Plagiarism in the School System
Sometimes Students are Just Following the Example Given
Jun 27, 2009
Plagiarism is claiming credit for work created by someone else. Mike Meyers fans will recall the character, Dr. Evil, in the second Austin Powers film going back in time singing "Just The Two of Us" claiming to have have been the composer.
The joke is well-played and enjoyed by many who would love to be able to go back in time and go to a record studio with all of the songs from Billy Joel's The Stranger album, or go on stage and perform Chris Rock's 1996 HBO stand-up comedy special, Bring the Pain, but only a truly misguided person would step outside of the fantasy and take another person's work, enjoying the prestige from the conveyed intellect, humor, or sensibility.
School Policies on Plagiarism
School policies for cheating and plagiarizing are almost universal. Professor Joseph Siciliano at Upper Iowa University defines plagiarism, collusion, and cheating in the syllabuses for his business students. He then states that any students violating them will receive an F. There is no middle ground.
Some instances permit lenience. Birch Lane Elementary School in Massapequa Park, NY, for example, has a detailed guide with statistics of plagiarism, reasons why it occurs, and how to prevent it.
If teachers suspect plagiarism they are given a five-step process:
- Take the situation seriously.
- Gather evidence to substantiate the claim.
- Determine who must know.
- Have a formal meeting with the student.
- Evaluate roles in the prevention process.
For elementary students, it is agreeable that students should be given the benefit of the doubt in these matters as the concept is new or non-existent. As students prepare for college the matter becomes more serious.
Star Teacher Catches Plagiarizers in Small Kansas Town
One famous plagiarism case comes from Piper, Kansas, where, in 2002, a science teacher named Christine Pelton had found that nearly one fourth of her more than one-hundred students had plagiarized the biggest assignment of the year.
Pelton felt that integrity was so important that, according to "Cheating in the Heartland?", a May 31, 2002 CBS News 48 Hours report, she had students and parents read and sign a contract in which she clarified that plagiarism is "copying things word for word, and using it as your own," a definition that is a bit relaxed, but appropriate for the sophomore class at Piper High School.
Upon seeing the display of some very advanced ideas and terms, Pelton utilized the web, finding that 28 students had turned in someone else's work, resulting in their failure.
Plagiarism Policies Reversed From Parent Pressure
During an interview with one student from Piper, that was recorded by CBS and later used on the Bio channel for a report on cheating, the student claimed he was innocent because he did not turn in someone else's work word-for-word. He had changed two sentences, hence, having changed the entire report twice.
The parents supported their children and appealed to the school board, winning not only a reversal of the decision, but also that the project should hold less weight, arguably punishing the students who had worked hard to receive As, such as Laura Johnson, who received a grade of 101%. Her grade became less competitive as those who had cheated had their grades raised.
The parents placed the blame on Pelton for missing a "teachable moment". According to CBS, one stated that it was "wonderful" that she had discovered plagiarism, and that she should get an "atta boy" at a conference that should have been held to explain what had happened, but wasn't.
In the end, Pelton resigned, as she had lost the respect of her students and the backing of the administration.
The Real Cost of Not Correcting Cheating
As disquieting as it is, this matter is not about one school in Kansas. Nor is it about one group of students. It is about an issue of cheating that is rewarded or ignored, sending a message that leads to corruption beyond the school system, mixing the message of ethical behavior with the facts about plagiarism.
When students and adults are told that it is okay to cheat, by way of promotion or indifference, they are being told that they will get ahead without the ethics and morals that are necessary to be of proper service to themselves, their clients, and their sponsors, such as parents paying for school, citizens voting in elections, and investors providing capital.
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