If I understand Autumn's point about talking to hipMama and mamatron admins about their board experiences it would be in the interest of learning what problems their POC boards have faced so that we can benefit from their experience. I don't think the intention is to find out from them who their troublemakers were/are. That would be entirely inappropriate in my opinion. We deal with what comes our way on our terms and guidelines. But several of our members are under the impression that a major player in hipMama's downfall was the MOC board. And that's what worries them - concern that it may bring us problems as it did hipMama.
So yes, it might be worthwhile to speak to Bea and the mods who resigned from hipMama. And perhaps Mamatron admin too.
I've checked out a few MOC boards around the web. I'm sorry to say that it was a disappointing read. Practically all of the discussions related to parenting and being a SAHM, WAHM, etc. were discussions that are no different than what we have on our boards. On the biggest and most active board found in my search I found a total of two threads that asked obvious POC questions. One was asking where to find toys that portray POC. Another was a complaint about the lack of POC Disney films. The rest were all about the usual questions we all have - what helps start labor naturally, how to co-sleep and be well rested, juggling homeschooling and housework and play, and other such all-color parenting questions. If this is the sort of discussions that will take place - what's the need for a separate board?
Yes we have set up a Queer parenting board and a Dads board. But some even disagree with the need for that, considering it to encourage separatism amongst us. What we should rather do is define our guidelines and acceptable posting behavior and insist on its implementation rather than feel the need to create "safe spaces" for certain identifying parents to discuss topics. The Dads board did bring us some new dad members. But they are not that active across the boards as we had hoped. I would fear the same for the POC should we open a board for them.
Do we need to separate parents of color from the other parents on the board for discussion sake? Why? Is it merely to organize or encourage discussion amongst them? Because we are becoming soooo board heavy we have set criteria for opening new boards. And we are considering removing boards that are barely active.
There has to be a demonstrated need for a board. So far the majority voices have said if it's wanted it should be granted. It's not that simple I'm afraid. If we were to open boards on that basis we'd have over one hundred boards!
Our usual procedure is to start up a thread and get people to post to see the need and feel for a board. Abimommy started a thread in the Finding Your Tribe board for mothers of color but it petered out pretty quickly without much discussion brought up other than an interest in a separate forum. It's here:
http://mothering.com/discussions/sho...&threadid=8108
What I'd like to suggest at this point is the same I suggest to anyone who requests a board. Set up a thread titling it appropriately and get to talkin'! If the thread stays active, draws people to discussion, and proves itself to be a need then it may indeed deserve a place in the board sun as a separate board all to itself. Or as a subforum within an existing board. So why not start with that and let's see how it goes. You can use the thread in FYT that abimommy started. Or you can set a new one up in Parenting Issues if you feel that to be more appropriate. Wherever you choose to place it the important thing is to create discussion, not about a need for a board for POC but about parenting topics of interest and concern to POC.
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