s Web site spurs plagiarism reaction

? A high school freshman’s Web site has become a popular place for people to post their opinions since the Piper School Board’s intervention in a plagiarism dispute drew national attention.

Ryan Wall created his Web site (www.geocities.com/phs66109) for students a few months ago. It provides information about the school, including events, a schedule and the lunch menu.

But it’s the message board that’s become a popular feature. Since the plagiarism dispute became public last month, people from across the country have consistently written about teacher Christine Pelton, the 28 sophomores she failed, the parents who complained and the school board that subsequently told her to reduce the penalty.

Wall estimated that in the first couple months after his Web site was up, about 10 people visited his site each day. In the last month, that number has gone up to about 100 a day. People have posted hundreds of messages on the site and sent Wall dozens of e-mails, most of them in opposition of the school board.

Wall said several comments have centered on part of the Piper school district’s mission statement, which appears on the Web site.

“A lot of people are complaining about the mission statement,” Wall said. “They want ‘and excel with responsibility and integrity’ to be removed.”