What is copyright?
And what's it got to do with me?
What is Copyright?
And, how do I keep myself safe?
Copyright is a legal protection that gives creators the exclusive right to control how their original work is used, shared, reproduced, or adapted. It ensures that authors, artists, and other creators can benefit from their creations while also setting limits on how others may use those works without permission. And for you as a teacher, it really matters because understanding copyright helps you model ethical, responsible use of information for your students—and it lets you share materials with confidence, knowing you're honoring the work of others.
But that's fair use, right?
Right?!
Maybe. Fair use is a part of copyright law that allows you to use small portions of copyrighted material without permission in certain situations—especially for teaching, commentary, criticism, news reporting, and research. It isn’t a blanket pass, though, so you still need to consider a few key factors to decide whether your use is truly fair:
-
Purpose and character of the use (Is it educational, transformative, or nonprofit?)
-
Nature of the copyrighted work (Is the work more factual or highly creative?)
-
Amount and substantiality (How much of the work are you using, and is it the “heart” of the piece?)
-
Effect on the market (Will your use harm the creator’s ability to sell or profit from the work?)
These four areas together help you make a thoughtful, responsible judgment about what’s okay to use in your classroom.
So movie days are over?
What's left!?!
Sort of. films, or any media really, should be aligned to an educational purpose. However, our school can purchase access to film license for public performances or showings if needed. Generally, keep these things in mind when showing videos:
-
Educational purpose: The movie must be directly tied to instruction, not just for fun, filler time, or reward. It should clearly support your lesson goals.
-
Face-to-face teaching: It has to be shown in a physical classroom or similar instructional space where you and the students are present together.
-
Legally obtained copy: The video must come from a lawful source (DVD, streaming service with educational rights, or a school-licensed platform). Personal subscriptions like Netflix, Hulu, or Disney+ generally cannot be used for classroom showings.
-
No public performance: You can't show the movie to the whole school, at an after-school event, or to an audience that includes people who aren’t part of your class. You would need a separate license to host a public performance.
-
Limit access to just your students: If you’re sharing clips or instructional videos through a learning platform (like Schoology, Google Classroom, or your library’s LMS), make sure the link or file is restricted so only students in that specific class can view it. Open or public access, especially on YouTube, personal websites, or shared drives, can turn an instructional use into an unauthorized public performance or distribution.
Think you've got it?
Unfortunately, this may mean that some of the ways you've been using media in the classroom aren't up to snuff. But have no fear! The library is here! I've listed a number of resources that will enable you to stay on the right side of copyright law. Check out the links below or stop by the library for more resources or support!
