Punishment matched the offence
Re Spence launches legal fight, Feb. 17 The saga of Chris Spence, the disgraced former director of the TDSB, is longer than his thesis. He has been in a battle with the Ontario College of Teachers since it stripped him of his teaching certificate because of his history of plagiarism. The article states that he is “launching an all-out fight” to overturn that decision. Also, his thesis for his doctorate from the University of Toronto is currently under review for possible plagiarism.
Mr. Spence will not accept the just decision by the college because he feels the result was disproportionate to the behaviour and that he accepted responsibility for his actions. He certainly didn’t deal with this issue until he was caught. Now he has “hired a legal team” to ensure he doesn’t lose his doctorate. Why does he need a legal team? If there is no plagiarism found, the result must be the continued entitlement of his doctorate.
The college has rendered the correct decision. The TDSB made the correct decision. Such decisions are not made lightly. Mr. Spence did not just make one error of omission regarding references to the original work of others. He had been plagiarizing for many years. He knowingly presented the work of others as his own and gained praise and respect as an innovative and progressive educator.
Mr. Spence was dishonest and got caught. It is bizarre that people continue to support his desire for reinstatement. Perhaps it will take U of T to provide the definitive third strike. Mike Faye, Toronto