Lynn Vakay, SCV school teacher, Acton resident, and local Republican Assembly committee member submitted this editorial in today’s weekly “Right Here, Right Now!” Signal column. There are no credits in the column.
Dr. Gary Wolfram, a professor at Hillsdale College in Michigan, wrote this piece for conservative web site Human Events on November 30th. That article has no credits either.
BlazingMonk broke the plagiarism charge this morning and backs up the claim with a convincing (if not damning) side-by-side comparison of the two (looks like a source code comparison tool, very chic geek IMO).
I think someone has some ’splainin to do.
*This very appropriate title was lifted from this Slate editorial
Hat tip: mike via today’s DB
Amazing the direct link is still working. The Signal has removed the first paragraph and headline from the “Local Opinion Column” page where one would normally go to find local opinion.
Also just found out that a Lynn Vakay appeared in a couple of episodes Dallas and Falcon Crest in the 80’s and will appear as Sherry Hamilton in an upcoming Christian film called “No Greater Love.” Gots to be the same person!
All of Vakay’s columns have vanished from the search results
ND: blazingmonk contacted me on twitter, asking for his comments to get through. Do you have that power?
NIce find Blazing Monk. Good job. Are you from around the SCV?
I’ve released the comments by the way.
Yep, Blazingmonk is my alter ego because i didn’t want to chase people away from my personal twitter and art posts.
Where does she teach?
I believe she teaches Special Needs for Saugus School District and is an Administrator for Christian Home Schooling association.
She use to teach at Bethel Academy up in Lancaster
Ms. Vakay is the LA County regional vice chair for the Meg Whitman 2010 campaign (LINK).
tsk…tsk…tsk…tsk…
I hope the signal runs something about this! Nice pick-up Blazingmonk…
Page Not Found now showing on the Signal.
“Unfortunately, the page you requested has either been moved, deleted, or renamed.”
Although it appears to be taken from previous text, the comments from Lynn contain the same quotes and acknowledgements as the other writer. She seems to be passing along the same message. I don’t think plagerism applies here.
Navigator, it doesn’t have to be a perfect copy-paste to fit the definition.
From wiki:
But I’ll have to remember the “passing along the same message” argument perhaps for my fifth grade write-up on lizards, just in case Mrs. Douglas tracks me down
Navigator, look a little closer. There are many phrases throughout her column that are lifted directly from the Human Events column. She also happens to re-use the exact quotes, which is a gray area, but she certainly plagiarized Wolfram’s original thoughts and words.
My parents taught me better that to steal from Wolframs.
Vakay – an Administrator for Christian Home Schooling association? What I nice example she sets.
I would agree with you ND but stating facts and using quotes that are given proper credit as she did and as the other writer did don’t necessarily create a copy. There is a pretty fine line here and would take a pretty good attorney in that line of work to actually make a case. BTW, before I get hammered for defending Lynn, that is not my intention. Just commenting.
Navigator look up what plagiarism is and it is an open and shut case… Vakay never cites a source, over 95% of her content is pulled sometimes word for word sometimes reworded but the it is a literal thought for thought transfer. Who are you trying to fool, I guess Oral Sex isn’t really Sex either huh? Pfffft
Wow on the Meg Whitman 2010 campaign
navigator: I appreciate your fair-mindedness on this; it says a lot about your character. It took me 10 years and 5 schools to earn my 3 degrees — this would be instant explusion at every one, public and private, full stop. And yes, I’ve seen it happen in milder cases than this.
Navigator, I don’t think you’re looking closely enough. She’s using his exact phrases.
Plagiarism is not a legal question, but an ethical one. It’s separate from copyright infringement. This, and as ND mentioned, and far less would get you fired/expelled from any newspaper or university.
Bravo to the Signal on how quickly they scrubbed themselves of Vakay.
I encourage everyone to let them know you appreciate them taking this serious. I am sure it would be nice to hear some positive letters to the editor from time to time, instead of always the negative crap they receive.
I have seen a huge improvement in the opinion section of the signal over the past few months. I think that needs to be recognized.
Petz is suspicious of the timing here with control having been passed to the son of Tim Myers by one of the most outspoken liberals in the SCV.
Tim SR has attacked Lynn Vakay in the past and Petz has stood by Lynn Vakay.
Holding my fire until Lynn responds to this event.
Petz, last time I checked, I don’t have any “Myers” in the blood line.
If that is proven otherwise, I will be certain to do my liquor shopping at Costco rather than Albertsons (if you get my drift).
Petz, stand with some dignity. Your girl made a serious and unambiguous blunder. Call it for what it is.
Tim Myers Jr. did not write that column, Lynn did.
ND, that is a very dry remark, even for me. Are you saying that discovery of a Myers lineage would lead you to drink?
Well (hiccup) I already enjoy a spot of something now and again. I would say it would lead me to drink HEAVILY.
(you know I’m teasing Mr. Myers)
Blazingmonk:
I predict the Signal will almost certainly talk about it in their print edition tomorrow. They need to go on record that they were duped.
I think that is the best policy. They are the real victims in this. They trusted Vakay!
Navigator:
When one reads the side by side comparison one quickly concludes that this is not only plagairism, but it is even worse because of the half ass attempts to paraphrase that would embarass any middle schooler of average intelligence.
ALL TIME JACK MOVE!
LV IS AN ORIGINAL GANGSTA
I’m not sure why there’s a big ‘to do’ here since many conservative columnist work off the ’same list’ of RNC talking points and have done so for years . . .
Indy, is there a difference with liberal columnists’ talking points? I don’t think either side can claim perfection on the plagiarism subject either. It doesn’t diminish the severity of the situation, but let’s be honest….
West Ranch Beacon plagiarizes almost on a daily basis. He posts stories but never gives credit to the author or the source.
Let’s also not forget Vakay doesn’t deny that she plagiarized the column.
Indy: what ND said. There is a difference between being dull and being a plagiarist..
ND: yeah, I agree. Great job covering this and everything else.
v-town: all time jack move? original gangster? is she the stickup girl for the tea party mob?
monk: I CAN’T WAIT to hear how she weasels out of this. Beacon was shameless with the aforementioned jack moves, but he’s cleaned up his act, somewhat. He credits the source now, runs shorter excerpts and obtains permission from The Signal, maybe others.
I must be great because I can be original AND boring!
Apparently I am Democrat and Sexist.
http://www.the-signal.com/news/article/22343/
Wow they brought out Bob Haueter to defend a plagiarist?
Disgraceful.
It’s a mercy killing that they won’t publish anything more from her since she obviously struggled to come up with anything.
http://www.blazingmonk.com/2009/12/but-he-said-i-could-plagiarize-it/
Cheers to The Signal for addressing this swfitly! As for Bob, he did his best job of trying to spin it, which I don’t think anyone is buying this time…BlazingMonk nice quote in the paper!
Liberals complaining about lying and plagiarism? Why all of the sudden this moral outrage? Why should a philosophy driven of the postmodernism “whatever it takes” even care about such things?
Way to skirt the issue Fred. I don’t believe in “whatever it takes” so you must be referring to someone else.
The Signal really handled this just about perfectly, hats off to them. There are any number of competent and interesting conservatives around here that could improve upon her allotment, so everybody wins.
The only loser is the “team” of Vakay and Hauter.
So Mike – and I take it that you are much more left of the political spectrum than I am – I am not skirting any issues. I am trying to keep you consistent to your philosophical values.
For the ubiquitous world of internet discourse, the charge of plagiarism should be taken with a grain of salt; however I have a specific reason not to like plagiarism and dishonesty when there is real examples of it, say for instance the climategate stuff.
If you share the same conviction for honesty are you as morally outraged in the dishonest way Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi and their democratic allies have been handling the health care bill by rushing it through with threats and bribes against dissenters in their own party and without any serious discussion of legislation that will certainly bring financial and social catastrophic ruin upon our country? You think their hamfisted ramming of this bill down the throats of Americans is necessary “just because we have to do this now?” I see such action as being much more outrageous and condemnable than some low level local political wanna-be cut-and-pasting from someone else work.
Her action is a matter of her personal integrity. The other has far reaching consequences that will devastate the lives of millions.
Master of Conflation, Prince of Absurdity
How so?
The connection between Hauter and Vakay is more than just one of protection. Many in Republican circles know they’ve been seeing each other for some time.
It’s amazing to me that there is no admission whatsoever of fault, just an attack to the accuser.
We’re all sinners, Ms. Vakay – but to deny wrongdoing is an even bigger sin (that’s Catholic guilt speaking, I suppose).
ps I wonder if the folks at Masters College are taking a second look at student Vakay’s submitted work.
Hey Fred… You are SOOOOOOO right REPUBLICANS never SHOVE ANYTHING down the throats of the AMERICAN PEOPLES. You are either for US or Against US. If you are a Patriot you will allow big brother to to stripe many of our personal freedoms for your PROTECTIONS. Seriously you are a zombie!
Fred is just your typical right wing, evangelical whack job.
Blazing monk. That was a lazy response, which is regrettably typical of those left of center. Try to stay focused on the consistency of your own logic.
The gist of the article is to point out what appears to be a blatant illustration of plagiarism on the part of a local Republican activist in writing an article for the Signal. I would agree with you that perhaps she plagiarized. But the implication of this blog pointing this plagiarism out is we are to share in some form of collective outrage that we have here another example of lying conservatives or some such nonsense. Regardless of what the article stated, none of her argumentation is worthy of consideration because she cut-and-pasted from some other writer.
Additionally, I am faulted because I should be ashamed of some conservative Republican woman plagiarizing.
But all I am doing is merely pointing out an inconsistency on the part of my liberal cohorts here, who are easily worked up into a lather over this woman’s article, yet at the same time are willing to give a cheerful pass to their own political champions who are doing the exact same thing to the American public, i.e., acting deceitful in the presentation of the health care bill. Why is her plagiarism bad, but Harry Reid’s bribes for votes necessary and good?
I resent being called an evangelical.
You are right it was lazy but that has more with not having very much respect for you… let me know when you turn off fox news and open a book.
Bribe, Threats, and Deals are politics, do we need to illustrate Bribe, Threats, and Deal on the other-side? You are just really pathetic with trying to shift the focus and can’t even see the irony of a a teacher plagiarizing an article discussing fraud.
I never watch Foxnews. We don’t have cable. I am sorry I don’t fit your cookie cutter stereotype of what you think is a “conservative.” Or evangelical, for that matter.
Bribe, threats, and deals are still dishonesty, no matter who does it. But again, it doesn’t address your inconsistency to be up in arms about dishonesty in one venue and not another. I know you wish to make them unrelated, but they are not in principle.
So what politics is a dirty business, I don’t think anyone would disagree with that. A douche bag on the left or douche bag on the right, what is the difference? Still a Douche bag. What is your point?
I’ll give fred this. He’s a consistent Five Pointer TULIP type. Definitely not a cookie-cutter evangelical. Sharp man, and I read his blog regularly now.
Too bad he can’t ever say anything nice about us lib-ruhls.