At 5:35 AM +1000 10/06/06, Barbara Braxton wrote:
In the USA -- no one can order anyone else to violent the copyright
law (nor can you be fired for insubordination if you refuse to do
so). If you are a secretary and your boss asks you to duplicate
something -- you must decide for yourself. If YOU copy it, and the
copying is illegal, YOU are in violation. There is no defense called
"but my administrator..."
And although this is not totally uniform several school districts in
our area have clauses in their contract saying in effect -- the
school district abides by the copyright law and do not support any
violation, if an employee chooses to violate the law that act will be
grounds for immediate termination.
I used to tell classes I taught that I might be able to afford to pay
any fine that might be levied against me but I probably would not
recover from losing my means of earning a living in my hometown.
Sharron
clipped....
>However, if I was complicit in a breach of copyright such as
>allowing or directing a student to
>breach the law, then I could be held equally responsible. But, if I
>was directed by a supervisor to
>break the law despite any protests I might make, then I needed to
>make a written record of all the
>circumstances (dated and signed) and I would be protected should a
>court case arise. Similarly, if
>I directed my assistant to break the law and she kept a written
>record, I'd be up the creek but she
>wouldn't.
>
>AND --
>So, here anyway, there is a limit to what we are responsible for -
>and so it should be. We don't
>breach copyright ourselves, we teach students about the concept, and
>we don't direct others to break
>the law. We are working with professionals who need to take
>responsibility for themselves, their
>knowledge and their learning. The hat I wear is a straw one covered
>with bright pink lace and
>daisies and nowhere on it is a badge with either Copyright Police or
>Dewey Police!
>Barbara
--
===================================================
Sharron L. McElmeel
http://www.mcelmeel.com
McBookwords (a literacy organization)
http://www.mcbookwords.com/
Instructor - University of Wisconsin-Stout
Children's Literature in the Reading Program
http://www.uwstout.edu/soe/profdev/childrenslit/
Young Adult Literature in the Reading Program
http://www.uwstout.edu/soe/profdev/yalit/
3000 N Center Point Rd
Cedar Rapids, IA 52411-9548
ph. (319) 393-2562
fax (319) 393-4749 (If line is busy, initiate a voice call and ask
that the line be made available for a fax transmission.)
mcelmeel@mcelmeel.com
===================================================
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Please note: All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law.
You can prevent most e-mail filters from deleting LM_NET postings
by adding LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU to your e-mail address book.
To change your LM_NET status, e-mail to: listserv@listserv.syr.edu
In the message write EITHER: 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL
3) SET LM_NET MAIL 4) SET LM_NET DIGEST * Allow for confirmation.
* LM_NET Help & Information: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/
* LM_NET Archive: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/archive/
* EL-Announce with LM_NET Select: http://elann.biglist.com/sub/
* LM_NET Supporters: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ven.html
--------------------------------------------------------------------
LM_NET
Mailing List Home