Friday's Most Active Posts

The leading thread in both number of replies and number of views was posted in the "Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS)" forum. Titled, "slur during last nights FCPS Board mtg", the original post inquires about a rumor that during a school board meeting a school board member said, "we can't be this (r word) about this". The first reply confirmed the rumor and called for the school board member's resignation. In recent years, school board meetings — especially in northern Virginia — have become something of a full contact sport, rivalling Roman circuses as spectator events. It is fitting, therefore, that a school board meeting would push a thread to the top of our charts. I'm sure it won't be the last time.

Before posters could really dig in discussing the slur in question, the thread made what appears to be almost obligatory diversion to posts about Ibram X. Kendi, the current bugaboo of the right wing who seems to be hiding under every school desk in America. Anything involving eduction triggers an almost Pavlovian response in some posters to condemn Kendi whether he has anything to do with it or not. Once that was out of the way, most responses turned toward criticizing the use of the term, but arguing that an apology (which was quickly issued) was sufficient. While some posters appear to have authentic concerns about the slur in question, most posters appeared to be balancing their dislike of the specific school board member with their absolute disdain for "cancel culture", resulting in many posters listing multiple unfavorable characteristics of the school board member before coming to her defense in this instance. Much time was wasted by posters saying this entire controversy was a waste of time.

The thread with the second highest number of replies and third highest number of views was titled, "Things I’ll never understand" and posted in the "Off-Topic" forum. The intent of the thread, which I guess was supposed to be light-hearted, was to list things that posters don't understand such as posting Wordle screenshots or tent camping. DCUM's anonymous posting allows individuals to express opinions that they might otherwise keep to themselves. So threads about unpopular opinions, or things a poster doesn't like are fairly common. Like this thread, whatever the initial intent, those thread inevitably turn darker, often assuming racial overtones. In addition to a few racist posts, this one became transphobic. I removed several posts but soon concluded it was a lost cause and locked the thread.

A thread titled, "'Joke' from a MS teacher" was third in number of replies and fifth in number of views yesterday. The thread is about a middle school teacher who, while handing out balls to be used in a science experiment, told the students, "Tell your parents you played with your teacher’s balls". If nothing else, this thread demonstrates the absolute insanity that has taken over school topics. Before the first page was complete, the discussion had turned toward race — the race of the teacher was not mentioned and not known to the original poster so this is a bit bewildering — and to accusations that the teacher was a pedophile grooming students. Otherwise, some responders seem to think the joke was inappropriate but not a big deal while others wanted the teacher to be immediately fired.

The thread with the second highest number of views yesterday was posted in the "Off-Topic" forum. The thread, which was also fourth highest in number of replies was titled, "Virginia couple sued by Afghan refugees of crazy scheme to kidnap their baby". The thread is about a lawsuit over custody of a child from Afghanistan. The child was orphaned in a bombing and, in accordance with Afghan law, was placed in custody of Afghan relatives. An American marine attempted to adopt the baby, but was repeatedly denied. However, in the US he and his wife were able to be granted guardianship of the baby, who at that time was still in Afghanistan. According to the lawsuit, the American couple tricked the Afghan family in to bringing the baby to the US, where upon arrival the baby was seized by the American couple. I haven't read the entire thread but skimming through a few pages suggests much of it is consumed with petty bickering over what pronoun to use for the baby, the status of women in Afghanistan, the American couple's religion (they are evangelical Christians), and whether or not this constitutes human trafficking. There are also several quite substantive posts by posters who appear to be well-informed and knowledgeable about the topic, though they are often exasperated by other less well informed and often prejudiced posters.