[LM_NET] Anti plagerism programs and copyright: a legal opinion

[Barber Ray <rbarber@PENNCHARTER.COM>]

A former staff member sposed the question below on the State Listserv, I
passed it on the a lawyer for an answer and found the answer enlightening.
---------- Forwarded Message -----------
From: "Rogers Jack" <jarogers@penncharter.com>
To: "Barber Ray" <rbarber@penncharter.com>
Sent: Thu, 27 Jan 2005 15:39:34 -0400
Subject: Re: Fw: Turnitin and Intellectual Property

Ray

I think that this wrong. From a legal standpoint, I think that students
should be able to give a paper to a teacher with the expectation that it is
not given to anyone else. JackOn Thu, 27 Jan 2005 12:35:37 -0500, Barber Ray
wrote
> Jack,
>
> As a lawyer, what do you think of this?
>
> Ray
> ---------- Forwarded Message -----------
> From: "Ramsey,Joseph" <Ramseyj@NPENN.ORG>
> To: SCHOOLS@hslc.org
> Sent: Thu, 27 Jan 2005 13:31:42 -0500
> Subject: Turnitin and Intellectual Property
>
> I am going to open a can of worms.
>
> When using a plagiarism detection service such as Turnitin, student
> papers are submitted to the service for comparison to other papers
> already in the database, and these new papers are then themselves added
> to the database for comparison with future submissions.  (Do you see
> where this is going?  Does it make you queasy?)  Have any of you looked
> into the possible infringement of students' intellectual property rights
> as a result of their work being given to a for-profit business to become
> a part of that company's assets?  (The company's database of student
> papers is clearly one of the main assets that allows them to make
> money.)  Have any of your districts or schools had their solicitors look
> at this question?  Anyone happen to know of guidance on this issue from
> AASL or other organizations?
>
> Sorry to ask an ugly question!  Thanks!
>
> Joe Ramsey
> North Penn High School Library
> North Penn School District
> Lansdale PA
>
> This email has been scanned for viruses by MessageLabs.
> ------- End of Forwarded Message -------
>
> Dr. Raymond W. Barber
> Director of Libraries
> The William Penn Charter School
> 3000 West School House Lane
> Philadelphia, PA. 19144
> rbarber@penncharter.com
> 215-844-3460 x168 (office)
> 215-850-6678 (cell)
> 215-844-5537 (fax)
> 215-843-4024 (home)
------- End of Forwarded Message -------


Dr. Raymond W. Barber
Director of Libraries
The William Penn Charter School
3000 West School House Lane
Philadelphia, PA. 19144
rbarber@penncharter.com
215-844-3460 x168 (office)
215-850-6678 (cell)
215-844-5537 (fax)
215-843-4024 (home)

This email has been scanned for viruses by MessageLabs.

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