CSD 13J's mystery of disappearing school administrators
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, February 21, 2025
Frequent turnover of principals and losses of other administrators at Central School District is raising concern among some parents that local public education is on a downward spiral – and they want it stopped.
Upheaval caused by departing school leaders over the past 18 months – including swift changes of principals at Central High and Talmadge Middle school – are evidence of a troubling trend, according to some. A “reaching out” is needed to discover why, including exit interviews, said Shannon Ball, a parent volunteer who has spoken to the school board on several occasions.
Reiterating what several other families have said in recent weeks, Ball asserted that school board members need to address this exodus, rather than relying solely on “what they’re told by the superintendent.”
The recent departures include two vice principals, one at Central High School, Laura Waight, and another at Ash Creek Elementary School, Jessie Padilla. Several parents praised Padilla and called Waight a pillar of her school.
“She (Waight) has been a pillar," affirmed CHS parent Maren Anderson, an author who’s a visible member of the Independence-Monmouth community. Anderson is worried that the administrative churn reflects “instability.”
So is Barbara Harriman, the mother of two recent CHS graduates. Vice Principal Waight, who taught math for a decade at CHS, had acquired the additional education needed to move into an administrative role, and had been a vice principal for about three years, Harriman noted. She leaves a huge void, Harriman said.
"I loved that she was a teacher and then an administrator," Harriman said. "If you look at our district, this isn't the case for the top leadership," Harriman added.
In a little less than two years, a half dozen administrators are now gone, including Ashley Wildfang, who was promoted to oversee elementary education at CSD 13J after serving as principal at Ash Creek Elementary. Asked for a response from the district over these losses, communications coordinator Emily Mentzer pointed out that there is turnover in any workplace, and education is no exception.
“This time of year, some staff look for new positions and some retire,” Mentzer said. “This is something we work through each spring.”
“It's always sad to see someone leave, but we wish them well on their new adventures,” she added. The quest by the district to fill vacant spots is currently being advertised, Mentzer said.
Interviews with numerous parents appear to show a consensus on the starting point of what they see as management declines: the unexpected fallout of bypassing the opportunity three years ago to elevate Roseanna Larson to CHS principal.
She is widely known in the community. She was part of the teaching faculty for years at CHS and then became a popular vice principal. The decision against promoting her to the top job currently has resurfaced in community discussions.
Larson, who has remained with the district, is now coordinator of career and technical education programs, as well as alternative education and attendance programs. Asked how she felt about what some have called a “revolving door” at the CHS principal’s office, she had no comment.
However, Larson observed that she remains committed to her new role. “I continue to feel the love and support of the community,” she said.
When Larson, one of the two finalists for the top job at CHS, wasn’t chosen, students staged a walkout in protest and former Polk County Planning Commissioner Mike Ainsworth called for a vote of no confidence at the school board meeting. It failed but apparently left a lasting impression on some.
“It wasn’t just the drama,” explained one parent, who recalled the board meeting that night. “Sure, that all died down. But the skepticism with the district? It stayed.” Neither Larson nor the other final candidate was selected for the CHS principal spot.
After a new search, Brent “Mac” McConaghy, an assistant principal at North Medford High, was subsequently hired as CHS principal. However, he returned to the Southern Oregon town that he’d left about a year later, leaving Central to find another new principal.
Other administrators left, too. Jared Tesch had been announced as the new principal at Talmadge Middle School after longtime Principal Perry LaBounty’s retirement – but he was soon replaced. Alisha Resseman stepped in, taking the job on an interim basis. She was officially appointed Talmadge principal in early 2025, according to a CSD news release.
"My roots run deep, as I have been here for 20 years now," Resseman said in the statement that was released. "I deeply appreciate the trust and faith the community has placed in me, and I am honored to lead with such a dedicated team of students, educators, and families."
Ball, a parent leader, sees a possible silver lining to the recent disruption. “I am hopeful that with several contacts occurring now that the school board may be realizing this is a bigger problem than they were aware of,” she said.
Nathan Muti, who heads the teachers’ union at the district, said administrator vacancies and changes has surfaced significantly and "having a plan now seems prudent."
A cross-section of parents, along with a few teachers, suggests that four administrative-staff practice areas may have contributed to the current situation at Central School District.
Hiring practices. It isn’t clear how interviews are conducted, according to Harriman. The panel that assesses the candidates excludes teachers, Harriman stressed "The (teachers) are needed to help with reviewing candidates and being included on the interview panels," she said.
“Why wasn't there an official competitive recruitment carried out for the current principal at CHS,” Harriman asked. “He (Dale Pedersen) was hired as an interim, with an abridged interview process,” she said. The new principal of Talmadge was announced the same way – an appointment after serving on an interim basis.
The need for periodic reliance of administrators on consultants to meet the needs of the district was a concern expressed by Harriman and other parents.
Though it's understandable that there are occasions in which outside expertise is sought, "I would hope that when the (top administrators) are hired, they wouldn't need much help" in doing their duties as leaders and experts in their field, Harriman said.
Retention practices. Donna Servignat, a former Central High School principal, accepted a district-level position. But four months later, the new position came with a 16% pay cut. “As a single wage earner with a child entering college, I was unable to accept that very unanticipated pay reduction,” she said.
Some parents identified Servignat as the best Central High principal in recent history. “It was a heartbreaking decision to leave a school and district where I had worked so hard to build relationships and trust,” Servignat said. “But ultimately I had to do what was best for my family financially.”
Follow-up on the management flux hasn't occurred, according to several former teachers. For example, a former CSD supervisor who was contacted about leaving a district-level job confirmed that there was no opportunity for an exit interview, even though one was requested by that individual.
A look at administrative staffing two years ago by Education Week showed that retention of good administrators is key for teacher reinforcement. “Without robust administrative support, teachers had to interrupt instruction to handle these (behavior and other problems) on their own,” according to the report.
HR practices. Criticism of human resource approaches at CSD 13J has included the charge that the HR director is supervising the principals of the school district. This, in the view of some, constitutes a conflict of interest because there is fear that seeking help for problems and challenges could influence periodic performance evaluations.
But throwing down the gauntlet on outside consultants or HR methods is unlikely to succeed, according to one of those familiar with the superintendent and her cabinet. Keeping the lines of communication open is best – keep talking, continue conversing, they said.
That’s the method recommended by Baruti Kafele, an educator who hosts the popular podcast, “Principal Matters,” which is aimed at school administrators. He advises focusing on goals. Frustration over issues occurs, but acting on it in drastic ways can be counterproductive, he confirmed in a follow-up inquiry about making that comment during a broadcast.
Remember that “you are there to get the job done,” he said. And, when tensions surface, seek to keep them compartmentalized, to help keep negativity from seeping into an overall attitude, which can then invade aspects of personal life, too.
Support practices. The importance of networking cannot be overstated, according to Maggie Howard, director of College, Career, and Military Readiness and career technical education at Elgin Independent School District in Texas.
Howard has appeared on videos and educational channels to share the philosophy that being “able to sit in a room with leaders who are doing the same work as you, experience the same struggles as you” is essential. “They're living it too, and can pour into you good things that ultimately make you a better leader.”
Having a strong and supportive team of colleagues at work is necessary for the success of your organization, she said. Being able to create a group with others in similar circumstances is very helpful “when you are the only administrator in your building or in your district who is doing the specific work that you do.”
“The start of this could be as simple as sending out an invitation to neighboring districts for a time of collaboration and resource sharing on a particular topic for one specific group of leaders," she said. In this way, a rotation of hosting can begin, leading to a group that provides a sense of ownership and belonging. ▪
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, February 21, 2025
Frequent turnover of principals and losses of other administrators at Central School District is raising concern among some parents that local public education is on a downward spiral – and they want it stopped.
Upheaval caused by departing school leaders over the past 18 months – including swift changes of principals at Central High and Talmadge Middle school – are evidence of a troubling trend, according to some. A “reaching out” is needed to discover why, including exit interviews, said Shannon Ball, a parent volunteer who has spoken to the school board on several occasions.
Reiterating what several other families have said in recent weeks, Ball asserted that school board members need to address this exodus, rather than relying solely on “what they’re told by the superintendent.”
The recent departures include two vice principals, one at Central High School, Laura Waight, and another at Ash Creek Elementary School, Jessie Padilla. Several parents praised Padilla and called Waight a pillar of her school.
“She (Waight) has been a pillar," affirmed CHS parent Maren Anderson, an author who’s a visible member of the Independence-Monmouth community. Anderson is worried that the administrative churn reflects “instability.”
So is Barbara Harriman, the mother of two recent CHS graduates. Vice Principal Waight, who taught math for a decade at CHS, had acquired the additional education needed to move into an administrative role, and had been a vice principal for about three years, Harriman noted. She leaves a huge void, Harriman said.
"I loved that she was a teacher and then an administrator," Harriman said. "If you look at our district, this isn't the case for the top leadership," Harriman added.
In a little less than two years, a half dozen administrators are now gone, including Ashley Wildfang, who was promoted to oversee elementary education at CSD 13J after serving as principal at Ash Creek Elementary. Asked for a response from the district over these losses, communications coordinator Emily Mentzer pointed out that there is turnover in any workplace, and education is no exception.
“This time of year, some staff look for new positions and some retire,” Mentzer said. “This is something we work through each spring.”
“It's always sad to see someone leave, but we wish them well on their new adventures,” she added. The quest by the district to fill vacant spots is currently being advertised, Mentzer said.
Interviews with numerous parents appear to show a consensus on the starting point of what they see as management declines: the unexpected fallout of bypassing the opportunity three years ago to elevate Roseanna Larson to CHS principal.
She is widely known in the community. She was part of the teaching faculty for years at CHS and then became a popular vice principal. The decision against promoting her to the top job currently has resurfaced in community discussions.
Larson, who has remained with the district, is now coordinator of career and technical education programs, as well as alternative education and attendance programs. Asked how she felt about what some have called a “revolving door” at the CHS principal’s office, she had no comment.
However, Larson observed that she remains committed to her new role. “I continue to feel the love and support of the community,” she said.
When Larson, one of the two finalists for the top job at CHS, wasn’t chosen, students staged a walkout in protest and former Polk County Planning Commissioner Mike Ainsworth called for a vote of no confidence at the school board meeting. It failed but apparently left a lasting impression on some.
“It wasn’t just the drama,” explained one parent, who recalled the board meeting that night. “Sure, that all died down. But the skepticism with the district? It stayed.” Neither Larson nor the other final candidate was selected for the CHS principal spot.
After a new search, Brent “Mac” McConaghy, an assistant principal at North Medford High, was subsequently hired as CHS principal. However, he returned to the Southern Oregon town that he’d left about a year later, leaving Central to find another new principal.
Other administrators left, too. Jared Tesch had been announced as the new principal at Talmadge Middle School after longtime Principal Perry LaBounty’s retirement – but he was soon replaced. Alisha Resseman stepped in, taking the job on an interim basis. She was officially appointed Talmadge principal in early 2025, according to a CSD news release.
"My roots run deep, as I have been here for 20 years now," Resseman said in the statement that was released. "I deeply appreciate the trust and faith the community has placed in me, and I am honored to lead with such a dedicated team of students, educators, and families."
Ball, a parent leader, sees a possible silver lining to the recent disruption. “I am hopeful that with several contacts occurring now that the school board may be realizing this is a bigger problem than they were aware of,” she said.
Nathan Muti, who heads the teachers’ union at the district, said administrator vacancies and changes has surfaced significantly and "having a plan now seems prudent."
A cross-section of parents, along with a few teachers, suggests that four administrative-staff practice areas may have contributed to the current situation at Central School District.
Hiring practices. It isn’t clear how interviews are conducted, according to Harriman. The panel that assesses the candidates excludes teachers, Harriman stressed "The (teachers) are needed to help with reviewing candidates and being included on the interview panels," she said.
“Why wasn't there an official competitive recruitment carried out for the current principal at CHS,” Harriman asked. “He (Dale Pedersen) was hired as an interim, with an abridged interview process,” she said. The new principal of Talmadge was announced the same way – an appointment after serving on an interim basis.
The need for periodic reliance of administrators on consultants to meet the needs of the district was a concern expressed by Harriman and other parents.
Though it's understandable that there are occasions in which outside expertise is sought, "I would hope that when the (top administrators) are hired, they wouldn't need much help" in doing their duties as leaders and experts in their field, Harriman said.
Retention practices. Donna Servignat, a former Central High School principal, accepted a district-level position. But four months later, the new position came with a 16% pay cut. “As a single wage earner with a child entering college, I was unable to accept that very unanticipated pay reduction,” she said.
Some parents identified Servignat as the best Central High principal in recent history. “It was a heartbreaking decision to leave a school and district where I had worked so hard to build relationships and trust,” Servignat said. “But ultimately I had to do what was best for my family financially.”
Follow-up on the management flux hasn't occurred, according to several former teachers. For example, a former CSD supervisor who was contacted about leaving a district-level job confirmed that there was no opportunity for an exit interview, even though one was requested by that individual.
A look at administrative staffing two years ago by Education Week showed that retention of good administrators is key for teacher reinforcement. “Without robust administrative support, teachers had to interrupt instruction to handle these (behavior and other problems) on their own,” according to the report.
HR practices. Criticism of human resource approaches at CSD 13J has included the charge that the HR director is supervising the principals of the school district. This, in the view of some, constitutes a conflict of interest because there is fear that seeking help for problems and challenges could influence periodic performance evaluations.
But throwing down the gauntlet on outside consultants or HR methods is unlikely to succeed, according to one of those familiar with the superintendent and her cabinet. Keeping the lines of communication open is best – keep talking, continue conversing, they said.
That’s the method recommended by Baruti Kafele, an educator who hosts the popular podcast, “Principal Matters,” which is aimed at school administrators. He advises focusing on goals. Frustration over issues occurs, but acting on it in drastic ways can be counterproductive, he confirmed in a follow-up inquiry about making that comment during a broadcast.
Remember that “you are there to get the job done,” he said. And, when tensions surface, seek to keep them compartmentalized, to help keep negativity from seeping into an overall attitude, which can then invade aspects of personal life, too.
Support practices. The importance of networking cannot be overstated, according to Maggie Howard, director of College, Career, and Military Readiness and career technical education at Elgin Independent School District in Texas.
Howard has appeared on videos and educational channels to share the philosophy that being “able to sit in a room with leaders who are doing the same work as you, experience the same struggles as you” is essential. “They're living it too, and can pour into you good things that ultimately make you a better leader.”
Having a strong and supportive team of colleagues at work is necessary for the success of your organization, she said. Being able to create a group with others in similar circumstances is very helpful “when you are the only administrator in your building or in your district who is doing the specific work that you do.”
“The start of this could be as simple as sending out an invitation to neighboring districts for a time of collaboration and resource sharing on a particular topic for one specific group of leaders," she said. In this way, a rotation of hosting can begin, leading to a group that provides a sense of ownership and belonging. ▪
Trammart News establishes a First Amendment fund
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, February 21, 2025
EDITORIAL
Announcement: New rules recently adopted by a majority of the Independence City Council, which ban “grandstanding” in council meetings and appear to place limits on certain expressions of opinion, have been found likely violations of some constitutional rights – if used as a way to silence or censure resident or council member testimony. As a result, Trammart News has established a fund for those who may be affected by this restriction and wish to challenge it. A fund for upholding First Amendment rights and protection from government censure of expression of opinion has been set up by Trammart News & Publishing after several legal opinions advised that parts of recent conduct rules passed by the Independence City Council are unconstitutional.
A sum of $15,000 has been set up as a fund that may be accessed for attorney consultation, initially for up to 10% of the fund value ($1,500.) Receipt of consultation expenses will be required for reimbursement.
Should the consultation indicate that the complaint is likely to prevail in an allegation of abridgement of the First Amendment in challenging the city council conduct rules, an allocation beyond the original limit of 10% will be strongly considered, in order to help defray litigation costs.
The fund has been set up in honor of the late Edwin A. Scheck, a military veteran who supported freedom of speech and who encouraged the establishment of Trammart News as a journalism outlet. (The publication was originally begun in 2016 as a neighborhood newsletter.) – Anne Scheck ▪
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, February 21, 2025
EDITORIAL
Announcement: New rules recently adopted by a majority of the Independence City Council, which ban “grandstanding” in council meetings and appear to place limits on certain expressions of opinion, have been found likely violations of some constitutional rights – if used as a way to silence or censure resident or council member testimony. As a result, Trammart News has established a fund for those who may be affected by this restriction and wish to challenge it. A fund for upholding First Amendment rights and protection from government censure of expression of opinion has been set up by Trammart News & Publishing after several legal opinions advised that parts of recent conduct rules passed by the Independence City Council are unconstitutional.
A sum of $15,000 has been set up as a fund that may be accessed for attorney consultation, initially for up to 10% of the fund value ($1,500.) Receipt of consultation expenses will be required for reimbursement.
Should the consultation indicate that the complaint is likely to prevail in an allegation of abridgement of the First Amendment in challenging the city council conduct rules, an allocation beyond the original limit of 10% will be strongly considered, in order to help defray litigation costs.
The fund has been set up in honor of the late Edwin A. Scheck, a military veteran who supported freedom of speech and who encouraged the establishment of Trammart News as a journalism outlet. (The publication was originally begun in 2016 as a neighborhood newsletter.) – Anne Scheck ▪
Online personal attacks over local issues can poison the community
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, February 21, 2025
Some residents have said they are afraid to testify at city council meetings because they fear online backlash in the form of postings by viewers and, in some cases, by city councilors. Some call such reactions a "dog pile" of negative commentary; others refer to it as "getting clobbered" online. However, to Trammart News, which researched the issue two years ago, they're "snark attacks." A revisit of an editorial about them seemed appropriate as city budget time begins.
Whether you are rich, poor, young, old, occupy a high-level profession or clean closets for a living, I can guarantee you that a snark attack starts the very same way for anyone on the receiving end of one. It may be the common equalizer of our time.
You see words, the words are about you, they say hurtful things and they are posted for others to see, too. I know whereof I speak, since snark attacks are part of my life, and something to which I unfailingly respond, “thank you for the comment.”
After all, cyberbullying, as it is called, is part of that great and glorious right we all enjoy, freedom of speech. And in my work, I seem to invite it. So, I try to never show anything but appreciation for these online outbursts or internet posts about coverage I’ve provided. But the swirl of controversy about micro-shelters in Monmouth has caused me to rethink that unyielding viewpoint.
A resident with thoughts on the matter doesn’t have the rhino skin of a reporter. So, when I heard from a snark-attacked member of the community, sympathy was my only reaction.
“I have been kicked out of this chat room,” came a voice on the phone. Why the boot? Simple. It was a difference of opinion on the homeless issue – a difference that several others, allegedly including at least one elected official, saw as a cause for verbal action.
I wasn’t surprised. I’ve been hearing complaints for the past couple of years that vitriol is regularly delivered via the internet. It’s now so prevalent – even by public figures – that many forums and Facebook groups have rules against it. Unfortunately, as a public records request of the city I cover shows, there’s no policy or guide for online behavior by city councilors or commissioners.
So, I told this caller I wasn’t sure how I could help, but I’d look into it, which is pretty much what I say to anyone who contacts me.
Once I established that there isn’t a recommended social media code of conduct down at city hall for public officeholders, I decided to simply be the nerd I am. So, I researched this topic with the fervor of a duck on a June bug.
For any of you who are like this resident, who was involuntarily removed from a chat room for expressing an opinion contrary to the group, I’ve turned up a few science-based observations on cyberbullying. They’re straight from OHSU’s biomedical library which, on the day I recently visited, was chock full of helpful staff and database tools. In fact, if you would like some references, I now have $15 worth of copies from publications ranging from the surprisingly readable “Psychological Bulletin” to a journal with a lot more jargon, “Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology.”
Here are several reasons for snark attacks, and they apply to people you might think wouldn’t engage in such tactics but do. Bear in mind these are so boiled-down that I expect many scholars would take umbrage at the way my 1-4 statements have been framed.
Covid made us meaner. To be fair, the pandemic affected some of us a whole lot more that way than others. Experts don’t know why. But the loss of civility is rampant. Some say the coronavirus accelerated this trend and didn’t create it. This much is known: it can be far worse online, where de-escalation is not at all the norm and avatar names may be used. One researcher found that snarky tweets directed at state leaders went way up, showing that now “people evaluate government’s performance through actions other than voting.” You may think we don’t need a study to prove that, but now there is one.
Adults can be as bad as kids. Intuitively, you know this, right? The reason we don’t have anti-bullying programs for grown-ups is because few middle-aged cyberbullies see it as a problem. They really don’t. Instead, they tend to see it as a visible means for demonstrating their righteous indignation. “Ordinary people can, under the right circumstances, behave like trolls,” confirmed one article, a rather unsurprising conclusion.
Echo chambers create know-it-alls. Got a cause you want to rally around? Whether you are saving the tuna fish or fighting for more study on the boson particle, you are very likely to be surrounded by a group of people who agree with you, egg you on, and deny that snarky remarks are anything but justifiably impassioned declarations. This really is not the path upon which critical thinking skills are prone to kick in. Authorities say this can lead to “deficits in processing information” that could then lead to even more emotion-packed responses – an online vicious circle.
The hurt that is caused is unseen -- but it has consequences. These are called “negative outcomes” in the scientific literature, and one of them is “online disinhibition.” This basically means that, without seeing the damage that is done, the social media behavior is likely to continue. There is less “cognitive empathy,” which in plain English means low levels of a very endearing human emotion known as compassion.
For anyone who thinks fighting the I-5 traffic and searching like a prowling tiger for a parking space at the top of OHSU’s medical campus is a small price to pay for getting some answers for a snark-attack victim, you are correct! But, as it turns out, the individual who prompted my journey to the medical library didn’t really need this from me.
In one of the nicest surprises of recent small-town life, I actually met him, face-to-face, at none other than a city council meeting. He’d decided to do the hard thing, show up and tell the city councilors about his own online snark-bite injury. Unfortunately, after his testimony, he left too soon for me to be able to share with him another lesson I learned during my dive into the etiology of snark attacks.
It sounds so basic, but there are protections, and they are the stuff of a full life. A loving family, good friends, and other personal bonds; These provide a bulwark when bad things happen to good people online. And keep in mind that adults who launch these snark attacks may be lacking these fundamentals, with perhaps chat groups as their outlet.
So, there you have it. A man who once seemed so wounded on a phone call to me several weeks ago took his complaint directly to a city council. And even though I know him hardly at all, I saw his courage. He stepped to a public microphone, spoke in a heartfelt way and, when he faltered a bit, I saw his wife rise and reach out to him.
Every so often an everyday hero who inhabits our locality comes forward, just like this man did – seemingly uncomfortable giving testimony but using the public podium anyway, to address those on the dais. Afterward, people like this resident often say to me, in the foyer outside the council chambers, that they don’t know if their words did any good. Who am I to tell them that they did? I lack a crystal ball.
But for anyone who is badly snark-bitten, let me fearlessly predict that indeed you can make a difference, by taking on cyberbullies with certainty and self-belief. ▪
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, February 21, 2025
Some residents have said they are afraid to testify at city council meetings because they fear online backlash in the form of postings by viewers and, in some cases, by city councilors. Some call such reactions a "dog pile" of negative commentary; others refer to it as "getting clobbered" online. However, to Trammart News, which researched the issue two years ago, they're "snark attacks." A revisit of an editorial about them seemed appropriate as city budget time begins.
Whether you are rich, poor, young, old, occupy a high-level profession or clean closets for a living, I can guarantee you that a snark attack starts the very same way for anyone on the receiving end of one. It may be the common equalizer of our time.
You see words, the words are about you, they say hurtful things and they are posted for others to see, too. I know whereof I speak, since snark attacks are part of my life, and something to which I unfailingly respond, “thank you for the comment.”
After all, cyberbullying, as it is called, is part of that great and glorious right we all enjoy, freedom of speech. And in my work, I seem to invite it. So, I try to never show anything but appreciation for these online outbursts or internet posts about coverage I’ve provided. But the swirl of controversy about micro-shelters in Monmouth has caused me to rethink that unyielding viewpoint.
A resident with thoughts on the matter doesn’t have the rhino skin of a reporter. So, when I heard from a snark-attacked member of the community, sympathy was my only reaction.
“I have been kicked out of this chat room,” came a voice on the phone. Why the boot? Simple. It was a difference of opinion on the homeless issue – a difference that several others, allegedly including at least one elected official, saw as a cause for verbal action.
I wasn’t surprised. I’ve been hearing complaints for the past couple of years that vitriol is regularly delivered via the internet. It’s now so prevalent – even by public figures – that many forums and Facebook groups have rules against it. Unfortunately, as a public records request of the city I cover shows, there’s no policy or guide for online behavior by city councilors or commissioners.
So, I told this caller I wasn’t sure how I could help, but I’d look into it, which is pretty much what I say to anyone who contacts me.
Once I established that there isn’t a recommended social media code of conduct down at city hall for public officeholders, I decided to simply be the nerd I am. So, I researched this topic with the fervor of a duck on a June bug.
For any of you who are like this resident, who was involuntarily removed from a chat room for expressing an opinion contrary to the group, I’ve turned up a few science-based observations on cyberbullying. They’re straight from OHSU’s biomedical library which, on the day I recently visited, was chock full of helpful staff and database tools. In fact, if you would like some references, I now have $15 worth of copies from publications ranging from the surprisingly readable “Psychological Bulletin” to a journal with a lot more jargon, “Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology.”
Here are several reasons for snark attacks, and they apply to people you might think wouldn’t engage in such tactics but do. Bear in mind these are so boiled-down that I expect many scholars would take umbrage at the way my 1-4 statements have been framed.
Covid made us meaner. To be fair, the pandemic affected some of us a whole lot more that way than others. Experts don’t know why. But the loss of civility is rampant. Some say the coronavirus accelerated this trend and didn’t create it. This much is known: it can be far worse online, where de-escalation is not at all the norm and avatar names may be used. One researcher found that snarky tweets directed at state leaders went way up, showing that now “people evaluate government’s performance through actions other than voting.” You may think we don’t need a study to prove that, but now there is one.
Adults can be as bad as kids. Intuitively, you know this, right? The reason we don’t have anti-bullying programs for grown-ups is because few middle-aged cyberbullies see it as a problem. They really don’t. Instead, they tend to see it as a visible means for demonstrating their righteous indignation. “Ordinary people can, under the right circumstances, behave like trolls,” confirmed one article, a rather unsurprising conclusion.
Echo chambers create know-it-alls. Got a cause you want to rally around? Whether you are saving the tuna fish or fighting for more study on the boson particle, you are very likely to be surrounded by a group of people who agree with you, egg you on, and deny that snarky remarks are anything but justifiably impassioned declarations. This really is not the path upon which critical thinking skills are prone to kick in. Authorities say this can lead to “deficits in processing information” that could then lead to even more emotion-packed responses – an online vicious circle.
The hurt that is caused is unseen -- but it has consequences. These are called “negative outcomes” in the scientific literature, and one of them is “online disinhibition.” This basically means that, without seeing the damage that is done, the social media behavior is likely to continue. There is less “cognitive empathy,” which in plain English means low levels of a very endearing human emotion known as compassion.
For anyone who thinks fighting the I-5 traffic and searching like a prowling tiger for a parking space at the top of OHSU’s medical campus is a small price to pay for getting some answers for a snark-attack victim, you are correct! But, as it turns out, the individual who prompted my journey to the medical library didn’t really need this from me.
In one of the nicest surprises of recent small-town life, I actually met him, face-to-face, at none other than a city council meeting. He’d decided to do the hard thing, show up and tell the city councilors about his own online snark-bite injury. Unfortunately, after his testimony, he left too soon for me to be able to share with him another lesson I learned during my dive into the etiology of snark attacks.
It sounds so basic, but there are protections, and they are the stuff of a full life. A loving family, good friends, and other personal bonds; These provide a bulwark when bad things happen to good people online. And keep in mind that adults who launch these snark attacks may be lacking these fundamentals, with perhaps chat groups as their outlet.
So, there you have it. A man who once seemed so wounded on a phone call to me several weeks ago took his complaint directly to a city council. And even though I know him hardly at all, I saw his courage. He stepped to a public microphone, spoke in a heartfelt way and, when he faltered a bit, I saw his wife rise and reach out to him.
Every so often an everyday hero who inhabits our locality comes forward, just like this man did – seemingly uncomfortable giving testimony but using the public podium anyway, to address those on the dais. Afterward, people like this resident often say to me, in the foyer outside the council chambers, that they don’t know if their words did any good. Who am I to tell them that they did? I lack a crystal ball.
But for anyone who is badly snark-bitten, let me fearlessly predict that indeed you can make a difference, by taking on cyberbullies with certainty and self-belief. ▪
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