It was the speech heard around the world. Shortly after Melania Trump addressed the Republican National Convention two days ago, similarities between her speech and Michelle Obama’s 2008 convention speech ignited the incessant chatter that Melania’s speech was blatant plagiarism.

While many people can’t agree on whether the similarities constitute plagiarism, the authorities on plagiarism are weighing-in.

Who are these authorities, you ask?

Only the people who have to deal with the issue as part of their job description: teachers! And they’re not happy that the matter is even up for debate in the first place.

“As educators we have to draw hard lines on what plagiarism is,” Shawnee Mission district teacher Maureen Frazell said, according to KansasCity.com.

We are trying to show kids the right way to do things. Blurring those lines is making it more complicated for us...It gives the impression that it doesn’t matter. And it does. The consequences in education are big.”

Another teacher told KansasCity.com that he wouldn’t give Melania credit for her speech if it was an assignment.

“It was essentially word for word copying with no credit or acknowledgment to the person who originally crafted those ideas,” said Dylan Burd, according to the article.

Other teachers are thanking Melania for giving them a relevant example of how plagiarism works and what not to do:

Thank you, #MelaniaTrump, for giving English teachers a ready-made lesson plan for plagiarism. #howdoesthishappen

— Gail Adams (@Gail_Adams) July 19, 2016

Thanks, #MelaniaTrump, for giving me new material to discuss with students when we talk about plagiarism! http://bbc.in/2adY4lM

— Lisa F. (@antisocialisa) July 19, 2016

#MelaniaGate has just done a huge service for schools everywhere. A real world case study of perils of #plagiarism http://www.bbc.com/news/world-36836599

— shafi saxena (@shafisaxena) July 19, 2016

Watch the contested plagiarism for yourself below and take our poll to provide the needed authority on whether or not Melania plagiarized: 

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Nicole Gorman, Senior Education World Contributor

7/20/2016