Dude, I'm so sorry.
For future, I have two bits of advice.
#1 Don't bury the lead. Like myself, the geek news bit also didn't get the point of your post.
#2 Focus on the positive. Meaning that all negatives can be stated as a positive.
So, were I to have written your blog post, I would have lead with your "future" section (peer reviews, competitions, contemporary projects), enthused about all the positives, and underplayed (or flat out omitted) the back story, the bullshit plagiarism software, the complicity of the administration (shocker!), the cheating students, etc.
I definitely would not have responded directly to any personal criticism, especially not in public. That's always a trap.
In conclusion, I think you did the right thing, are on the right track, and got burned by being the internet's chew toy of the moment. Lesson learned, move on.