Diane Creel

SLM521

October 23, 2004

Mr. Hamer, the teacher for the functional writing test, is treading on copyright infringement thin ice. After reading the Fair Use articles, especially the Visit Copyright Bay site, I reached the conclusion that photocopying additional copies of a copyrighted workbook is a violation of the copyright code. Workbooks and tests, unless containing a ‘may be reproduced for classroom use,’ are not to be reproduced because this would deny the authors and publishers revenue from the sale of these products. Using a single copy of the workbook he prints from the publisher’s web might be permissible for one of his students use, but not the seven copies he made. The only way any he would be allowed to photocopy or print from the web additional copies of the workbook would be if he had ordered, and paid for, the additional seven copies and the order was somehow delayed. (At least this is the ‘murky’ answers given in one of the “Fair Use Harbor” tutorials for a situation similar to this.)

We’ve all had parents like Mr. Jamaweimer, who is convinced that he can provide those little extras for students that the schools are unable to afford. By providing a downloaded copy of a software program, Mr. Jamaweimer might think he is being helpful, but he is in danger of breaking the multimedia guidelines of 1996 and 2002. When he paid to download the copy of software it would be for his and his family’s use only, not for general distribution, especially if he us donating the entire software program. Perhaps the better solution would be for him to purchase a site license for the school so that the software program can be used legally by the entire school. Then they would win the Nobel Peace Prize, find the cure for the common cold, and write the next Pulitzer Prize novel with clear consciences.