There’s an ongoing issue at Lewisville Elementary that I’ve written about a couple of times (most recent here). I could be wrong but I think the comments on those posts are the only real ongoing public dialog about the situation, and the evolution of those comments have caused me to question my role or, more accurately, the role of my blog in the community. Let me explain.
So far I think the commenters on the posts have been polite, and the comments not particularly confrontational. I honestly think that the commenters have the best intentions and even if they may come from different sides of the issue they also want the same things: better communication from the school and the conclusion of the investigation of the teacher who has been suspended. That said, here are my concerns:
- This blog is a personal endeavor of mine, something I do for fun and to feed my writing jones. Normally most of the stuff I write about is inconsequential and goofy, but when issues like this arise I feel compelled to write about it. Is that something better left to "mainstream media"?
- So far I think the comments on the posts have been good and in some ways helpful in revealing the viewpoints of some folks within the Lewisville School community. But I worry that the comments could turn cruel or vindictive and that I’d be facilitating more harm being done. Do I have that right? I would certainly delete any bad comments as soon as I saw them, but the cat would be out of the bag for the few people who might see them before I do so. I could also change my blog’s setup so that I moderate all comments before they’re published, but somehow that just doesn’t feel right. I’ve never had cause to worry about it before, so this is new territory for me. And here’s the key question: if someone does write something really negative am I responsible, are they responsible or is it a shared responsibility? I’m not talking in the legal sense, but in the moral sense.
- As a member of the community I’ve heard lots of rumors and different sides of the story. All of this information comes from sources I trust and in a private conversation I’d feel fine in sharing it, but I wouldn’t feel right sharing here. Am I being overly cautious or is this the right approach?
- I’ve been thanked on more than one occasion for providing this outlet for people to write about the issue. I’m glad some see it that way, but I worry that others might think I’m doing a disservice to those involved in the issue. The last thing I want is to add fuel to the fire and I hope that’s not what I’m doing, rather I hope that by having a forum to look at this situation we are illuminating it.
The funny thing to me is that when I started this blog I figured maybe some friends and family would read it occasionally. I never dreamed it would be read by others or that it would be used in this way. On the one hand I’m glad that it is, but on the other hand I’m humbled by the prospects.
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Befuddled 
I totally understand what you are questioning and I admit when I first found your blog I was doing a search trying to find out information on what was going on (the 2nd time we had allegations come up, the first time I just let the school give me info but when I realized we didnt get a lot and a second allegation came up I started searching), I wanted to see if anyone knew more or had opinions on this crazy situation and I came across your blogs, I have to admit I was upset by a lot of blogs that I read between here, wxii, and wsjournal, some were so upsetting and I felt horrible for this victims (who ever that may be) but then more and more people started writing give different sides and I felt at ease that this was a good way for people to vent, ask questions and communicate. I wish we had that with the school. I cant go into details but I know some of the stuff that has been written are rumors and hearsay not the truth and others are the truth and some is just opinions. I am very close to the sources involved and I try not to speak about it but when I hear outright rumors I try to steer them maybe closer to the truth without telling the truth. I would love to continue our conversation further but I will not put it out on blogs!!! One reason is the investigation is still underway we have 2 sides to this story, the first story and everyone needs to be protected. I think everyone needs to remember that as well that we have children, families and a community at stake here and no one deserves to be slandered or hurt, when I speak I speak from what I saw, or heard from first hand sources not he say she say, etc.
Jon,
I am not any connected with the situation at Lewisville Elementary School. This is merely a response to your post.
Your Question:
“So far I think the comments on the posts have been good and in some ways helpful in revealing the viewpoints of some folks within the Lewisville School community. But I worry that the comments could turn cruel or vindictive and that I’d be facilitating more harm being done. Do I have that right?”
My Response:
In my opinion, you do not have a right to intentionally incite a riot nor do you have a right to intentionally incite (or is that elicit) cruel or vindictive comments. I think the key is “intent”. If you receive an inappropriate comment and delete it…fine. If I or someone else reads it first…fine, we are responsible for our own actions and reactions. If you change your blog’s setup so that you moderate all comments before they’re published…that’s your decision.
Your Key Question:
If someone does write something really negative am I responsible, are they responsible or is it a shared responsibility? I’m not talking in the legal sense, but in the moral sense.
My Response:
I am neither a lawyer nor a clergyman, but in my opinion you are responsible for what you write, not what I or anyone else writes.
Your musing:
The funny thing to me is that when I started this blog I figured maybe some friends and family would read it occasionally. I never dreamed it would be read by others or that it would be used in this way. On the one hand I’m glad that it is, but on the other hand I’m humbled by the prospects.
My response:
Forget humble! Beat your chest, let out a yell, and strut your stuff. And don’t leave everything to the mainstream media.
General comment:
I read your site frequently and continue to enjoy it.
Thanks,
Dwight Defee
Victims rights,
I understand where you’re coming from and I agree that it’s best to leave out specifics, names, etc. until everything is sorted out with the investigation. Even then we may never know the specifics because children are involved, but what I don’t want to see are peoples’ lives ruined because an investigation was handled improperly or adults didn’t handle things the way they should have.
That said, the purpose of this post was to simply point out that it’s the first time I’ve felt that the blog has had an effect on something serious outside of my own circle of family and friends, and it’s caused me to think things through carefully. I’ve witnessed commenters on other blogs getting nasty about far less serious issues so I’m very relieved that it hasn’t happened here. I’m grateful that I haven’t had to delete comments or intervene in a cyberfight. That’s all credit to those who are commenting, and I just hope we can keep it that way.
Dwight,
Thanks much for the comment and for reading. You make a great point about the difference between me inciting or condoning negative comments and me providing the medium and someone else taking advantage of it. I definitely agree that the person who leaves the comment is always responsible, but I guess my question really was whether I share responsibility for providing the space for them to do it.
Now as for being humble, uh, I have to admit that I’m kind of pleased that people I’ve never met read this blog. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t kind of proud of it, but I am definitely humbled by the possibility that something I’m doing could have a ripple effect that I can’t imagine or anticipate. This blog gets about 150-200 people reading it a day at this point which is small potatos compared to most sites, but it does make me wonder how people who have thousands or millions of readers/viewers handle things.
There’s a case going on right now, in which a site that allowed users to post names, addys and detaiols of men who were “bad news” is being sued. The website’s position is that they are no more responsible than the phone company is responsible for slander spoken while on the phone.
It will be interesting to see how it plays out. That said, you aren’t encouraging posters to post defamatory information (which that site rather is).