From the Bleachers: Honoring a bad code is as wrong as hypocrisy

By Ryan Kuhn
The Guardsman

When  someone brings up stories of their college experience, the  stereotypical excessive drinking, meaningless sex and memories of  outrageous parties are usually brought to mind.

But  to a college basketball player in Provo, Utah, his memory of his first  two years might be getting suspended from the basketball team not for  poor grades nor breaking the law, but for having sex with his  girlfriend.

Brandon  Davies, a sophomore at Brigham Young University, will not be allowed to  play basketball for the remainder of the season after admitting he had  premarital sex, which violates the school’s honor code that every  student is obligated to sign.

BYU’s  honor code’s requirements include being honest, living a chaste and  virtuous life, obeying the law, using clean language, respecting others,  abstaining from drugs, alcohol, tobacco, coffee and tea, specific dress  and grooming standards, attending church regularly and waiting until  marriage to have sex.

Davies was leading the No. 3 ranked Cougars in rebounds and was third on the team in scoring.

Now,  let me first give respect to the university for actually abiding by  their code and taking action. Other colleges have been known to turn a  blind eye to negative light that is shed on their athletes. On the other  hand, taking action is one thing, but making an example of a student is  another.

Religion  should be a guideline or a set of rules to follow. While these rules  mostly make sense, and should be highly encouraged, they should not be  so strictly enforced. Besides, whose right is it to tell someone they  are not allowed to dress a certain way or have a cup of coffee?

With  more than 1,700 private universities in the United States, BYU,  BYU-Hawaii and BYU-Idaho are the only schools that uphold a strict honor  code like the one Davies broke.

Private  universities that are affiliated with religious organizations (such as  Notre Dame and University of San Francisco) have academic honor codes,  but they don’t have lifestyle honor codes.

Katie  DeChants, who works for USF’s Office of Student Conduct, Rights and  Responsibilities, said it takes a lot for a student to get kicked out of  the university, even when alcohol is related.

Despite  being a Catholic university, USF doesn’t push views onto their  students. According to the US News and World Report, USF is ranked in  the top 30 for universities with cultural diversity. This shows that  religious views can help a university strive in the education process  but also gives students a chance to keep their own beliefs.

Someone  must have reported Davies and his girlfriend to the university. But if  two people decide to have sex, it should be their concern alone.

Whether  or not we are judged by our way of life, there will be repercussions  for the decisions we make. For Davies, we don’t know his entire story.  All we know is that someone told on him and he admitted to his mistake.

The  fact is, the university and his church took action, so as I sit here  and sinfully sip my cup of coffee, I sincerely hope his basketball  career and, more importantly, his education do not come to an end in  Provo, Utah.

Email:
rkuhn@theguardsman.com