School board officials in Maryland want the ability to claim copyright ownership of any work produced by students or teachers, including those developed at home and off-the-clock.

The Prince George’s County Board of Education plan reportedly states that “any works” created by students or employees should be considered “properties” of the board regardless of when or where they were established.

“The way this policy is written, it essentially says if a student writes a paper, goes home and polishes it up and expands it, the school district can knock on the door and say, ‘We want a piece of that,’” University of Missouri law professor David Rein told The Washington Post. “I can’t imagine that.”

Board Chair Verjeana M. Jacobs said the policy was intended to apply only to any software, including iPad apps, crafted by teachers. She added that the board never had any “intention to declare ownership” of students’ work, and that the plan needs to be revised to reflect this intention.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

To Learn More:

Maryland County School Board to Own All Students’ Work with Copyright Policy (by David Edwards, Raw Story)

Prince George’s Considers Copyright Policy that Takes Ownership of Students’ Work (by Ovetta Wiggins, Washington Post)

Prince George’s County Public Schools Board of Education Policy: Use and Creation of Copyrighted Materials (Draft by Prince George’s Schools)