This version of the disruptive person’s policy addresses online behavior. We do not yet have a policy regarding in-person behavior, beyond our Consent Culture statement.
(Gratitude to Rev. Patrick Price (former CUUPS board member), Rev. Ron Robinson (founder of a fellow covenanting community) and Rev. Judy Welles for contributing to this first draft.)
- (When grappling with an antagonist) Don't put anything in written, electronic or duplicatable form that you don't want in the public or used against you or the organizations you represent (individually and collectively).
- Don't feed the antagonist’s need for attention. (If you know or suspect you are dealing with an antagonist, do not engage in any form of communication. Block from Facebook, ban from comments, etc. Project confident apathy toward the antagonist, and any defenders or detractors. Implement a 1 week freeze for new member joins for Facebook pages, for instance, because after you ban the antagonist’s profile s/he may create a new one in order to join.) Also use moderated status for a reasonable period after a conflict or antagonist’s presence. Note: Individuals are NOT restricted from taking appropriate legal action to protect themselves.
- Make sure all affected parties are on the same page and not working at cross purposes. Solidarity, communication, coordination. (Immediately inform the whole board about your experience with the known or suspected antagonist. Review this policy.)
- Put public findings/decisions in the public sphere, and keep private ones private. Don't share things with those with questionable loyalties or impulse control issues. Do share official statements (e.g. post to those who were in the space with him that he has been banned and why. Reiterate as with covenanting community facebook and social media that you and your values own the space and it is not a publicly owned space where any and all voices are considered equal.)
- Consult a REALLY good lawyer about where the various legal boundaries are in your context. Things like libel, slander, stalking, harassment, all have technical legal definitions. Don't throw them around unless it is clearly understood by all parties what definitions are being used.
- For things out of our control, such as communications with the UUA, but where the antagonist may have talked about us to others or in other social media spaces, post your same statement (from item 4) and ask any moderators of such sites to implement civility, respect, and fact-based conversation. Anytime an antagonist latches on, please let Director of Communications at the UUA know.
- The CUUPS board will respect and work with the policies that are internal to CUUPS chapters and congregations.
Useful resource: bichaunt.org/Trolls/index.html “Trollspotting”
