Out of the mouths of babes

[sabotabby]

"Miss Tabby! Miss Tabby! Did you hear the latest news?"

"...more specific?"

"About Stephen Harper. He completely plagiarized a speech by John Howard."

"Oh yeah. Pretty incredible, huh?"

"Can I use this as an excuse if I ever get caught plagiarizing? STEPHEN HARPER IS MY ROLE MODEL."

Comments

[springheel-jack.livejournal.com]

haha
lordy

[sabotabby]

I can't wait until my kids' generation is running things. I think they'll do a better job, even if they can't spell properly.

[queerasmoi.livejournal.com]

So does this mean the "i haz LOLparty" will be fielding a PM candidate in a few decades?

[sabotabby]

They're all voting for the Marijuana Party, apparently. Or writing themselves in.

[terry-terrible.livejournal.com]

I honestly hope there is something left to be ran by then. The odds aren't looking good

[aaronfreed.livejournal.com]

awesome

[sabotabby]

This is exactly what I hoped for when I chose this profession.

[rohmie.livejournal.com]

As someone whose party is running Joe Biden, I'd be hesitant to answer that.

By the way, UPS says you should get the package on Monday.

[sabotabby]

Huzzah! And I'll send you back your stuff this weekend—thanks again.

[torontoteacher.livejournal.com]

Very nice.

I would accept that *if* they could list three relevant facts about Stephen Harper. Besides the fact that he's an asshat.

[sabotabby]

That particular kid could probably manage it. He's very bright and pretends not to be.

[suburbannoir.livejournal.com]

If a kid uses that as an excuse, you should let them get away with it! As long as they didn't plagiarize John Howard, because...well, really. John Howard?

[sabotabby]

If you're going to plagiarize, plagiarize someone good.

[ironed_orchid]

They could use Howard as a role model, and claim that refugees threw their homework overboard.

[trias-cube.livejournal.com]

LOL

[sabotabby]

Think of the children: Don't vote Harper.

[ironed_orchid]

Of course, then you'd be FORCED by the strength of analogy to give them the punishment which you think Harper deserves.

[stoneself.livejournal.com]

brilliant

[writer-grrrrl.livejournal.com]

you is the bestest teacher EVAR

Pshaw!

[ed-rex.livejournal.com]

Harper (apparently) didn't plagiarize the speech. Harper (apparently — and I suspect it's true) read a speech written by somebody else. Without making the claim, he could presume the rest of us would assume he was reading his own words.

This doesn't (or, for Christ's sake!) shouldn't work in school.

Unless your student can legitimately claim why they have an essay-writer doing their work for them, the answer ought to be a clap on the back for cleverness, then a firm admonition to "write your own fucking essay, kid!"