Why is understanding copyright important for teachers?

Understanding copyright is very important for teachers because they are constantly faced with opportunities to uphold or violate copyright law. It is typically in a school's policy manual to uphold all copyright laws and by violating them teachers could face serious legal consequences as well as termination of their job. It is important that teachers are aware of what constitutes fair use and abide by the rules set forth by their school system. For example, if a school system does not provide enough textbooks for students, a teacher is not allowed to make photocopies of the entire book, or even an entire chapter, to provide a copy for a student. In the same manner, a teacher is also not allowed to copy any reproducible materials, such as workbooks, to avoid the purchase of more materials. Copyright is not only about what one is not allowed to do. Fair use guidelines make many actions permissible without violating copyright law. Teachers are faced with more problems related to copyright now that technology use is so prominent in education. Teachers must be aware of using copyrighted images or music in digital projects they create as well as projects their students create. Teachers must teach their students how to abide by copyright laws and therefore should lead by example. Copyright for teachers. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 June 2017.