More on the Mark Stenner copying matter in Boca Raton

In a post titled West Boca principal faces debate over second speech, the Sun-Sentinel suggested that Principal Mark Stenner may have copied material that was used in his 2014 graduation speech, a separate matter from the copying in his 2015 speech.

There is an issue here, although copying in speeches may draw less scrutiny than copying in academic papers and theses. Abraham Lincoln did not cite the Gospels in his "House Divided" speech, though much of his audience may have understood from where that text originated. It is less likely that Stenner's audiences were familiar with the work of Marc Lewis or David McCullough Jr.

As to the text --Students caught plagiarizing in class usually don't get credit for assignments; in college it can lead to suspension or expulsion. --, when Joe Biden was caught plagiarizing in his first year law class at Syracuse, he got an F and had to re-take the course. But he was not expelled, and he graduated and became a Senator and Vice-President.

Of relevance to academia:

http://ipbiz.blogspot.com/2015/03/plagiarism-at-princeton.html


Plagiarism in academic contexts: a look at the past