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Copyright is Elementary

School Teacher Files Suit against Elementary School

Linda Woodson filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against the Atlantic City Board of Education, James Knox, and the National Association of Elementary School Principals. In the complaint, Woodson alleges willful infringement of her copyrighted work by each of the defendants. Woodson also alleges damages amounting to loss of status, recognition, and income.

Woodson, who is a teacher at the New York Avenue School (NYAS) in New Jersey, wrote a document in 2010, discussing changes made to the school and the student body’s progress in response to those changes. Woodson later created a digital presentation of the material (the 2010 document and digital presentation jointly, the "Work"), and received a copyright registration from the Library of Congress. Defendant Knox, the principal at NYAS, later wrote an article for defendant National Association of Elementary School Principals. Woodsen alleges Knox’s article borrowed heavily from the Work. Woodson received no credit in the article, which was published early in 2011.

Woodson claims she did not create the Work "as an employee in furtherance of her work, but as a bonus" to the defendant Board of Education. Woodson alleges injury on the grounds that her salary could have increased since 2010 because of her creating the Work. She also alleges she could have received revenue from the publication of the Work.

Woodson is demanding a jury trial and the recovery of economic and statutory damages which are to be determined at trial. Woodson also requests, among other things, that the court permanently enjoin the defendants from using the Work.