Copyright issues have always been a problem in schools and are becoming more of a problem with the use of the Internet. Schools need to be alert to the laws governing copyright in order to not only protect themselves, but also their students and staff.

First of all, educators must be clear on what is "fair use". In general terms "fair use" has been deemed to mean, teachers can use materials for instructional purposes only. (1996) Some educators are pushing the line of what constitutes fair use, copying many copies of an item. This infringes upon what "fair use" actually is. One copy is permissible, multiples are not. Multiple copies would deprive an author of income, therefore making it illegal.

The "fair use" policy applies to everything on the Web from printed material, to graphics, to photos, to web art, to audio/video clips. If a student or teacher violates the "fair use" law, who is responsible? This needs to be determined so that this person can educate staff and students regarding copyright issues.

It is hard to control copyright issues within a school. We work hard to educate our students regarding copyright laws and regulations. We start in our elementary computer classes discussing ownership of created items, not only on the Web, but also in the classroom. When a student creates something themselves, we discuss the fact of how they would feel if someone copied it and used it and claimed it as their own. We are seeing considerable success within our elementary. Unfortunately, some in high school think that just because you can click on an item and the copy command is not dimmed it is fair game

I think we keep copyright issues policed well in school, but I am worried about what is taking place in homes. It is time to start educating parents also on the issue of copyright. The concept of "fair use" needs to be stressed to everyone within a school district and needs to become a standard practice when working with items on or off the Web.

McKenzie, Jamie. (1996) Keeping it legal: Questions arising out of web site management. The Educational Technology Journal. Available: http://www.nfo.org/jun96/legal.html.