Panel votes to suspend Ms. Lawson-Muhammad
It's the joy that people seem to be taking in attacking a member of our community as if they have never made a mistake. The holier than thou attitude that is so prevalent on this thread.
Steve said:
It's the joy that people seem to be taking in attacking a member of our community as if they have never made a mistake. The holier than thou attitude that is so prevalent on this thread.
I've made mistakes. That said, I have never tried to use my position to avoid the legal consequences of my action. What you are failing to realize is that this is a special kind of bad. It isn't just immoral, it undermines the sustainability of our political system.
DaveSchmidt said:
cramer said:If I were a commission member, the complainant’s color. whatever it was, would not be lost on me. (I’m one of those whites who see race.) How that would influence my thinking, I don’t know. Which would make me want fellow commission members of other races and life experiences to discuss my conclusions with.
cramer said:DaveSchmidt?
Does the fact that an African-American brought the complaint before the Ethics Commission factor into the Commission's decision?
Would the decision have been the same if a white had brought the complaint before the Commission?
If the complainant were white, would the commission, with its current composition, have been less likely to rule in favor of the complainant for fear it would be charged with racism if it ruled in favor of the complainant?
eta - Perhaps I should say "members of the commission" instead of "commission."
cramer said:If the complainant were white, would the commission, with its current composition, have been less likely to rule in favor of the complainant for fear it would be charged with racism if it ruled in favor of the complainant?
The written decision conveys no race-consciousness as it is, so I doubt it. I have to admit, though, that I'm not understanding the purpose of your question, since a more broadly representative board would offer hope of a practical corrective in either case.
Unless and until we seek a municipal elected position and then act in a manner consistent with that displayed on the video, our opinions do not in any way indicate a ‘holier than thou’ position.
Period.
Robert_Casotto said:
Unless and until we seek a municipal elected position and then act in a manner consistent with that displayed on the video, our opinions do not in any way indicate a ‘holier than though’ position.
Period.
**** off. You posts are consistently unfunny and one need not seek nor obtain elected office to maintain a holier than thou voice.
Robert_Casotto said:
Unless and until we seek a municipal elected position and then act in a manner consistent with that displayed on the video, our opinions do not in any way indicate a ‘holier than though’ position.
Period.
I served in an elected position for 6 years and managed to not embarrass the community in the National News by trying to abuse my "authority", but my opinion doesn't seem to matter either. 
Steve said:
Robert_Casotto said:**** off. You posts are consistently unfunny and one need not seek nor obtain elected office to maintain a holier than thou voice.
Unless and until we seek a municipal elected position and then act in a manner consistent with that displayed on the video, our opinions do not in any way indicate a ‘holier than though’ position.
Period.
“You” posts are consistently very funny.
Now it's "attacking".... because you are defending?
Telling someone to **** off would have gotten you banned a few years back on MOL. Why are some of you so defensive of this woman? Because of her race? When she was the only one in this drama using a racial slur? I feel like telling you to go **** off too!
mayhewdrive said:
I served in an elected position for 6 years and managed to not embarrass the community in the National News by trying to abuse my "authority", but my opinion doesn't seem to matter either.
Can’t say we haven’t asked.
DaveSchmidt said:
Now it’s your turn: Are you OK with white male panels deciding disciplinary cases? And is Rule (e) still as damning and clear to you as it is to me?
Jaytee said:
Why are some of you so defensive of this woman?
Shall we start again from the beginning of this 11-page thread?
Klinker said:... What you are failing to realize is that this is a special kind of bad. It isn't just immoral, it undermines the sustainability of our political system.
What the hell...
“Undermines the sustainability of our political system” ?!
Open a window baby- get some air up in there
if a white board member had told the police officer to go talk his n***r boss instead of a black member referring to his sk****ad one, would the board member still have so many posters excusing her actions? Just curious. We all have bad days but there is a limit to what can be excused by them Raising Sheena’s name bothers me less
Then this foul and inexcusable language
librarylady said:
if a white board member had told the police officer to go talk his n***r boss instead of a black member referring to his sk****ad one, would the board member still have so many posters excusing her actions? Just curious.
Again, we keep trying to change the context. (And again, posters keep saying “excusing.”) Everything in your version — from the driver’s life experience to the history and force of the epithet — would be different.
I don't know, but I think this has been needlessly over-complicated over these 300+ comments.
Seems to me that whenever you lay down the "don't you know who I am" card, whether in a traffic stop or in some other interaction where you're hoping for preferential treatment, you either impress the person you're trying to get the preferential treatment from or you don't, and, once that part is settled, you either get busted for having used (or tried) that tactic or you don't.
You spin the wheel and you take your chances; Ms. Lawson-Muhammad came up short on both. And that's probably for the best, because if she'd succeeded at the first thing but still gotten busted for trying, I'm pretty sure the School Ethics Commission would have recommended she be removed and not just suspended.
Life is simple when you’re white
So if you ever run a light
You meet a cop without a fright
“Officer Francis!”
He’s a pro, and you’re no sap
You’ll be done in just a snap
Calmly plot to beat the rap
Take your chances!
Was anything simmering between Walter Fields and SLM that might have prompted him to file the complaint?
Yeah. What’s the Walter Fields angle in this? Were people on the board opposed to him in some way? Or was he opposed to them for some reason?
My understanding is that SLM and Baker are unlikely to be sympathetic to components of Fields' lawsuit against the district.
This is a link to the page on the Black Parents Workshop website which lists all of the documents and correspondence in the case:
https://blackparentsworkshop.org/civic-engagement Whether it was Walter Fields, or Storm Field or Sally Field who initiated the complaint who cares. They weren’t the ones caught on tape here.
Mr. Fields should be commended in this instance, in my view.
Robert_Casotto said:
Whether it was Walter Fields, or Storm Field or Sally Field who initiated the complaint who cares. They weren’t the ones caught on tape here.
Mr. Fields should be commended in this instance, in my view.
OK. Then in his role as one of the BOE kingmakers, it appears this was a well executed move.
sprout said:
Robert_Casotto said:OK. Then in his role as one of the BOE kingmakers, it appears this was a well executed move.
Whether it was Walter Fields, or Storm Field or Sally Field who initiated the complaint who cares. They weren’t the ones caught on tape here.
Mr. Fields should be commended in this instance, in my view.
Just curious. You are ok with the behavior on the tape? It’s ok to behave that way? And are you familiar at all with police or professional courtesy with law enforcement?
mammabear said:
sprout said:Just curious. You are ok with the behavior on the tape? It’s ok to behave that way? And are you familiar at all with police or professional courtesy with law enforcement?
Robert_Casotto said:OK. Then in his role as one of the BOE kingmakers, it appears this was a well executed move.
Whether it was Walter Fields, or Storm Field or Sally Field who initiated the complaint who cares. They weren’t the ones caught on tape here.
Mr. Fields should be commended in this instance, in my view.
I guess you haven't read the past 11 pages.
mammabear said:
Just curious. You are ok with the behavior on the tape? It’s ok to behave that way?
As a mammabear, you’re probably familiar with parenting. When my wife and I were raising our son, he’d behave badly at times. When he did, we didn’t excuse it. We didn’t say, “We’re OK with that!”
What we did was try to understand the reason for the bad behavior. That determined the level of our anger, and what his punishment would be.
Stephanie Lawson-Muhammad is not a child, but the same attempt to understand, and to temper or stiffen judgment accordingly, applies at any age. Most who did that here came to one conclusion. Is it really that hard to grasp how others might see mitigating circumstances and decide differently — without assuming that we want to give her an ice cream cone?
DaveSchmidt said:
As a mammabear, you’re probably familiar with parenting. When my wife and I were raising our son, he’d behave badly at times. When he did, we didn’t excuse it. We didn’t say, “We’re OK with that!”
What we did was try to understand the reason for the bad behavior. That determined the level of our anger, and what his punishment would be.
Stephanie Lawson-Muhammad is not a child, but the same attempt to understand, and to temper or stiffen judgment accordingly, applies at any age. Most who did that here came to one conclusion. Is it really that hard to grasp how others might see mitigating circumstances and decide differently — without having to explain that we’re not giving her an ice cream cone?
So close. You had me up until your last (partial) sentence. Our response to her behavior needs to be more severe than 'not give her an ice cream cone'.
Red_Barchetta said:
So close.
The Phillies’ underrated radio announcer, Scott Franzke, after Bryce Harper scored from first on a single tonight against Minnesota: “I wish I could get my twins to nap like that.”
This is entirely silly. Didn't Lawson-Muhammed apologize to the officer, chief, and Sheena? Weren't those apologies accepted? Continually picking at a tiny healing scab, particularly when race is involved, serves no purpose, especially in the era of peak white identity politics and judgment is being handed down by a group of white men. Don't excuse the behavior, but keep it in perspective.
Regarding the personal attacks in this thread, just stop or I'll call Sheena.
Sponsored Business
Promote your business here - Businesses get highlighted throughout the site and you can add a deal.
Featured Events
-
Go "Back to the '70s" with The Maplewood Glee Club and Special Guests from CHS
May 19, 2024 at 4:00pm
What the heck does that have to do with someone’s proported bad behavior? It’s such deflection.
Honestly, this thing should have been addressed and year ago and we would not even need to be still talking about it. And Ms LM would have already moved on with her life. Instead, the plot thickens and the drama increases. No one wins in this scenario.