Addressing Inquiries Regarding Tahoma Parents Anonymous Method of Advocacy
The support for Tahoma Parents since its initial release has been overwhelmingly positive. We have been contacted by many parents who wish to support the cause, share stories, and provide constructive yet supportive feedback on things we can do better. While most correspondence has affirmed the need for this group, we have received a couple messages expressing negative yet expected insults to our cause.
Thus far, the stated dissents have not attacked our content, but rather the fact that we are advocating for things such as district transparency while allowing parents to remain anonymous. While these messages were much more “colorfully” worded (and sent from anonymous accounts themselves), the general theme seems to be the same.
Do the parents contributing to this site believe they are justified in advocating for district transparency while remaining anonymous?
The short answer is YES! Anonymous advocacy is something that has taken place since the founding of our nation. A great example of this can be seen with Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay. These founders advocated for the ratification of the US Constitution under the pen name “Publius” in various New York State newspapers. The articles are now known as the Federalist Papers and are a major part of both our history and modern constitutional law.
As stated in a bench memo by Professor Franck, Associate Director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions, and Lecturer in Politics at Princeton University, "...writing under a pseudonym did not, in itself, do anyone any harm, and...such concealment 'is not necessarily a cowardly or sinister act.' As the original Publius argued in Federalist No. 1, keeping one's identity concealed can force readers to focus on the quality of your arguments, rather than on personalities. It's harder to get ad hominem about a writer you can't identify. So a pseudonym can serve a good purpose in public discourse."
The district is the entity that is accountable to the public, not parents trying to resolve problems for their children. While the concerns of anonymity are certainly understandable, those who take issue should first ask why many feel as though they can no longer advocate publicly. Many parents have experienced reprisal for advocating for their children. Many business owners have faced pressure and threats of boycott from Tahoma teachers union (TEA) members for supporting parental rights candidates publicly.
By advocating anonymously, concerned parents can continue to engage without reprisal, allowing all engaged members to focus on the quality of statements vs. the individual making them.
Tahoma Parents welcomes both constructive feedback and new facts regarding issues we may not be aware of. We are constantly updating stories as new facts are submitted. We will report on both positive actions by the district and concerns of parents within the district. We are not here to slander or bash the district, but rather raise awareness to the concerns many parents believe are going unheard. We believe most district employees are outstanding citizens, teachers, and staff members who wish to address these concerns and want what is best for our children. We thank our professional educators whose primary focus is quality education.
