School board: We're satisfied superintendent accused of plagiarism 'understands her mistake'

NJ.com ^

[SMGFan]

The board of education says it has looked into the concerns surrounding two cases of possible plagiarism by Superintendent of Schools Carolyn R. Koos, and is "satisfied that she understands her mistake and will not repeat it," board president Louis Casella said in a statement.

"The board has fully expressed and discussed its concerns with the superintendent," Casella said. "Superintendent Koos has apologized for any adverse effect this may have had on the district."

NJ.com first reported the possible plagiarism Jan. 10, when a letter sent to the district appeared to be a near word-for-word copy of a Nov. 27 note that was published on an Iowa school district's website, written by Bettendorf Superintendent of Schools Theron J. Shutte.

[SMGFan]

"Dead fish rots from the top"

[EQAndyBuzz]

Time for a letter writing campaign.

[HiTech RedNeck]

I don’t know everything about this incident, but it sounds like there was no good reason for Koos to even want to hide her source. This wasn’t a writing contest was it? This was advocacy for some sort of policy, right?

Still, not to give the credit (she had gotten permission to quote) is a bad example for a teacher. It makes it look like she wanted the glory of people thinking she penned it all out of her own mind. And that’s not what you want to teach students. I’d probably be satisfied with a public mea culpa on her part if this was it, but I’d also look extra closely at what else she’s written. If it’s a habit then she’s setting a bad example.

[blam]

Carolyn R. Koos

[C210N]

> Time for a letter writing campaign.

agreed. let me search around for something well written to send in!

[BobL]

No doubt they hold their kids to these SAME STANDARDS...

LOL.

[AtlasStalled]

superintendent accused of plagiarism ‘understands her mistake’

Haha . . . I’m sure if someone explained to the superintendent in the first place that plagiarism was wrong I’m sure she never would have engaged in it; after all, she’s just an education official!

[tips up]

Pull this in grad school and you will be expelled.

[hal ogen]

She is an idiot with poor ethics and morals. Fire the fugly fool. Hold her accountable.

[golf lover]

Bet she didn’t vote for Romney!

[4buttons]

The usual:

"Superintendent Koos has apologized for any adverse effect
this may have had on the district."

1) non-apology apology.

2) slap on the wrist.

3) retire on schedule showered with public-supplied largess.

-tolerating plagiarism from a school superintendent, no less... great example.
Hey kids, do as she says, &etc.

[vetvetdoug]

We are celebrating the great plagiarist Monday with a holiday. Doris Kearns Goodwin is lauded for her plagiarism in her books and is an honored Democrat historian. This ain't nothin’.

[DarthDilbert]

[BfloGuy]

No doubt they hold their kids to these SAME STANDARDS...

Heh. They're taught to do a quick search on "Google", cut, paste, and -- voilà -- term paper!

[newgeezer]

Further on in the article, it becomes apparent that plagiarism is habitual with this one.

On Jan. 11, Casella said the school board would investigate the possible plagiarism and, "as soon as we're able to get through everthing and get to the bottom of it, we will take appropriate steps from there."

But earlier that morning, the school district's website had been changed to edit another letter from the superintendent that appeared to be plagiarized from another school district.

The letter was originally published on the school district's website at the start of the school year, but at 3:09 a.m. Jan. 11, the page was modified and the letter had been adjusted.

Until then, most of the letter was a word-for-word replica of portions of a 2011 letter from a Santa Clara, Calif. superintendent.

Santa Clara Unified School District Superintendent Bobbie Plough told NJ.com in an email that she does not know Koos, and "this appears to be a portion of my message from our Santa Clara Unified 'School Days' publication in 2011."