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German Science Minister Stripped of Her PhD

Posted by Soulskill on from the politician-lied-film-at-11 dept.

An anonymous reader writes "In a move likely to have major political implications, the University of Düsseldorf has revoked the doctoral degree of Germany's science and education minister, Annette Schavan. The committee investigating allegations of plagiarism came to the conclusion that she 'systematically and deliberately claimed as her own intellectual achievements which she had in fact not produced herself.' Schavan wants to appeal the decision in court and has not resigned from her post so far."

7 of 123 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Oh, the irony!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Actually the irony gets even better.: A year ago she publicly humiliated another politician because of his shoddy "copy & paste" PhD. http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/german-press-review-of-the-annette-schavan-plagiarism-scandal-a-881783.html

  2. Re:Smear campaign or missing job qualification? by h4rr4r · · Score: 4, Insightful

    It is now a smear campaign to point out someone is a cheater and a liar?

    She has had many years to admit this. She chose not to.

  3. Re:Smear campaign or missing job qualification? by Chris+Mattern · · Score: 4, Insightful

    When the University officially strips you of your degree, it's moved from "smear campaign" to "substantiated charges".

  4. She wouldn't be the first by excelsior_gr · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Defense Minister Guttenberg resigned from his post for the exact same reason a while back. Getting a PhD in Germany is a hardship and I can well imagine that some people would like to "cut some corners" to reach their goal.

  5. Meanwhile in the US by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    current Committee on Science, Space and Technology member Paul Broun...

    " embryology, evolution, and the Big Bang are "lies straight from the Pit of Hell ... lies to try to keep me and all the folks who are taught that from understanding that they need a savior."

    former Committee on Science, Space and Technology member Todd Akin...

    "If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down. "
    on Evolution - "I don’t see it as even as a matter of science, because I don’t know if you can prove one or the other."

    -------
    I'd love to see that kind of zeal put on the backgrounds of US politicians.

  6. Re:She was stripped? by macraig · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Would you even think to make that joke if Schavan was a man? Food for thought.

  7. Re:Smear campaign or missing job qualification? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    What accused? She's already been found guilty. The summary alone specifically says her PhD has been revoked.