West Suburban Bureau

Naperville H.S. Principal Fired For Plagiarism

NAPERVILLE, Ill. (CBS) ― The principal of Naperville Central High School was on his way out on Thursday after admitting he plagiarized a speech to graduating seniors.

CBS 2 West Suburban Bureau Chief Mike Puccinelli reports that Jim Caudill was being forced out by a district he's served for the past 34 years.

"Naperville School District 203 is currently engaged in negotiations that are expected to result in Principal Caudill's reassignment for the next school year. As I mentioned to you earlier attorney's are involved," Superintendent Alan Leis said.

They're involved because the veteran principal of Naperville Central has apologized for plagiarizing part of a speech he delivered to the schools graduating class earlier in the month. Leis described the emotions of the past few days..

"Incredible sadness. I mean, I sort of spent the last couple of days in disbelief," Leis said.

Leis said punishing the principal boiled down to standards. "Teachers are held to a higher standard than students. And administrators are held to an even higher standard than teachers. And we can't in good honesty tell students and then say it's ok for an administrator," Leis said.

Pressure has been building against principal Caudill for days and in Wednesday's Naperville Sun, in a rare front page editorial emblazoned across the front the words: "Principal Must Go."

Still some students say they're willing to forgive their school's top administrator.

Sophomore Sydney Musgrave said, "Everybody makes mistakes you know.. give him another chance."

Sophomore Laura Konrick said, "He's been here for a long time, he kind of knows his students and we kind of get along with him and if we got a new principal it would not really work out.

It will have to work out because one thing's for sure; Principal Caudill will not be back to lead what's widely considered to be one of the best high schools in America.

The principal is not the only one in hot water for plagiarism. Naperville Central's 2008 valedictorian will have to return his medal after similarities were found between his speech and one found on the Internet.

(CBS 2, the Naperville Sun and the Aurora Beacon-News are news partners covering stories in the western suburbs. Send story tips to tips@cbs2chicago.com. (© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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