[IAEP] [SLOBS] Arbitration request: Caryl Bigenho a first warning for moderation [WAS: Re: Improving our Code of Conduct (was: Re: Code of Conduct Motion to add Anti-harassment policy - Sugar Labs)

[Bert Freudenberg]

Dear Laura, Caryl, all.

I have tried for the past 4 weeks to mediate between you and Caryl, and
some other outspoken members of the Sugar Labs community.

Unfortunately, I have failed.

My decision in this arbitration was to not give Caryl a warning, but to
call for a more polite tone in the community in general. I also tried to
make Laura and others aware of how impolite or even aggressive their past
communication was. Some have admitted to being overly aggressive at times,
and promised to try better. Others see nothing wrong with their behavior
and keep pushing aggressively for their goals, no matter the cost. Laura
has not accepted my decision.

I am unable to do fulfill my role as Ombudsperson if the community does not
want to heal the wounds and start over.

That is why I am resigning. I am very sorry.

I wish you all the best,
Bert Freudenberg

On Sat, Oct 7, 2017 at 5:45 PM, Laura Vargas <laura at somosazucar.org> wrote:

>
> Dear Ombudsman,
>
> On yesterday's meeting
> <http://meeting.sugarlabs.org/sugar-meeting/meetings/2017-10-06T19:00:31>
> I was publicly remarked by Walter Bender as having made a "charge of
> harassment" twice:
>
> 19:02     walterbender     Before we get to the agenda, I just want to
> report publicly that I am in touch with our ombudsman and he is
> investigating the charge of harassment.
>
> 19:10     walterbender     kaametza: we are in the process of arbitrating
> a charge of harassment issued after your motion, but based upon procedures
> outlined years ago.
>
>
>
>
> *Clearly I haven't present any charge of harassment. I only requested an
> arbitration process because I felt I was disrespected. *
> This evidences the lack of objectivity Walter has toward me.
>
>
>
> *Please, I do request Walter Bender to recuse himself from this
> arbitration process. *
> Regards,
>
> Laura Victoria
>
>
> 2017-10-06 3:02 GMT-05:00 Laura Vargas <laura at somosazucar.org>:
>
>>
>> Seven years ago back in 2010, the systems labs team in the city of Puno
>> (by the Titicaca Lake) had implemented a customized Debian distribution
>> that allow them to have "Two Children Per Computer" by simply adding one
>> additional Screen and one additional Keyboard.
>>
>> *Yes, it is true: I do not agree with the premise of "Una Computadora Por
>> Niño" because I have seen technology to do better than that. *
>>
>> This way of thinking has brought me many challenges and opposition, like
>> Caryl's.
>>
>> With Caryl's communication of October 4, 2017
>> <http://lists.sugarlabs.org/archive/iaep/2017-October/020292.html>, I
>> feel I have been disrespected and also has Sebastian.
>>
>> Although this is not the first time/event where I have received on
>> behalf of Caryl Beringho words that cause me discomfort, it is with her
>> October 4, 2017 communication, that Caryl goes beyond the line of what
>> is "acceptable in our culture" by referring to the behavior that Sebastian
>> and / or I must/should have with respect to our mothers.
>>
>> In Latin culture, we value deeply the roll of the mother. Not only our
>> biological mothers but also our great mother earth. To use or call the name
>> of someone's mother to mock or silent a person is extremely rude and
>> disrespectful.
>>
>> Please see the reference: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/tu_madre
>>
>> What I interpret in the best of cases is that Caryl's intention was to
>> mock and/or ridicule our initiative to upgrade the Code of Conduct.
>>
>> As this is a community that depends on the existence, participation and
>> well-being of the children we serve:
>>
>> I do not approve Caryl's lack of respect to me and Sebastian on her
>> October 4, 2017 communication, nor her reluctance to accept this community
>> has active children participating.
>>
>> I hope for the Board to call for a neutral RESPONSE TEAM to address my
>> request, specifically I ask *all board/community members conflicted with
>> my statement about the "Una Computadora Por Niño" premise to recuse
>> themselves from this RESPONSE TEAM and/or this arbitration process.*
>>
>> Back to work now.
>>
>> As David Ally recently shared, children of the world need us!
>>
>>
>> Laura Victoria
>>
>>
>> 2017-10-05 6:22 GMT-05:00 Walter Bender <walter.bender at gmail.com>:
>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Wed, Oct 4, 2017 at 11:00 PM, Laura Vargas <laura at somosazucar.org>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Dear SLOBs and community members;
>>>>
>>>> cc Ombusman
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> We need to clearly state every member when interacting within the Sugar
>>>> Labs project channels is expected to serve as an example for children.
>>>>
>>>> This is logical as within Sugar Labs, children make software,
>>>> documentation, art, testing, etc.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> *I am sad because today, again, me and my family have been mistreated
>>>> on a Sugar Labs mailing list by a Sugar Labs member.*
>>>> I am sad because our Code of Conduct is not sufficient to deal with
>>>> these situations and other than Walter no other SLOB notice me needing the
>>>> addition of the anti-harassment Policy earlier.
>>>>
>>>> It is necessary we make a *list of acceptable and unacceptably
>>>> behaviors within Sugar Labs communication channels *so we can add that
>>>> to the Sugar Labs Code of Conduct.
>>>>
>>>> In this case Caryl might be unaware: in our culture, it is completely
>>>> unacceptable to mention someone's mother.
>>>>
>>>> Sebastian's mother is my mother in law, a real person.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> So my petition is: to send Caryl a first warning for moderation and a
>>>> suggestion to apologize to Sebastian.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Thank you for your consideration.
>>>>
>>>> Regards,
>>>>
>>>> Laura V
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> 2017-10-04 19:34 GMT-05:00 Caryl Bigenho <cbigenho at hotmail.com>:
>>>>
>>>>> Sebastian,
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> In my culture and, possibly in James's culture, accusations such as
>>>>> this one you are making against James, and the one Laura made against me a
>>>>> few weeks ago, are considered "harassment"... actually, extreme harassment.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Caryl,
>>>>
>>>> We are far from understanding what your culture is.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> You are denying us the freedom to express our opinions or feelings in
>>>>> a rational way without fearing reprisals and intimidation as what the two
>>>>> of you have chosen to do.
>>>>>
>>>> We are all adults here (at least will be after Samson turns 18 on
>>>>> Halloween 😊 ). It's time we start acting like adults and stop
>>>>> "running to Mommie!"
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>> In my culture you can be a "Grannie" but it would still be* extremelly
>>>> rude and disrespectful*l to talk about someone's mother.
>>>>
>>>> I may have to make you realize this person you are talking about
>>>> actually exists!
>>>>
>>>> We are a family.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> GrannieB
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> ------------------------------
>>>>> *From:* IAEP <iaep-bounces at lists.sugarlabs.org> on behalf of
>>>>> Sebastian Silva <sebastian at fuentelibre.org>
>>>>> *Sent:* Tuesday, October 3, 2017 7:41 PM
>>>>> *To:* James Cameron; Laura Vargas
>>>>> *Cc:* iaep; SLOBs
>>>>> *Subject:* [IAEP] Improving our Code of Conduct (was: Re: Code of
>>>>> Conduct Motion to add Anti-harassment policy - Sugar Labs)
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Hi,
>>>>>
>>>>> I had asked that we discuss changes to our Code of Conduct in a wiki
>>>>> page <https://wiki.sugarlabs.org/go/Sugar_Labs/Conduct> I have worked
>>>>> on, where I put the result of a lot of research.
>>>>>
>>>>> The time I spent, back in January, on this document, is because I
>>>>> myself felt not only harassed but threatened. It came as a realization
>>>>> then, that perhaps more people have had similar experiences and have
>>>>> abandoned Sugar Labs because they were less tenacious than others.
>>>>> Hopefully you'll find the references I put there (beyond geek feminism)
>>>>> interesting. They represent a broad spectrum of approaches to making a
>>>>> community more welcoming.
>>>>>
>>>>> I found our current Code of Conduct
>>>>> <https://wiki.sugarlabs.org/go/Sugar_Labs/Legal/Code_of_Conduct> was
>>>>> not sufficient because (1) it is vague and difficult to evaluate when it's
>>>>> been infringed. Cultures vary widely with regard to what is
>>>>> *considerate*, *respectful*, *collaborative*, and *flexible*. It
>>>>> would be much better if specific acceptable or not acceptable behaviors
>>>>> were listed. (2) There is no defined procedure on how to report a problem
>>>>> and what the expected outcome, timeline, or response could be. (3) There's
>>>>> no defined solution or action such as warning or temporarily moderating a
>>>>> person to signal bad behavior.
>>>>>
>>>>> James, you insist on victimizing yourself and have a confrontational
>>>>> form of writing. Perhaps I'm misreading you. Please improve your tone. I
>>>>> have only seen vague complaints on the alleged dispute (*"rate of
>>>>> posting and Wiki editing"*, and *"use of many paths to achieve your
>>>>> goals"*).
>>>>>
>>>>> If all of this is because I had the audacity to merge an icon, I feel
>>>>> your attitude is disproportionate, unfair and itself sufficient for a
>>>>> complaint. Trying to flag my github profile seems particularly aggressive
>>>>> and harmful, considering the market use of such profiles.
>>>>>
>>>>> The trademarked icon has already been reinstated in master branch, but
>>>>> my valid concern (that neither Sugar Labs nor downstream distributors have
>>>>> permission to use it), has not been resolved. I raised the same question
>>>>> openly in 2016, and you responded with sarcasm
>>>>> <http://meeting.sugarlabs.org/sugar-meeting/meetings/2016-04-01T19:01:31#i_2864254>.
>>>>> I don't think this is acceptable.
>>>>>
>>>>> At the moment I don't support Laura's motion because I think it's
>>>>> necessary to write something more specific for Sugar Labs, taking into
>>>>> consideration the other references listed in the page at the least.
>>>>>
>>>>> Regards,
>>>>>
>>>>> Sebastian
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Laura V.
>>>> * I&D SomosAZUCAR.Org*
>>>>
>>>> “Solo la tecnología libre nos hará libres.”
>>>> ~ L. Victoria
>>>>
>>>> Happy Learning!
>>>> #LearningByDoing
>>>> #Projects4good
>>>> #IDesignATSugarLabs
>>>> #WeCanDoBetter
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> SLOBs mailing list
>>>> SLOBs at lists.sugarlabs.org
>>>> http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/slobs
>>>>
>>>>
>>> Laura,
>>>
>>> Your claim of harassment is very serious and the oversight board will
>>> take it very seriously. Please provide to the board any supporting
>>> materials you may have to back up your claim. Of course you understand why
>>> you must recuse yourself from the deliberations of the board on this
>>> matter. We will be in touch.
>>>
>>> regards.
>>>
>>> -walter
>>>
>>> --
>>> Walter Bender
>>> Sugar Labs
>>> http://www.sugarlabs.org
>>> <http://www.sugarlabs.org>
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Laura V.
>> * I&D SomosAZUCAR.Org*
>>
>> “Solo la tecnología libre nos hará libres.”
>> ~ L. Victoria
>>
>> Happy Learning!
>> #LearningByDoing
>> #Projects4good
>> #IDesignATSugarLabs
>> #WeCanDoBetter
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> IAEP -- It's An Education Project (not a laptop project!)
>> IAEP at lists.sugarlabs.org
>> http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/iaep
>>
>
>
>
> --
> Laura V.
> * I&D SomosAZUCAR.Org*
>
> “Solo la tecnología libre nos hará libres.”
> ~ L. Victoria
>
> Happy Learning!
> #LearningByDoing
> #Projects4good
> #IDesignATSugarLabs
> #WeCanDoBetter
>
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