Shonda and everyone,
I am so grateful that we have LM_NET where we can debate and discuss these
issues.
I think the attitude that "we'll do it until we get caught" is one that
seems to be very prevalent whenever a copyright question comes up. I believe
that is because there are very few documented cases of people actually
getting caught and fined.
The story a few weeks ago about the high school student who was accepted to
Harvard and then was refused because her paper had been plagiarized is one
of the few stories I know of where someone got caught. The student in
question was under scrutiny because she sued her high school district to be
the sole valedictorian after it was decided that she should share the
position, due to her being an untraditional student. She had an undisclosed
handicap which allowed her to be tutored at home. The school board felt she
had an unfair advantage and she should share her position and she didn't.
Her father is a lawyer and people around here were very upset. I am sure
someone ratted her out to Harvard. I wonder how many other people this
happened to? Do you think it happens and we just don't hear about it? Or do
you think the papers aren't scrutinized as hers might have been?
Last year our music teacher wrote a short play for our third graders based
on the Grinch story. I begged him to write and get permission. He did.
Random House wrote back to him and said NO. Of course the process took a few
weeks and rehearsals had already begun. When he received the letter back he
was very VERY upset. He asked me to find documented cases of people getting
caught and the outcomes. I found Carol Simpson's website and there is a page
there ASKING for stories but there were only two or three vague ones to
actually read. I had a very hard time defending my position in this case and
I'm not likely to try it again.
It's okay to set speed limits in a town but unless a police officer is going
to stop the speeders and fine them people will continue to speed. It's okay
to set copyright laws but unless people are fined and the stories are
publicized people will continue to break them. It's nice to think that we
are all morally upright but that's not reality.
In my humble opinion,
Karen DeFrank, LMS on summer break for 26 more days
Glassboro Public Schools, New Jersey
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