Developing A Code Of Conduct For
Our School
Mr. Darryl O. Franklin
Introduction:
What
is a code of conduct? Why should we have one at our school? These questions
have been raised by both students and staff members. According to a dictionary
a code of conduct is “a set of conventional principles and expectations that are considered
binding on any person who is a member of a particular group.” This
can be a useful place to start because written codes or rules and laws have been
around for thousands of years. In many cases they are thought of as protections
of people’s rights as well as a model for the way to behave and act in a group.
You have been asked to serve on a panel
of students to present ideas for a revised code of student conduct at your
school. The principal has made it clear that he will seriously consider your
suggestions, if they are reasonable. You know that your decisions will affect
students for many years to come, so 
you want to get this right! Good
luck in your quest!
Task:
Your panel will review available data on the kinds of student codes presently in place at your school and others in the area. You will also look at plans and codes in use in other school systems. You want to consider the impact on the school community as well as the neighborhood. Your group will gather data from many sources, seeking to get the widest view of what’s going on as possible. As part of your analysis you will seek understand the data and decide which information is most useful in developing suggestions for a plan of action to address problems and issues involved in developing a workable code of conduct for the school.
Process:
Meeting in groups of
five persons, you will gather data from the Websites listed below. You will
consider the codes of conduct in use at other schools as well as the role of
these codes if affecting student behavior. You will use the Public Policy
Analyst to try to decide what issues need to be addressed in the code and how
effective action can be undertaken to deal with the issues you have identified.
Each group will select a different
conduct issue that the revised code will need to deal with. Group leaders will
be expected to coordinate their group’s study so as to produce a complete code
of conduct report from the whole class.
Your end product is the “Code of Conduct.”
Your teacher
will help you select people to fill each of the following roles:
§
Group Leader- Who will organize the group and
coordinate the group’s effort. The leader also assists all other members in
completing their tasks
§
Recorder and Secretary- Writes the results of
researchers in a format that can be presented. The Recorder keeps all research
materials for the group’s use
§
Researchers- These two will look at the
websites and present the data for the groups as a whole to analyze
§
Presenter- The
Presenter will describe the group’s findings to the class as a whole. The
Presenter may also work with the whole group in developing a format for the
presentation, which may be a chart, poster, PowerPoint, etc.
Your group will
read the information explaining each component of the PPA so that you will
understand each part of what you need to do.
Use
the Public Policy Analyst to assist you in researching for your presentation.
Your group will decide on the best way to
present your findings. This can be in the form of a written report of at least
four pages, a PowerPoint presentation, a chart, or an effective oral
presentation. All presentation formats must be approved in advance.
Resources: (Note that many of these are PDF files- you will need Adobe Acrobat on your computer)
New York Citywide
Conduct Standards
Bellmore-Merrick
School District Code
Northwestern High School - Code of Student Conduct
Virginia Beach City
Public Schools - Code of Student Conduct
Code
of Student Conduct (A sample code)
Youth Take
the Lead on High School Reform
Issues- Rethinking
Parents, Practitioners, and Community Leaders –Guide on related laws in NYC
Middle School Code of Conduct
– From
Frederick Douglass Academy, NY, NY
More general search
engines may be used as well:
Evaluation:
This is rubric that will be used to assess your
completed work. Use it to make sure you have completed all the steps and can
receive the full amount of points.
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Conclusion:
You should have learned from this
web quest that making a code of conduct is a major undertaking. You have seen
that a new code affects all concerned. You also have learned the role of the
Public Policy Analyst. This process examines social problems and finds
solutions that improve the lives of all in the school community. Let’s hope
your investigation will make a difference.
Thanks
for your participation. It is much appreciated!
Standards:
English
English
E1 – Read and comprehend informational materials
English
E2 – Produce a report of information
Produce a persuasive and reflective essay
English
E3 – Participate in group meetings
English
E4 – Analyze and subsequently revise work to improve its clarity and
effectiveness
English
E7 – Produce functional documents appropriate to audience and purpose
Social
Studies Standard 5 – Civics and Government
Students
participate as informed citizens in the political justice system and processes
of the
• evaluate, take, and
defend positions on what the fundamental values and principles of American
political life are and their importance to the maintenance of constitutional
democracy (Adapted from The National Standards for Civics and Government, 1994)
• take, defend, and
evaluate positions about attitudes that facilitate thoughtful and effective
participation in public affairs
• consider the need to
respect the rights of others, to respect others’ points of view (Adapted from
The National Standards for Civics and Government, 1996)
• participate in
school/classroom/ community activities that focus on an issue or problem
• prepare a plan of
action that defines an issue or problem, suggests alternative solutions or
courses of action, evaluates the consequences for each alternative solution or
course of action, prioritizes the solutions based on established criteria, and
proposes an action plan to address the issue or to resolve the problem