[RP TownTalk] PG County Board of Education

[Sarah Wayland]

Here's what I sent to Peggy.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Sarah Wayland <sarah.wayland at gmail.com>
Date: Sun, Feb 3, 2013 at 1:28 PM
Subject: PGCPS Copyright policy
To: Peggy Higgins <peggy.higgins at pgcps.org>


Hi Peggy,

I was saddened to read in the Washington Post about the copyright
policy the School Board is considering.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/prince-georges-considers-copyright-policy-that-takes-ownership-of-students-work/2013/02/02/dc592dea-6b08-11e2-ada3-d86a4806d5ee_story.html?hpid=z1

I was unable find an actual copy of the policy on the PGCPS website,
but did find the following excerpt from a blog post at:
http://theartguy.tumblr.com/post/42193801173/prince-georges-considers-copyright-policy-that-takes

“Works created by employees and/or students specifically for use by
the Prince George’s County Public Schools or a specific school or
department within PGCPS, are properties of the Board of Education even
if created on the employee’s or student’s time and with the use of
their materials... Further, works created during school/work hours,
with the use of school system materials, and within the scope of an
employee’s position or student’s classroom work assignment(s) are the
properties of the Board of Education.”

(If this is not the policy that the school board is considering, I
apologize. It would be helpful if the full text of the policy were
easily available to the interested public.)

This is much more restrictive than the policy that my employer, the
University of Maryland, imposes on its employees.  UMD rightfully
recognizes that to impose such restrictions would have a serious
impact on staff retention and creativity. Their policy is to ask that
employees share the copyright with the University. I think this is
fair, as employees get credit for doing innovative work, while still
allowing the University to benefit from the environment they provide
that allowed the creative work in the first place. Work that I do away
from my regular employment that is not related to the work I do at the
University is my own, to do with as I please.

Could PGCPS consider something like that for its employees? I'm
worried that the current policy will drive innovative educators away
from our system.

I'm, frankly, appalled by the inclusion of student work in this
policy. Students are required by law to attend school. Unlike
teachers, who can take jobs with a different employer if they don't
agree with school system policy, students in the public schools have
no such choice. Again, a policy like this will (a) drive the creative
and innovative students away from our school system (to be in private
schools which would never have such a policy), or (b) stifle their
creativity in the classroom.

I sincerely hope the School Board will not implement this policy.

-Sarah Wayland