Education
Education

Montana school superintendent apologizes for plagiarizing a column written by Fulton superintendent Robert Avossa

By Jeffry Scott
Feb 11, 2013

A rural Montana school superintendent has apologized for plagiarizing a column written last December by Fulton County Schools superintendent Robert Avossa. Avossa wrote the column, “School Safety: A Shared Community Focus,” in the wake of the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut. It was posted on news sites.

In the Jan. 3 Florence-Carlton School District newsletter the Avossa column appeared on the front page, but under the name of superintendent John C. McGee. After an anonymous blogger last month posted a link to both articles, McGee admitted he had plagiarized Avossa’s column.

McGee emailed Avossa on Jan. 28, apologizing for an “error in judgment and mistake I made” reprinting the Fulton superintendent’s column “without giving proper credit to you for your words.” He said he would run a retraction in the district’s next newsletter giving Avossa “appropriate credit” for writing the column.Avossa on Monday confirmed he had received an email apology from the superintendent. He provided a copy of the email — but declined to comment.

About the Author

Jeffry Scott
More Stories

Keep Reading

Oluwamodupe “Dupe” Oloyede, the FAMU Marching 100 head drum major, stands at attention ahead of the halftime performance at homecoming on Saturday, Oct. 18. 2025, in Tallahassee, Fla. At many historically Black colleges and universities, the marching band is as popular on campus as the football team. (Tia Mitchell/AJC)

She’s the first female head drum major at FAMU, and she’s from metro Atlanta

As head drum major, Oluwamodupe “Dupe” Oloyede is something of a celebrity on FAMU’s campus. For the first time in its history, a woman leads the 340-member Marching 100.

The music stopped at Morris Brown. Two decades later, it might start again.

It’s hard to tell the story of the private Atlanta historically Black college without mentioning the famed Marching Wolverines.

Georgia students flock to Turning Point USA after Charlie Kirk killing

Since Charlie Kirk’s Sept. 10 killing on a Utah college campus, Turning Point USA has seen a sharp rise in interest across the Peach State, according to chapter leaders.

The Latest

Oluwamodupe “Dupe” Oloyede, the FAMU Marching 100 head drum major, stands at attention ahead of the halftime performance at homecoming on Saturday, Oct. 18. 2025, in Tallahassee, Fla. At many historically Black colleges and universities, the marching band is as popular on campus as the football team. (Tia Mitchell/AJC)

She’s the first female head drum major at FAMU, and she’s from metro Atlanta

Georgia students flock to Turning Point USA after Charlie Kirk killing

DeKalb schools superintendent pleads not guilty to federal charges

Featured

The renovation of Jekyll Island's Great Dunes golf course includes nine holes designed by Walter Travis in the 1920s for the members of the Jekyll Island Club. Several holes that were part of the original layout where located along the beach and were bulldozed in the 1950s.(Photo by Austin Kaseman)

Credit: Photo by Austin Kaseman

Gilded Age tycoons built Jekyll’s doomed golf course. It’s been resurrected.

Jekyll Island's historic golf course, Great Dunes, was designed by Walter Travis in the Gilded Age. It reopens Nov. 1 on Georgia's coast after a painstaking restoration.

Embattled Fulton judge sued over woman’s ‘illegal’ jailing

While facing possible removal from the bench, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Shermela Williams has been sued by a young woman she jailed during a divorce hearing.

KEN SUGIURA

A miserable loss leaves even less reason to believe in Falcons, Morris

Falcons coach Raheem Morris was accountable for the team's failures after a 34-10 loss to Miami, but that isn't enough if this team wants to make the postseason.