The Ridgewood Maroon Vol. 3… No. 99
Friday, December 15, 2023
“Bringing us all to a place we don't want to lose."
Observer: Plagiarism & AI
Macky’s New York: Come On In
William Peay: Tales From The Wood…
RHS Athletic Hall Of Fame: Made For & Inspired By RHS Alumni
Project Arrow: Creating An Online Home For RHS Arrow Yearbooks
Mark Porro: A Cup Of Tea On The Commode
M + A NYC: Mighty Are We As One
Our Classmates: 50th Reunion RHS 1974
James Stroker: Hope Coach
Jim Schoneman: Rock Hound
Kathy & Ross Petras: You’re Saying It Wrong
Ridgewood Library Bolger Heritage Center: RHS Graduation Photo
Observer
Plagiarism & AI
RHS Students will be using Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools the rest of their lives. I think kids need to be able to critique it and assess it and use it.
(AI) is not going to rule the world, nor is (AI) going to end the world immediately. Rather, we need to begin our assessment of (AI) at some point between these unlikely ends, then we can act responsibly.
Unfortunately, the Ridgewood School District isn’t helping much. They have joined the herd mentality of many school districts who have reactively banned the use of all AI tools by students.
The Ridgewood High School Code of Student Conduct defines the following example of plagiarism:
Using the ideas of another person or AI tool, in total or part of, whether or not such ideas are paraphrased, from whatever source including oral, print, broadcast, or computer-mediated communication.
Why does the Ridgewood Student Code of Conduct come down so hard on tools employing Artificial Intelligence AI? Claiming another’s ideas as your own is not remotely the same as using an AI tool to help produce a paper. The former is definable while these vague all-encompassing restrictions to be applied to AI are not easily definable, nor would we want to try.
The Ridgewood Student Code of Conduct could be interpreted to mean if an RHS student uses spell and grammar checking tools when writing a paper they are plagiarists. How about the student who wants to use a transcript created of a recorded lecture? Once again, the RHS Student Code Of Conduct would be in violation because of the AI software involved.
What possible good does it do for a student to prohibit their use AI tools?
This rush to judgement puts students at a disadvantage to their peers and simultaneously makes a mockery of adhering to a Student Code of Conduct.
A less hysterical solution involves first defining the tools students can use so results are tracked. Artificial Intelligence involves more that ChatBOTS. AI can help special needs students access a more equitable education by reading passages to a visually impaired student.
It would be prudent to introduce the ethical use of AI tools into the RHS Tradition Of Excellence. The current attempts to control something as widely misunderstood as Artificial Intelligence, as in the RHS Student Code of Conduct example, demonstrates a pedagogical approach which no elite public high school ought to accept from its leaders.
Macky’s New York
Matthew Cortellesi Photography
December 13, 2023 - Greenwich Village
Come On In
The morning guy opens the door for the flour delivery at the Pizzaria.
Shot on Thompson looking into Arturo's Coal Oven Pizzaria as the sun rises over Houston street with hand painted words on glass.
Time 930am
William Peay
Tales From The Wood…
RHS Athletic Hall Of Fame
Made For & Inspired By RHS Alumni
Visit the RHS Hall of Fame
Digital Printing for the RHS Hall of Fame provided by Tim Boucher, RHS 1988
Project Arrow
Creating An Online Home For RHS Arrow Yearbooks
A collaborative effort by Ridgewood High School and the Ridgewood Public Library. The Arrow Yearbooks from 1898 through the 1940s are now online.
Digital archiving by Michael Culver, RHS 2002, and his firm 1Row.com
Mark Porro
A Cup Of Tea On The Commode
After recording, editing, and listening to my voice for dozens and dozens of hours, I may not be too excited to listen to the audio book version of "A Cup of Tea on the Commode," but hopefully you will be. And there are some fun additions to the book. We hope to have it available by Christmas. Stay tuned.
M + A NYC
Mighty Are We As One
M + A is a Lifestyle brand known for handcrafted, ethically made, modern home decor and wearable accessories. Artisanal | Small Batch | Designed in NY
Shop home décor and wearable accessories at www.mplusanyc.com
Our Classmates
RHS Class Of 1974 Reunion
We are planning our 50th Reunion for September 21, 2024 at the Woman's Club of Ridgewood. If you might conceivably want to attend, please email us at RHS1974Reunion50@gmail.com so we can send you an invitation. We also are planning other events for the weekend that will be detailed in the invitation.
James Stroker
Hope Coach
Happy birthday to the two women that both took tragedies in their lives, and demonstrated for their sons and grandsons that it is not the event that counts but your response to it that holds the power to the outcome.
Kind, loving, unselfish, and then brutally Strong resilient and determined
Anything, my brother, Jack and I became was because of this dynamic duo.
Jim Schoneman
Rock Hound
Shadows in the grass along Highway 51 near Irma, WI.
Kathy & Ross Petras
You’re Saying It Wrong
Ross & Kathy’s podcast: You're Saying It Wrong is a podcast that looks at what we get wrong—and what we sometimes get right—when it comes to this English language.