Back to Moderation
Readers,
So sorry but apparently there are just people in this world that have nothing better to do than troll blogs. It's sad, it's pathetic but there you are.
So I have turned back on comment moderation.
Interesting that I was reading an article about how Hillary Clinton can't attract young people (especially young women) and the author said this:
I am, by no stretch of the imagination, a celebrity. I do, however, write for a reasonably well-read online publication almost every day, and put my name to my opinions both here and on a handful of other platforms where basically anyone can offer unsolicited feedback with a few strokes of a keyboard. I’ve had people call me awful names. I’ve had people condescendingly explain things to me that I already knew. I’ve had friends, family, and loved ones in more private-facing lines of work express horror at things that, for me, are just a minor drawback of my job. And I’ve known that a good chunk of all this wouldn’t be happening if my name were Alexander and not Alison.
So sorry but apparently there are just people in this world that have nothing better to do than troll blogs. It's sad, it's pathetic but there you are.
So I have turned back on comment moderation.
Interesting that I was reading an article about how Hillary Clinton can't attract young people (especially young women) and the author said this:
I am, by no stretch of the imagination, a celebrity. I do, however, write for a reasonably well-read online publication almost every day, and put my name to my opinions both here and on a handful of other platforms where basically anyone can offer unsolicited feedback with a few strokes of a keyboard. I’ve had people call me awful names. I’ve had people condescendingly explain things to me that I already knew. I’ve had friends, family, and loved ones in more private-facing lines of work express horror at things that, for me, are just a minor drawback of my job. And I’ve known that a good chunk of all this wouldn’t be happening if my name were Alexander and not Alison.
I'll be honest - some of that rang true to me. When I read other public education blogs, I do notice a difference in comments when the writers are women vs those whose writers are men. I don't know if this is a real issue at this blog but sometimes if feels like it.
Can we just discuss education issues of the day and not make it personal? That's actually what this blog is for.
Can we just discuss education issues of the day and not make it personal? That's actually what this blog is for.
Comments
CT
Unfortunately, moderation slows threads and communications to a crawl, which is just too time-consuming and distracting to live with.
I haven't been posting on this blog very much over the past year, mostly because my kids are aging up and keep me busy as hell, balancing work and family life, but this blog has always been a terrific source of critical information, delivered rather promptly, which is key to it's appeal and effectiveness.
So, while I understand the thoughts behind moderation, Melissa, it chills, if not cripples, the free flow of information.
Might I suggest you instead turn off comments as soon as they get nasty? And tell the a**holes to knock it off or they'll stay off? Much like a referee blows the whistle and stops play? Maybe you have tried that and it hasn't worked, but I think the time delay involved with moderation saps the blog of the energetic free-flow of information that occurs beside the sniping, snarking, and general a**holishness behavior we see from time to time. My .02. WSDWG
reader47
I saw the post that caused Melissa concern. Not only was the post inappropriate, it was down-right disgusting and deeply disturbing.
Frankly, there is an individual that does not have a sense of appropriate boundaries. Frankly, I feel a sense of deep concern.
The most important thing about your blog Melissa, is dissemination of information which comes mostly from you, but also gives an outlet to many people who know a lot about a particular realm. (I rarely post, and only when I think I know something that most people don't.) Moderation won't cut into anything truly valuable in this regard.
Thanks for what you do and I am glad you are protecting yourself.
Teach Everyone.
WSDWG
For what it is worth, I agree with Teach Everyone. Trolls who just argue can be overcome by merely ignoring them. Trolls who post offensive material win as long as it is up and they can imagine, in their sick little minds, people logging on to discuss education issues and having to read through the dreck they have posted.
North End Parent