Full question:
A 6th grade teacher made the following assignment: 'Research a Greek god or goddess and design a poster about that god. Included in the poster must be: Name of the god or goddess as the title, what they are god or goddess over, symbols for the god/goddess, who they are related to, drawing or picture, mythological ideas about that god.' The 6th grade child copied and printed pictures and information directly from the internet onto a poster board. The child did not cite the source, in part, because the teacher's instructions did not call for it, and the child did not know to do so. Now the child is accused of plagiarism and has had her grade reduced to an 80 out of 100. Is this legal? Was the teacher justified in her actions?
- Category: Education
- Date:
- State: Tennessee
Answer:
It is probably within the teacher’s discretion to give a student a lower grade for plagiarized work than a student who put their original thoughts into an assignment, given the amount of effort involved. A person may be found guilty of plagiarism if one did not intend to or knowingly attempt to steal anothers ideas or pass another's work off as one's own. In the school setting, it is generally a matter of internal administrative decision-making. While the school may have applicable guidelines to follow in disciplinary matters, it often is a matter of subjective determination. It is more of an administrative than a legal matter.
Typically, the courts will review such cases only insofar as ensuring that due process rights were afforded to the student in the disciplinary procedures. This will involve such considerations as whether the student was served with a written notice of charges; she was made aware of grounds which would justify her expulsion or suspension by way of the student handbook; the hearing tribunal afforded her an opportunity to hear and confront the evidence presented against her and an opportunity to be heard and to offer other evidence if she chose; she was accorded the right to have someone from the college community to assist her in the proceedings; she was informed of the tribunal's finding; she was given access to its decision for her personal review; and, she was advised in writing of the discipline imposed.
This content is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Legal statutes mentioned reflect the law at the time the content was written and may no longer be current. Always verify the latest version of the law before relying on it.
