Chapter 11 – To Copy or Not

Copying any computer software without authorization violates the U.S. Copyright Law.  It is a federal offence with as much as $50,000 and criminal penalties.  The law for copyright data was extended in 1976 to the length of the life of the author plus 50 years.  Therefore copying software is not innocent, it’s wrong and illegal.  Multiple copies for teachers has four conditions.

            Brevity – not more than 10% of the text.

            Spontaneity – needing to use it immediately without getting the length process of                                   permission.

            Cumulative effect – sum total from one author should not exceed one article or                                   two excepts, no more than 9 instances for one course during one term.  No              copying workbooks, exercises, standardized test, test booklets.

            Repetition – no copying shall be repeated with respect to the same item by the                                     same teacher from term to term.

Piracy should be taught to our school children and modeled by the teachers. A school without a moral center of some perceptive sort is simply not a school community.  Do The Right Thing – should be our motto.