Can someone explain AEM to me?

[Anonymous]

Is it a legit organization? I remember the schoolboard candidate who put one of her endorsements was the creator of AEM, as if it was a legitimate thing. Isn't it just a FB group? Can someone give me the whole story? Thanks.

[Anonymous]

That’s the story. It’s a FB group with a lot of members.
It used to be active and a helpful place. Now it’s just an echo chamber.

[Anonymous]

Agree; used to be a good source of information and friendly-ish debate. Now it's gone over the edge. And I'm generally on the side of the posters but it's ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

But why be proud that the creator is an endorser? What is its reputation? Is it essentially just a bunch of entitled N Arlington parents?

[Anonymous]

I indirectly know the creator as our kids went to the same school. This is in N Arlington, but I don't know where most AEM members or posters are from.

My understanding is that the creator did a lot of advocacy with APS on instructional issues. I think she was active in CCPTA. I know at one point she was fairly close with Nancy Van Doren- hosted fundraisers, etc.

At some point she started AEM- I think the intent was to provide a hub for people doing this type of advocacy work at different schools, to compare experiences and collaborate on common issues which may exist across different schools. I am guessing that is why someone would list her as an endorser on a campaign, as kind of a "community activist". At one point I thought she was going to run for SB.

Obviously it devolved over time. It's a shame, I think the creator had good intentions and it was a beneficial resource for a time, but I left in the past year when it became clear that the same 10 people were just posting and commenting on everything. As someone else said, it's not even that I disagree with them, the tone and sniping just negated any helpfulness the group ever had.

[Anonymous]

It's always been skewed towards moderator's views and filled with nuts.

It was extra crazy during the pandemic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I indirectly know the creator as our kids went to the same school. This is in N Arlington, but I don't know where most AEM members or posters are from.

My understanding is that the creator did a lot of advocacy with APS on instructional issues. I think she was active in CCPTA. I know at one point she was fairly close with Nancy Van Doren- hosted fundraisers, etc.

At some point she started AEM- I think the intent was to provide a hub for people doing this type of advocacy work at different schools, to compare experiences and collaborate on common issues which may exist across different schools. I am guessing that is why someone would list her as an endorser on a campaign, as kind of a "community activist". At one point I thought she was going to run for SB.

Obviously it devolved over time. It's a shame, I think the creator had good intentions and it was a beneficial resource for a time, but I left in the past year when it became clear that the same 10 people were just posting and commenting on everything. As someone else said, it's not even that I disagree with them, the tone and sniping just negated any helpfulness the group ever had.

This is interesting, thanks. So it wasn't created with the intention of just complaining.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I indirectly know the creator as our kids went to the same school. This is in N Arlington, but I don't know where most AEM members or posters are from.

My understanding is that the creator did a lot of advocacy with APS on instructional issues. I think she was active in CCPTA. I know at one point she was fairly close with Nancy Van Doren- hosted fundraisers, etc.

At some point she started AEM- I think the intent was to provide a hub for people doing this type of advocacy work at different schools, to compare experiences and collaborate on common issues which may exist across different schools. I am guessing that is why someone would list her as an endorser on a campaign, as kind of a "community activist". At one point I thought she was going to run for SB.

Obviously it devolved over time. It's a shame, I think the creator had good intentions and it was a beneficial resource for a time, but I left in the past year when it became clear that the same 10 people were just posting and commenting on everything. As someone else said, it's not even that I disagree with them, the tone and sniping just negated any helpfulness the group ever had.

This is interesting, thanks. So it wasn't created with the intention of just complaining.

DP. The creator was active in task forces and standing committee, so it’s not surprising she has endorsement power.

She is friends with a lot of active posters, so that’s likely why she moderates so lightly.

But I do blame that group for the APS dumpster fire over the past year. If her or her silent partner had put the kibbosh on the APE vs SR flame wars, it may have prevented the vitriol thrown towards the rest of the community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
DP. The creator was active in task forces and standing committee, so it’s not surprising she has endorsement power.

She is friends with a lot of active posters, so that’s likely why she moderates so lightly.

But I do blame that group for the APS dumpster fire over the past year. If her or her silent partner had put the kibbosh on the APE vs SR flame wars, it may have prevented the vitriol thrown towards the rest of the community.

To that end I also blame APS. There are many people who seem to have believed based on their statements that AEM was an official APS-sanctioned forum. Way too many APS-affiliated individuals including board members and staff are members and clearly respond to what happens there. It has undue influence on the actions and reactions of the APS staff. In my ideal world, there would be a way for APS to ban its employees from joining any online groups like AEM for exactly this reason.

[Anonymous]

The best part is people use their real names. That continues to amaze me, especially when making easily falsifiable arguments or being rude.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The best part is people use their real names. That continues to amaze me, especially when making easily falsifiable arguments or being rude.

Agreed. A lot of people on both sides lost their social standing and respect from the community this year.

I hope it stays that way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The best part is people use their real names. That continues to amaze me, especially when making easily falsifiable arguments or being rude.

Agreed. A lot of people on both sides lost their social standing and respect from the community this year.

I hope it stays that way.

Lost their social standing? What does that even mean and who cares about that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The best part is people use their real names. That continues to amaze me, especially when making easily falsifiable arguments or being rude.

Agreed. A lot of people on both sides lost their social standing and respect from the community this year.

I hope it stays that way.

Lost their social standing? What does that even mean and who cares about that?

People who think the opposite of "verifiable" is "falsifiable"?

AEM turns into a swamp pretty regularly, but there are also lots of people who will answer factual questions ("How do I . . ." "When can I expect to hear" "What does your family do about"), so it still has its uses.

I also hid a handful of posters and my AEM experience improved radically.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The best part is people use their real names. That continues to amaze me, especially when making easily falsifiable arguments or being rude.

Agreed. A lot of people on both sides lost their social standing and respect from the community this year.

I hope it stays that way.

Lost their social standing? What does that even mean and who cares about that?

+1

"Social standing"? WTF?

I agree that I lost respect for some long-time friends though. Don't post your crazy under your real name!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The best part is people use their real names. That continues to amaze me, especially when making easily falsifiable arguments or being rude.

Agreed. A lot of people on both sides lost their social standing and respect from the community this year.

I hope it stays that way.

Lost their social standing? What does that even mean and who cares about that?

+1

"Social standing"? WTF?

I agree that I lost respect for some long-time friends though. Don't post your crazy under your real name!

DP. I think I got what the other poster said.

Those people who hit hard by deliberately misinterpreting studies to support their views and who knowingly slandered people lost some of their reputations in the community. Both APE and SR people.

Example: The FOIA wars. That was ridiculous.

I lost friends too. I don't want them back though. They showed who they are.