WHITBY -- Greta Davis, a literacy numeracy facilitator for the Durham District School Board, checked out some photocopied material at the board office on September 23. Following a ruling by the Copyright Board of Canada, school boards across the country have to pay a much higher fee for copying items for classroom use. September 23, 2009.
Oshawa trustee wants copyright rates changed
DURHAM -- Public school trustees are taking on the mission of challenging Access Copyright rates applied to Canadian schools.
The Durham District School Board is forming an ad hoc committee to discuss how it can start a campaign and work toward lowering copyright prices for public education, instead of just sending the federal government a letter as previously suggested.
"I really wouldn't want to just see this as a letter that's shot off and filed in a cabinet somewhere," said Oshawa Trustee Kathleen Hopper, who suggested the board take action against the fees.
She pointed out the U.S. Congress has exempted public school boards from paying copyright fees.
Trustee Hopper wants to start a campaign to get high prices for copyright lowered for public education, and added it's not about copying a whole textbook. She'd like the board to start more of a movement than just make a comment, she said. Board chairman, Oshawa Trustee Larry Jacula, was charged with setting up a meeting date for the committee.
Trustee Hopper first brought up her concerns about the rates in September, following a ruling by the Copyright Board of Canada to increase the tariff from $2.50 a student to $5.16. The fee is mandatory unless school boards can prove they absolutely do not copy any copyrighted materials.
The Ministry of Education is paying for the retroactive portion of the increase, which is more than $700,000 just for the Durham public board, but the board is still currently responsible for the $59,000 in interest and the extra $165,000 for this fiscal year.