Superintendent's heartfelt 'thank you' letter proves to be a work of plagiarism

On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, an email was delivered to the inboxes of the entire staff at Rochester Public Schools. Inside was a letter of gratitude from their boss, Superintendent Michael Muñoz, thanking them for their “groundbreaking” work in responding to the pandemic.

“It is with respect and admiration that I extend my appreciation to all of you who have responded admirably during this public health crisis,” the letter reads, with Muñoz later emphasizing: “What you did mattered!”

Using more than 500 words, Muñoz’s letter was motivational and forward-looking. It was filled with encouraging language about how educators have stepped up using their “creativity, sensitivity, humor and good will.”

It was also, as it turns out, almost entirely plagiarized.

A review of the letter reveals that every sentence between the first and last line of the email was lifted from as many as five other sources. In some cases, entire paragraphs were copied word-for-word without attribution.

Take the second and third paragraphs, for example: those same words can be found in a ‘note of thanks’ published in June of this year by Kaweeda Adams, superintendent of schools in Albany, New York. As for paragraphs four through six, those look to have been taken from a ‘letter of appreciation’ published in a newspaper in west central Florida.

“We do not yet know what tomorrow brings but as your Superintendent, I am confident that the right folks are on the job,” wrote Muñoz, swapping out [Hernando, Fla.] “School Board” for “Superintendent.”

‘A matter of getting on Google’

Teachers we spoke with say red flags regarding the email began to pop up right away. First off, the letter was significantly longer than anything Muñoz normally writes; and two, the typefaces and font sizes were inconsistent, suggesting the text had been copied and pasted.

“That was the tip-off, then a colleague messaged me, wondering if I’d noticed anything ‘off’ about the letter,” said one teacher. “From there it was a matter of getting on Google, just like I do when kids plagiarize.”

[A copy of the email can be found here. The highlighted portions represent text that Muñoz appears to have lifted from other sources.]

The educators, all of whom agreed to speak with us on the condition of anonymity, said the email has since been discussed widely among their networks and through private social media groups.

One educator said she and her colleagues were insulted by what they described as a “lack of professionalism” on the part of the superintendent. Another called it a “betrayal” to the integrity of the profession.

“How do I expect and demand the best of my students — because I teach them what, and how dishonest, plagiarism is — and then excuse it, or ignore it, when the Superintendent does it?” asked the teacher.

Muñoz has since apologized to district staff. In email sent out Monday, the superintendent said he will “learn from this mistake” and that he is committed to rebuilding their confidence and trust in him.

“I know this behavior is not acceptable and minimizes my intent to tell you that I understand that last Spring and this school year have been very challenging for all of you and let you know that I truly do appreciate everything that all of you are doing to meet the needs of all our students and families and supporting each other,” he wrote.

Muñoz has been with RPS since 2011. He recently received a one-year contract extension that will keep him on the job through June 2022.

Sean Baker is a Rochester journalist and the founder of Med City Beat.

Story updated 11/30 to reflect Muñoz’s apology⠀