Essay Undergraduate 655 words

Problems With Student Codes of Conduct in High Schools

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Abstract

This essay critiques narrowly defined and strictly enforced high school codes of conduct, using specific examples from the Denison High School Code of Conduct in Iowa and similar policies. It examines how zero-tolerance rules around tobacco and alcohol use can exceed legal limits on individual freedom, disproportionately affect at-risk students, and prove counterproductive by excluding students from school life rather than engaging them. The paper contrasts these rigid policies with the Colorado High School Activities Association's principle-based Code of Ethics, arguing that broader ethical guidelines allow for fairer, more realistic student evaluation and better serve the educational goals that codes of conduct are meant to support.

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What makes this paper effective

It grounds abstract policy critiques in concrete, named examples — the Denison High School Code of Conduct and the Colorado High School Activities Association Code of Ethics — giving the argument credibility and specificity.
It acknowledges the validity of the opposing position before dismantling it, which strengthens the essay's persuasive logic and signals intellectual honesty.
It concludes with a constructive alternative rather than simply criticizing existing policies, making the argument solution-oriented rather than merely oppositional.

Key academic technique demonstrated

The paper demonstrates effective use of compare-and-contrast argumentation: it sets rigid, punitive codes against a principle-based model to show what a more effective policy looks like in practice. This technique allows the writer to move beyond critique toward a reasoned recommendation, which is a hallmark of strong persuasive academic writing.

Structure breakdown

The essay opens by framing the debate and introducing the Denison High School example. It then addresses two specific behavioral categories — tobacco and alcohol — in successive paragraphs, analyzing the shortcomings of strict prohibition in each case. The final paragraph pivots to propose a more flexible, ethics-driven model as the preferred alternative, providing a clear and logical progression from problem identification to proposed solution.

Introduction: Codes of Conduct in Educational Settings

There seems to be a belief among many educators, administrators, and even students that narrowly defined and strictly enforced codes of conduct promote better education and even greater student expression in educational settings. Though there is some validity to this belief, there are also many ways in which such codes can go too far. One such example can be found in the Denison High School Code of Conduct in Iowa. There are several instances where, according to this code, punishments issued by the school are harsher than those prescribed by law — for instance, even an eighteen-year-old student found smoking a cigarette at work can be barred from participating in extracurricular activities (Denison, 2007). Though smoking should certainly be discouraged, lawmakers have determined that eighteen is a responsible enough age for each individual to make this choice; a school's code of conduct should not increase limits on individual freedom.

Tobacco Restrictions That Exceed Legal Limits

The case of tobacco use illustrates how school policy can overstep its appropriate boundaries. When a school penalizes an eighteen-year-old student — a legal adult — for an activity that is lawful under state and federal law, the institution is effectively substituting its own judgment for that of the legislature. Such overreach raises serious questions about the proper scope of school authority, particularly when the student's conduct occurs outside of school grounds and hours (Denison, 2007). While discouraging tobacco use among young people is a worthwhile goal, imposing consequences more severe than those recognized by law undermines the credibility of the institution enforcing them.

Zero-Tolerance Alcohol Policies and Their Shortcomings

In addition to tobacco use, alcohol use and possession is one of the most common issues addressed in high school codes of conduct (Denison, 2007; Alamance-Burlington, 2009; American Athletic Institute, 2006). Again, alcohol use should be discouraged among high school students, but the zero-tolerance policy advocated by many codes of conduct is simply shortsighted and naïve. Most high school students drink at some point, and often these codes of conduct are applied to students considered "at-risk" in greater numbers than to athletes, who are frequently able to slip by when parents and administrators look the other way. In addition, barring students caught with alcohol from school events is likely to be counterproductive, especially when these students see themselves being punished for something that many other people do. These codes go too far in punishing acts like alcohol and tobacco use without attempting in any meaningful way to foster open discussion about these topics.

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A Better Approach: Principle-Based Codes of Ethics · 110 words

"CHSAA model offers flexible, principle-based alternative"

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Key Concepts in This Paper

Codes of Conduct Zero Tolerance Student Rights Tobacco Policy Alcohol Policy Extracurricular Exclusion Ethical Guidelines School Discipline At-Risk Students Principle-Based Policy