BYU: Not Much Honor in the Code

It's been almost two weeks since Brandon Davies was suspended from the the Brigham Young University basketball team for violating the school's honor code. Since that time, the story has grown more complex. Davies was suspended from the team for having sex with his girlfriend. This is a clear violation of the BYU honor code, which includes the following provisions:

• Be honest
• Live a chaste and virtuous life
• Obey the law and all campus policies
• Use clean language
• Respect others
• Abstain from alcoholic beverages, tobacco, tea, coffee, and substance abuse
• Participate regularly in church services
• Observe the Dress and Grooming Standards
• Encourage others in their commitment to comply with the Honor Code

Upon first reading about the Davies situation, I was furious that BYU would take this kind of action for what seems to be the typical behavior of the average American college student. Not only is the school ruining a stellar season for Davies, but the rest of the Cougars are clearly going to have to adjust to the loss of a close teammate. And their potential without Davies is not quite as promising. Then there is the personal impact of dragging a young man and his girlfriend through the mud for what appears to be a consensual act. I see no honor in an academic institution humiliating a student to satisfy their "code."

But I have had time to internalize the flip-side of the argument: Davies knew what he was signing up for attending BYU. As such, he has to live with the consequences of his actions. And given some time to reflect, that's a fair assessment.

So ultimately, what continues to bother me is that BYU and the pundits covering the story continue to refer to this set of rules which Davies violated as an honor code. Unfortunately, it has little to do with honor. When discussing the story on Pardon the Interruption, Mike Wilbon continues to invoke the University of Virginia as another school with an honor code. He's right. UVA does have an honor code. It's been around since 1842, and according to the school's website, looks something like this:

Today students at the University make a commitment not to lie, cheat, or steal within Charlottesville, Albemarle County, or where they represent themselves as University students in order to gain the trust of others. Because of this commitment, there's a strong degree of trust among the various members of the University community. Students are also expected to conduct themselves with integrity and are presumed honorable until proven otherwise.

Prohibition of lying, cheating and stealing seems a much more apt description of honor. So what does that make the BYU "honor code?" It is a religious, or moral code. And while the school may feel that those traits define an honorable existence, news outlets covering this story need to make a distinction. When ESPN continues to acknowledge this list of rules as an honor code, it begs the following question: If an individual breaks these rules, do they lack honor? The UVA code seems to pass this litmus test. If a person lies, cheats or steals, they are almost universally condemned as lacking in personal honor. But if a person drinks caffeine? Swears? Dresses like a slob? Has pre-marital sex? Do those activities connote a universal lack of honor. I'm guessing the US Marine Corps, which practically institutionalizes coarse language and caffeine consumption would assert that their membership still demonstrates honorable traits despite the rough behavior.

BYU is a religiously-motivated institution, and I would be shocked to see them amend either the terms of their code, or what they call it. But members of the media must adopt greater sensitivity in spouting the phrase honor code without any context, lest they begin to offend a broader sense of what is truly honorable.