Moderation

2004-4-16 06:04:00

Rick writes:
I propose, as a memorial to her, that, henceforth, the Keys members shall be self moderating and exercise control only over posters that have been found, by committee, to be disruptive to the classroom environment. This would entail, the remaining three moderators changing the status of all members of the group to "un-moderated" and in order for a person's posts to be moderated a committee has to find them "in need of being moderated". A "clean slate", inclusiveness, all trusting each other, knowing that a whole roomful of us wouldn't have the time or patience to sit in pre-judgment. This, to me, honors the work she did and makes us into a magnet that will soon draw her back (I think I will see her again, while still in this body).

JJ:
First, let me state that Diane supported the moderation idea. She was one of the ones who complained about the turbulence caused by troublemakers before we decided to moderate. I don't think she wants this type of tribute.

The first couple years of our existence we had no moderation. We were both determined to continue as long as possible in an un-moderated state.

This was workable, but stilled caused its share of problems even when the list was young. There always seemed to be one or two members who posted either off topic or something inflammatory and caused the class to drift way off topic. This caused me to take time I did not have and deal with off topic issues, argumentative members and as a result many good people quit the list or threatened to.

Before we switched to moderation we had a couple members who were intolerable and even made threats. This was disturbing to the extent that about every other post was a complaint.

It was at this point that I supported moderation. The very fact that we are moderated eliminates about half the problems that exists in un-moderated lists. If a troublemaker knows a list is moderated he will often either not join or behave himself if he does because he knows he cannot get away with breaking the rules.

The bottom line is this. I refuse to participate in the Keys unless it is moderated. It is just too much trouble. I have enough on my plate to deal with as it is without having to deal with the Keys turned into a mass of angry members because of the bedlam which would follow.

The release of atomic energy has not created a new problem. It has merely made more urgent the necessity of solving an existing one. --Albert Einstein