WTU - what is permissible to post?

[Anonymous]

Jeff,
You keep on deleting what appears to be any critique of the WTU, and it's unclear what rubric you are using. Could you please explain? It seems like posts that discuss actual documented WTU actions (like data collection) are being deleted, not posts that are abusive, trolling, or derailing. WTU is in the middle of bargaining with DCPS over school reopening, and it's a topic of clear public importance. It seems like someone keeps on flagging posts about WTU claiming they are "false" and "nasty," when really they are just critical of WTU.

[jsteele]

The posts that I have been removing contain inaccurate information. It appears that there is a poster or posters who are determined to bash the WTU at every opportunity -- or even when there aren't opportunities because often the posts are off-topic.

With regard to data collection regarding vaccination status, the WTU does not have the power to prevent collection. Because the effort to collect such data was launched without consultation, the WTU informed its members that they were not required to respond. However, any member wishing to respond was able to do so. The WTU's President has said that the union is negotiating the collection of vaccination status data with DCPS. Obviously, I don't know the issues being discussed, but I would guess the union has considerable concerns about what information will be released to the public and how it will be used.

In sum, you can criticize the WTU, you can praise the WTU, you can post factually accurate information about the WTU, but misinformation will be removed.

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:The posts that I have been removing contain inaccurate information. It appears that there is a poster or posters who are determined to bash the WTU at every opportunity -- or even when there aren't opportunities because often the posts are off-topic.

With regard to data collection regarding vaccination status, the WTU does not have the power to prevent collection. Because the effort to collect such data was launched without consultation, the WTU informed its members that they were not required to respond. However, any member wishing to respond was able to do so. The WTU's President has said that the union is negotiating the collection of vaccination status data with DCPS. Obviously, I don't know the issues being discussed, but I would guess the union has considerable concerns about what information will be released to the public and how it will be used.

In sum, you can criticize the WTU, you can praise the WTU, you can post factually accurate information about the WTU, but misinformation will be removed.

I honestly think you're blurring the line between "misinformation" and "information the WTU does not like to have framed in a critical manner." WTU exercised the power it had to disrupt the data collection - I'm really unclear about what is factually inaccurate about that? It seems like what is being deleted is commentary on WTU's choices, not misinformation about WTU's actions. And for what it's worth, if WTU is correct that data collection is a subject for mandatory bargaining (which has not actually been established, I don't believe) then WTU WOULD have the power to prevent the data collection and forced DCPS to the table, and then (if it could) get it written into the contract.

This is a really complex and highly important area of public concern right now. I get not wanting abusive or trolling or derailing information to be posted, but it honestly does seem like you're deleting criticism of WTU under the guise that it is "bashing."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:The posts that I have been removing contain inaccurate information. It appears that there is a poster or posters who are determined to bash the WTU at every opportunity -- or even when there aren't opportunities because often the posts are off-topic.

With regard to data collection regarding vaccination status, the WTU does not have the power to prevent collection. Because the effort to collect such data was launched without consultation, the WTU informed its members that they were not required to respond. However, any member wishing to respond was able to do so. The WTU's President has said that the union is negotiating the collection of vaccination status data with DCPS. Obviously, I don't know the issues being discussed, but I would guess the union has considerable concerns about what information will be released to the public and how it will be used.

In sum, you can criticize the WTU, you can praise the WTU, you can post factually accurate information about the WTU, but misinformation will be removed.

I honestly think you're blurring the line between "misinformation" and "information the WTU does not like to have framed in a critical manner." WTU exercised the power it had to disrupt the data collection - I'm really unclear about what is factually inaccurate about that? It seems like what is being deleted is commentary on WTU's choices, not misinformation about WTU's actions. And for what it's worth, if WTU is correct that data collection is a subject for mandatory bargaining (which has not actually been established, I don't believe) then WTU WOULD have the power to prevent the data collection and forced DCPS to the table, and then (if it could) get it written into the contract.

This is a really complex and highly important area of public concern right now. I get not wanting abusive or trolling or derailing information to be posted, but it honestly does seem like you're deleting criticism of WTU under the guise that it is "bashing."

And also yesterday, you deleted a whole raft of posts discussion the history of national union positions on mandatory vaccination (AFT and NEA). Many posts linking to documented public positions. It's really unclear what the purpose of those deletions was. Is it "union bashing" to note that NEA removed its agenda item on mandatory covid vaccination this month, and AFT has a history of opposing mandatory vaccination in other pandemics?

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:And also yesterday, you deleted a whole raft of posts discussion the history of national union positions on mandatory vaccination (AFT and NEA). Many posts linking to documented public positions. It's really unclear what the purpose of those deletions was. Is it "union bashing" to note that NEA removed its agenda item on mandatory covid vaccination this month, and AFT has a history of opposing mandatory vaccination in other pandemics?

This is actually pretty illustrative of the anti-WTU position. The topic of the thread is mandatory vaccinations. The WTU has no publicly-stated position on mandatory vaccinations. Yet, you not only want to attack them for being against mandatory vaccinations, but you want to post about a single case of another organization opposing mandatory vaccinations from more than a decade ago (and obviously having nothing to do with covid). Those posts are off-topic on multiple levels.

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And also yesterday, you deleted a whole raft of posts discussion the history of national union positions on mandatory vaccination (AFT and NEA). Many posts linking to documented public positions. It's really unclear what the purpose of those deletions was. Is it "union bashing" to note that NEA removed its agenda item on mandatory covid vaccination this month, and AFT has a history of opposing mandatory vaccination in other pandemics?

This is actually pretty illustrative of the anti-WTU position. The topic of the thread is mandatory vaccinations. The WTU has no publicly-stated position on mandatory vaccinations. Yet, you not only want to attack them for being against mandatory vaccinations, but you want to post about a single case of another organization opposing mandatory vaccinations from more than a decade ago (and obviously having nothing to do with covid). Those posts are off-topic on multiple levels.

Jeff, WTU is a local of AFT. AFT is not "another organization" to WTU. AFT is WTU's parent organization. So AFT's policy on mandatory vaccination is totally germane. The fact that in 2009 the AFT "strongly opposed" (their published words) mandatory flu vaccination during the H1N1 pandemic seems like a fact, not "disinformation." Likewise, NEA is a national teacher's union, and their position on mandatory vaccination also seems germane to the overall discussion.

WTU has no publicly stated position on mandatory vaccinations, so the most we can do is look at other sources and make educated inferences. That's not "attacking." That's discussion.