Brandon Davies is my Hero

There is much information circulating around the suspension this week of Brandon Davies, a BYU basketball player. As a basketball fan, and BYU alum, I've been fascinated by much of it, as well as the massive amount of attention and rebuttal which Brandon's actions and the university's response have engendered. Many folks have been critical of the university for its actions. I understand the criticism, I think. I also have some thoughts about the situation.

Brigham Young University is a unique institution of higher learning. On its entry gates, is inscribed a portion of its mission statement, the well known Mormon scripture..."The glory of God is intelligence". Intelligence that, at least at BYU, is acquired, not just in listening to learned professors, or reading textbooks, but in attending religious services, completing community service, fulfilling church callings, attending devotional events, and a host of other processes.

The university, with the support of its students, alumni, board of directors and the millions of faithful church members who subsidize the costs of the university with their tithing dollars, have created a unique and very effective place in which students may come to study and grow. The entire campus community is intended to be a place where young people of faith can congregate to pursue the knowledge, skills and abilities, not just to make a living, but to do so in a way that glorify God. We believe that the most effective way to do that is to do it free from the distractions and influences which are present in most of the rest of the world. It is learning, accompanied and facilitated by the spirit of God. Those of us who have attended, notwithstanding its shortcomings, know it to be a truly unique place.

The university uses many structures to support this culture and community which allows students to learn, free from the world and its influences. Free from the distractions which would prevent this unique form of learning--by the spirit. Among those elements are practices such as beginning many classes with community prayer, attendance at weekly devotional events, and opportunities to serve one another, all of which give students the chance to live beyond themselves...to live and learn in His service. It's not unlike other religious institutions in all these ways. Where it goes a little further, is in the use of one other structure--the Honor Code.

One of the most powerful tools is the university's well known Honor Code. It provides brief but clear guidelines about behavior. It is this very shared behavioral standard which, when lived by all members of the community, fosters the unique culture of spiritual learning, and the pursuit of God's glory through knowledge and understanding. It is a code which we believe to be biblicaly based, and which is supported by both medical and social scientists, who counsel against non monogamous sex, and against consumption of alcohol by young people whose brains are still developing. It's a code of behavior which we believe to be inspired and which we know, from our personal experience, to be highly effective.

And this is where Brandon comes in. Apparently, he violated that Honor Code, and apparently, he willfully disclosed his actions to his coach, the Athletic Director and subsequently, to the Honor Code office. The code exists to keep the entire university community poised, prepared and ready to learn to its fullest extent. Brandon, even while knowing that his disclosure about breaking that code would cause pain and suffering to his family, friends, teammates, coaches and fans all over the world; in that moment which defines us as people, chose to disclose his mistake and to accept its consequences. In doing so, he reinforced for his fellow students, and alumni, the faculty and the board, and for every current, past and future BYU student, the very essence of spiritual learning that is Brigham Young University.

Thank you Brandon for doing the right thing, for exercising so much honor and character in a time of extraordinary inner turmoil. When the rest of humanity stands and wonders what would possess a young person to be so honest, when the cost is so high, you did the right thing! I will never forget you, and hope that students and student athletes will display the same integrity which you have. You are my newest hero.