<p>What’s with all these “well life isn’t fair so get over it” reponses? Is high school supposed to be training for accepting arbirary and capricious actions of authority? Someone could be wronlgy convicted and sit on death row, and there will be CC types saying ‘well life isn’t fair’.</p>
<p>Plagiarism is a difficult issue to deal with fairly and consistently. A high school student is not expected to be producing original knowledge. Paraphrasing is not the same as just copying. Four lines is not the same as a page. Missing out one citation is not the same as missing out many. I would say that a disciplinary hearing or a punisment for the case as described is over the top. The teacher could warn (advise) the student to be more careful.</p>
<p>As for Wiki, I think it is a great source of information. Textbooks and encyclopedias, etc., are not inerrant sources of information. On most topic that I know very well, I don’t have big problems with the wiki account. If I am teaching and need the students to know some background on some slightly peripheral, I just tell them to look it up on Wiki.</p>