Reply to Disappointing - meetings must be in person this year

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I see both sides.

Large attendance online meetings and school events are not ideal for virtual and neither are issues or topics where you're trying to have a thoughtful and dynamic conversation among a lot of people.  It can be done but it's hard.  There is zero accountability to show even basic decency of engaging and paying attention and a whole bunch of people half listen with their cameras turned off.   It's just so flat compared to an in-person experience where people are forced to engage and behave respectfully and "show up".  It's also not fun to be the presenter speaking into the void or trying to facilitate a conversation during one of these large group setups.  I've done it a bunch.  But definitely a lot more convenient.

If you can get critical mass to return voluntarily (or I guess force them to return), then there is a tipping point where the overall quality of the conversation and presentation goes up for everybody.

And doing the events hybrid well is also fairly challenging for the people who have to plan the logistics.  From having done these hybrid events, the online people are often checked out and don't participate at the same level as people in person.  Which is pretty normal.  Different energy in the room with the live humans.[/quote]

That may all be true. Nonetheless, greater participation is a plus.
It seems ridiculous to limit the # of times an individual can participate via zoom. I think many people participating virtually are less likely to be more vocal or engaged in person anyway.  The zoom option at least loops people in who otherwise would never loop in or engage.  The more people aware of discussions and what's going on in their school or community, the better - they'll engage when they find something important enough, or maybe they'll step up for a small volunteer role they otherwise never would have considered doing.

Everyone in-person isn't always particularly engaged or contributory to discussions.  I think it's the right move to require in-person meetings again; but it's just part of the typical conservative type efforts to diminish participation by a wider and more diverse group.  Think about it:  who is more likely to attend in-person PTA or Board meetings, and who is more likely to take the log-in option?[/quote]

Yes, I know the equity talking points and think they are very valid.  I've said them myself to many people.  I am the PP you are responding to.

My thoughts still stand.  The online large group meetings are pretty terrible.  And if you give people the option to stay home, too many will and you never gain back critical mass.

I don't have great answers.  [/quote]

I think having an online aspect is still worthwhile and it would be very reasonable to establish a policy that on-liners don't get the same opportunity to speak or comment.  They can submit comments and questions in the chat - which should be made available for everyone to see, and a facilitator in the actual meeting can forward or point out something that's especially noteworthy to the discussion.  Some will claim that's just as "inequitable" as in-person only; but there's a balance to be achieved for practicality and effectiveness. It isn't like there are NO opportunities for people to weigh-in with their opinions through various other means.[/quote]

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