On May 22, *The Toledo Free Press reports that columnist Maggie Thurber resigned after one of her columns was found to have included plagiarized material. From the story:
Thurber’s column for May 24, “A History of Memorial Day,” was accused by a contributor of SwampBubbles.com of containing plagiarized lines.
Upon learning of the accusation, Toledo Free Press Editor in Chief Michael S. Miller pulled the column from the Web site and indefinitely suspended Thurber pending an investigation.
Thurber responded to the suspension with the following resignation:
“My Toledo Free Press column, ‘The History of Memorial Day,’ was a compilation of various facts and information from various sources. Because of the numerous sources of the same specific facts and similar information, I did not include in the article the various attributions as I should have. For that, I apologize.
Alternatively, in order to avoid any misconceptions, I could have stated at the start of the article that the facts and information which followed were a compilation from multiple resources. I’m sorry for not making that clear.
When I sent the article to [Miller], I originally had a note in the email that the information was a compilation – just to be sure that [Miller] knew the nature of the column. I changed that note and just sent the article, as I usually do, without explanation. By not making this clear to [Miller], as the editor, I placed the Toledo Free Press into a compromising situation. For that, I also apologize.
I have the training and experience to know better and make no excuse for this error.
As I do not want my mistake to be used against [Miller] in any way, especially considering [Miller's] prior unwavering support, I would like to resign as a columnist, effective immediately.I am forever grateful for the opportunity to write for you.” …
Thanks, Steve!
*Correction June 2: The date on the Free Press article reads May 22, but this is impossible because the offending column was published on May 24. This was the paper’s error, but I should have caught it and not repeated it in my post. Thanks Doug!
