No profane language on social media. Maintain passing grades in all classes. Be on time. Observe dress code. ​These statements are just a few rules that students, club members and athletes are required to swear by and live by. With all the emphasis on athleticism and extracurricular activities, it is no surprise that coaches and coordinators enforce strict codes of conduct, regardless of the circumstances.

SPORTS

Athletes are required to follow their team’s rules from practices to game day to events outside of school. Contracts are typically signed at the beginning of the season regarding the athletic code of conduct to ensure awareness of what is expected. For the cheerleading team, members are required to follow their code on and off school campus.

“The Cheer Constitution really has one purpose and that is to make sure that the program is on a straight path,” senior cheer captain Riley Christiansen said. “From the sidelines to the hallways, we need to be making sure that we are doing what we are supposed to do.”

The cheer code of conduct entails precise rules regarding many aspects of behavior, including dress code, social media and punctuality.

“The code says that we are not allowed to curse on social media, use profanity, vulgar language, or refer to inappropriate things,” Christiansen said. “The rule of thumb is if you didn’t want your grandma to see what you are posting, then don’t post it.”

Recently the policy on social media was acted upon after an incident involving members of the Junior Varsity cheerleading squad. A video was posted on Snapchat including behavior that violates the code of conduct’s rule regarding alcohol, and the two members shown in the video were promptly eliminated from the team after a meeting with the coaches and their parents. This incident has not only reinforced the importance of the code, but also the harsh consequences that can stem from disobeying it.

“Many members of the squad get warnings when they post/retweet a curse word, or something inappropriate, but some girls were never given a warning and were immediately benched,” a cheerleader who wishes to remain anonymous said. “Punishments differ depending on how much the coaches like us.”

Unequal punishment can foster resentment among squad members and put the coaches in a tight spot, but it takes a lot more than that to drive the squad apart.

“We resent the coaches, not our friends,” the anonymous cheerleader said. “It’s not our friend’s decision what punishment they get.”

Despite the apparent imbalance in the system, certain members of the squad hold fast to the intended purpose of the code and the message that it is spreading to others.

“These guidelines are for our own good,” Christiansen said. “(The code) is not trying to restrict our freedoms. It is just trying to help us represent the program in a good way.”

EXTRACURRICULARS

Athletes are not the only ones faced with a set of boundaries. Students in extracurricular activities are bound to codes enforcing similar rules as well. The PALs program requires members to be tobacco, alcohol and drug free, maintain passing grades in all classes (regardless of course level) and represent the PAL program positively.

“I feel like for a leadership class (where members) lead people and are role models to younger children, there is a very high standard,” PALs coordinator Jennifer Clements said. “But the students were selected and agreed to be held to that standard. (The code) is not something that they are unaware of.”

The code also requires members to follow the PALs Twitter, Instagram and Facebook pages. Coordinators monitor the students’ social media accounts for any inappropriate references.

“Of course everyone is entitled to their own opinion,” Clements said. “We are not going to big brother (the members). With social media, it depends on if you are being a positive influence or if you are talking badly about a teacher and participating in Twitter fights and drama.”

Thousands of school­sponsored clubs around the country have been renovating their rules as a result of changing technology. A school in Alabama monitored students through a private security firm in Nov. 2014, and a sixth­grader in Minnesota was forced to give up her Facebook password to school administrators last March (and later received a $70,000 settlement for the incident).

The Eagle Lacrosse team prohibits unsportsmanlike conduct and alcohol consumption by players and coaches. The journalism department enforces a strict policy regarding journalism ethics. In the future, people entering the workforce will also face the social media monitoring. Bosses usually do a background check and fully search through any accounts before hiring.

Other rules are still in effect. Students should be fully aware of what is expected when signing up for a sport or club.

“Make sure you know what you are signing,” Christiansen said. “Don’t ever sign something that you are unsure of. What it really comes down to is having a good attitude.”