Case+12+-+Mr.+K's+AMC

//Mr. K’s// //AMC//

Mr. K is a math teacher who is teaching a geometry technology class to students who haven’t had much success with math. Mr. K teaches a math lab twice a week in order to make lessons more engaging and hands on for students. Currently, students are studying coordinate geometry and the distance formula. They seem to understand and know the uses for the distance formula, however they are getting "stuck on" the idea of coordinate geometry. Mr. K is an avid viewer of the CBS show //Numbers// where every week crimes are solved through the use of math logic. He knows there is an episode where a kidnapper uses coordinate geometry in order to hide his victim from the police. He records the episode and shows it in class. He stops the video at certain points and asks comprehension questions to make sure they are following the uses. To follow up the lesson, Mr. K. gives students a worksheet and students perform very well. Upon hearing the success of the lesson, some HSPA math teachers want to use the video and also Mr. K's lesson. Does Mr. K’s original reproduction of the episode break copyright laws? If not, can Mr. K. reproduce his copy to give to his fellow HSPA teachers? // Commentary // According to the Fair Use Exemptions, Mr. K. is not reproducing this episode to make money but rather to enhance a lesson. Therefore, he is fine in the first regard. Each season CBS sells all the episodes for that particular season. The copyright for DVDs states you can make one personal backup copy for yourself, but may not make more than one, cannot sell or give away the copy or original. Mr. K never owned the original to make a backup copy and this is only one episode of 18, which was copied from OnDemand. Also, the NCTM website has links to episodes of the show for teachers to use in their daily lessons. Finally, the reproduction's effect on the potential market: had the episode only been available within the entire box set with the 17 other episodes, I’m sure this would have been alright, but iTunes actually sells the episodes separately for 2 dollars each. Therefore, this is not an example of Fair Use. Mr. K. should destroy his copy and legally buy the episode. Furthermore, if any HSPA teachers want to use the idea, they should give their two dollars as well.