More plagiarism by educators?

In a case evoking previous bad actions at Southern Illinois University (SIU), Acting Deputy Mayor for Education Victor Reinoso of Washington, DC would not disclose to the D.C. Council on June 27 whether he was the person responsible for copying a section of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg system’s education plans and including it in a city proposal without attribution in an episode earlier this year.

The Washington Post reported on June 28:

Victor A. Reinoso, the acting D.C. deputy mayor for education, declined yesterday to say whether he wrote the plagiarized report that has put an embarrassing mark on his six-month tenure.

Reinoso cited legal advice for the refusal as he appeared before the D.C. Council, which will vote July 10 on whether to confirm his appointment to deputy mayor for education -- one of several positions created as Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) has taken the helm of public education.

**For IPBiz information on the SIU matter, see

http://ipbiz.blogspot.com/2007/01/siu-plagiarism-scandal-takes-another.html

http://ipbiz.blogspot.com/2006/11/sius-wendler-out.html

http://ipbiz.blogspot.com/2006/07/plagiarism-at-siu.html

When educators copy previously-done work and don't cite the previous work, what message is sent to students?