As a former student journalist, I am so proud of the Newton South High School students who broke the story about Superintendent David Fleishman’s plagiarism of Governor Deval Patrick's commencement speeches. It is great, that these students did not give up on the story and that finally the Boston Globe and other media outlets picked up the story. Way to go student journalists!
What happened? Superintendent Fleishman used parts of Governor Patrick's commencement speeches in the Newton South commencement speech, without giving credit to Governor Patrick. Graduation happened in early June, and now the story is really being talked about in Boston (or at least in my circles).
What is the punishment? Losing a week of pay. What is the punishment of a Newton Public School student for the same crime? Getting a zero on the paper, and the second incident is a one day school suspension.
Students from the past and current students are given the warning every year not to plagiarize. Students are taught to give credit where credit is due. If you quote an article, a speech, a song, you are to give credit. It is okay to quote from other people, but you need to give credit.
And as an educator, does this punishment fit the crime? In my opinion, no. The punishment of losing one weeks pay ($4,900) when one earns over $250,000 doesn't hurt enough. And his press release did not include the words "I am sorry." Again, what are we teaching our kids.
Maybe Superintendent Fleishman should attend a Newton South English class or Social Studies class to hear how his team members explain what plagiarism is, and what the punishment is, and why it is wrong.
We have the opportunity to teach our children, how to say I am sorry and how to accept a meaningful punishment. Neither of which have been done, to date.
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