of Conduct, "a proper balance between expectations and responsibilities is essential if the district is to provide a safe and secure educational system that allows students to develop to their fullest potential."
Academic honesty requires that you be responsible for your own work. According to the Ohio State University Code of Student Conduct, "falsification, fabrication, or dishonesty in creating or reporting laboratory results, research results and or any other assignment," is unacceptable. Additionally, if you submit the work of another person as your own to fulfill the requirements for a course you are guilty of academic plagiarism. Honesty is a character trait that you should develop in school and bring with you to your professional career.
The learning environment at school is a place where students learn about equality and the importance of respecting the rights of others. These are characteristics of responsible citizenship. According to the Miami-Dade County Public Schools Code of Student Conduct, obeying classroom and school rules helps students to "create a society based upon democratic values including rules of law, equality of opportunity, due process, reasoned argument, representative government, checks and balances, rights and responsibilities, and democratic decision-making."
Parents expect administrators and teachers to provide a safe and healthy learning environment for each child in school. According to the Chicago Public Schools Student Code of Conduct, "school personnel are responsible for creating a safe, civil and respectful learning environment where students can gain the knowledge and interpersonal skills they need to succeed." Behaviors such as bullying and the use of abusive language to demean a student's identity are not appropriate and must be dealt with quickly.
Ethical behavior requires that students and school staff obey all federal, state and local laws. A criminal behavior that must be avoided is the use of illegal substances on school property. According to the Code of Conduct of the John Marshall Law School in Chicago, "it is a violation of this student code to: possess, use, or distribute illegal drugs on law school property or during law school sponsored activities." Administrators must develop a system of reporting that does not endanger the person reporting criminal activity.