Aloha,
First, this case involves faculty rights and responsibilities, departmental
through university policies and administration, and what students do
and how they are treated.
It has, so far as I can tell, nothing to do with magic or spirituality.
Second, it directly involves blogging and web posting in an academic
setting. The class was, it appears, organized and taught with blogging
and posting as a central feature.
Third, the university administration reacted to the public character
of the class--when several students were identified by name on the
class blog as plagiarists--by immediately firing the professor.
Fourth, the controversy does reveal one of the problems that afflict
teaching in a college--what to do or not do about students who
plagiarize?
The link goes to a main page that includes a bunch of additional links
to the professor's blog and some articles on the controversy. Plus,
of course, links to other blogs. So you gotta click some to get the
controversy in focus.
My own take on this controversy is that students in this class had more
than adequate notice of the consequences of plagiarizing, that the
professor was diligent about conforming laws and policies, and that the
university administration reacted as they frequently do.
From The Tax Prof Blog:
November 18, 2008
<<University Fires Professor Because of Blog Post>>
<<Texas A&M International University Professor Loye Young was fired for
this blog post.>>
http://taxprof.typepad.com/taxprof_blog/2008/11/university-fires.html
Musing Why Get an Education For Myself If I Can Copy Yours? Rose,
Pitch
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