What is acceptable and what is not acceptable - the what, when, why and how to participate

[AussieHomeschool]

AHS has an extensive section of Terms & Conditions, Guidelines, Netiquette and Policies. However, our forum guidelines have not been strict nor set out in point form. In this section, we endeavour to do that.



HOW TO POST ON THE FORUMS

1. Pre-existing. Does my question or comment already exist? Check first. Browse the sections or use the Forum Search Bar at the top right of the main page.
2. Do Choose Correct Category. Can other people looking for answers find my topic?
3. Do Write Clear title. Does my title give a clear indication of my topic?
4. Do Write Clear Questions or Statements. Do people understand what I am asking? Have I used the edit options to set out my post clearly?
5. Avoid Using Excessive Capitals. On the web, exclusive capitals equals shouting.

WHAT TO POST ON THE FORUMS

6. Your Own Words. It is your own? Only post your own words. External information can be provided by a link and/or a single sentence or short paragraph. Forums are relational - we want to get to know you and your thoughts, not opinions that you agree with. We also have no wish to infringe on anyone's copyright.
7. Remember the Audience. Not everyone is female. Not everyone is Christian. Even if there are many Christians, not everyone is the same denomination or persuasion as you are. (*more notes?)
8. Use Quotes Concisely. Only quote the part of the post you are directly addressing. Keep in mind that readers can most likely still see the post you are quoting from and can read it again if need be.
9. Don't Beat A Dead Horse. Don't push one topic to the exclusion or overshadowing of all others. Don't become known as "the member who always rattles on about...." AussieHomeschool is for everyone (all 3,845 members) not just for one or two people or one or two opinions.
10. Don't Be Divisive. Many topics are a matter of conviction and/or preference. These include topics such as (but not limited to): The Trinity, Bible Translations, Baptism, Diet, Vaccinations, etc. AussieHomeschool is for binding together in the unity of homeschooling, not dividing over matters of conviction. See here for our Statement of Belief.
11. Do Post Encouragement. As a general rule focus on posting encouraging articles, links and/or opinions regarding our role as wives, mothers, and homeschoolers. Build each other up in these tasks.
12. Do Post Technical Queries. When making a technical inquiry or request for technical assistance, include as much technical information as possible, especially in the subject line, so that your query can be handled as swiftly as possible. Link to Tech Support Forum.
13. Don't Hijack. Stay true to the original question. If other questions arise, start a new thread and provide a link from the old thread to the new thread.

WHEN TO POST ON THE FORUM

14. Don't Be A Forum Hog. Are you being heard too often, particularly on the same subject. Consider the timing, frequency and volume of your posts. Active regular involvement is good. Over expressing opinions is not. Avoid being the dominant voice.
15. Don't Push Your Barrow. A business, opinion, or personal beliefs anywhere in the forums - including by PM - even if it is a method of homeschooling or Christianity. Know your audience.
16. Do Respect Privacy. Don't reveal members personal information to any other member or non-member (including their real life name).
17. Do Post To Share Relevant Info. This forum is for encouragement and empowerment in our lives as wives (spouse), parents, and homeschoolers. Please share here anything that will help each other to achieve these goals.
18. Do Ask For Help. This forum is for your encouragement too. Please ask questions freely - the members here are a wealth of information and encouragement.


WHERE TO POST IN THE FORUM

19. Do Post in the Correct Category. Please post your question, comment, or link where others can find it again. In this way we can build a strong resource for the homeschooling community.

WHO CAN POST IN THE FORUMS

EVERYONE!

Everyone should feel free to post. To make this a safe place to do so, everyone needs to remember these things:

20. Do Post As Yourself. Please only post as yourself. Do not allow others (including family) to post on your account. Encourage others to create their own account, even if it will only be occasional use. Your account is your identity to other members. Allowing nonmembers to post on your account compromises the safety and privacy of other members.
21. Do Respect Other People. Other peoples time (we all have families to care for), internet connection (not everyone is lucky enough to have a quick internet connection) and opinions (they have probably researched and experienced just as much as you).
22. Do Be Quick to Forgive other peoples mistakes. They will have plenty of opportunity to forgive you.
23. Do Refrain from lashing out at a poorly behaving member or participating in a flame war. Instead, respond in love with gentleness and (if necessary) report the post to admin.
24. Always Love one another deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins. Set aside harsh words or contentious arguments and personal feelings that react to them. Instead, respond with gentleness and patience.

WHY POST IN THE FORUM

25. To Bless Others: always consider others needs and perspective before your own desire to respond. To avoid appearing self absorbed, one should respond to topics started by others more often than starting your own.
26. Be Focused: Ask questions and partake in discussions regarding our roles as wives (spouse), mothers, and homeschoolers.
27. Remember Context Matters: This is a homeschooling forum. Homeschooling topics matter. This is not a general social club or a church bible study.
28. To Share: This forum is for encouragement and empowerment in our lives as wives (spouse), mothers, and homeschoolers. Please share here anything that will help each other to achieve these goals.
29. Do Ask for Help: This forum is for your encouragement too. Please ask questions freely - the members here are a wealth of information and encouragement.

MISCELLANEOUS

30. Observe PM Etiquette. See more here.
31. Signature Guidelines. Signatures should generally have a maximum height of 100 pixels, so as not to cause clutter in the thread.
32. Include Your Blog or Website. Create a link in your signature line so others can learn more about you if they desire to.

REPORTING POSTS

When To Report A Post: Each member has a voice and has a right to speak up when they feel threatened or denigrated in any way or are concerned that this could be so for other members. For the safety of all members, and to maintain a site of integrity, please make sure you report posts that you believe are contrary to the aims of AussieHomeschool or that compromise the safety and integrity of members.

How To Report A Post or Thread. Each post on the forum has the ability to be reported. Simply click on the 'report' button and fill in the information. Please include why you are reporting the post and include a reference number of these points above, if it is appropriate.

All reported posts can be read by the administration team but is kept strictly confidential. No one, other than the admin team, know who has reported a post.
 


Bottom Line
The moderating team reserve the right to lock any threads which become abusive, overly controversial or are otherwise deemed to be not contributing to the original aims and ideals of this site. No discussion will be entered into once a thread has been locked.

The moderating team reserves the right to suspend or revoke the membership of individuals who become abusive, aggressive, disrespectful or otherwise habitually disturb the quiet enjoyment of other members of the forum. We have yet to use/rarely employ this measure but, in the words of Robert Frost, good fences make good neighbours.

[HomeGrownKids]

The 10 Commandments for Posting

Our guidelines are based on what "Love is" according to 1Corinthians 13

1 - Be patient with others...
for sometimes the written word is hard to understand at first reading.
Remember that most people are not trying to hurt anyone's feelings when they post here.

2 - Be kind to each other...
for we all need another friend. You don't have to agree with everyone, but remember to keep it discussions and not arguments.

3 - Do not be boastful or proud...
when posting on the boards re-read everything that you write. Make sure that it is coming across in the best possible way.

4 - Do not be rude or self-seeking...
there is no need for puffing yourself up or putting others down. We will allow no crude, vulgar, racist, sexually explicit or graphic language of any kind, or any personal attacks. All such posts will be deleted immediately.

5 - Do not be easily angered or keep a record of wrongs...
remain calm and forget offenses. If there is a problem that can't be worked out privately please do not post it on the boards. You may send a PM to a moderator or site administrator.

6 - Do not delight in evil, but rejoice in the truth...
don't be happy when bad befalls another person, but look for good in all things. Remember that we are all here for support and ministry.

7 - Protect each other...
this is a place where we should not fear to come. It should be a place where we can find solace, inspiration, and a place for learning more about the love of God. If you see a post that is contrary to the Word of God before we see it, please let us know. Let's protect each other in a way that we are all looking out for each other spiritually.

8 - Trust each other...
try not to take things personally. While reading posts that were intended for you or for others, remember that everyone is trying their hardest to come across the "right way". If something has two inferences, take the nicest one and assume that was how the other person meant it.

9 - Hope for the best for each other...
in your words that you leave for others to read. Remember that this is not a private arena. Others will read your messages and we want this place to be one where anyone would enjoy coming. Please help us present this image with what you leave behind.

10 - Persevere in love and don't let it fail...
if you constantly love the other person, in everything you say or do, then everything else will take care of itself.

Let's enjoy the time we have online embraced in God's love and grace.

[HomeGrownKids]

[HomeGrownKids]

"The good person brings forth good things from his store of good, and the evil person brings forth evil things from his store of evil. Moreover, I tell you this: on the Day of Judgment people will have to give account for every careless word they have spoken; for by your own words you will be acquitted, and by your own words you will be condemned."
Matthew 12: 35-37

 

Speak when the words build up.

Speak if the words bring a smile.

Speak where reassurance is needed.

Speak what gives hearts courage.

Speak how He would.

Words that encourage. Words that give life. Words that bless. If you have those kinds of words on the tip of your tongue, then please speak.

Otherwise, maybe it is best not to.

[wildgoatgirl]

Okay, so I'm a new member. And I was just reading these guidelines to get a feel for this forum. Going from what I have read, I have a few concerns.

 

1. You said that no wheel-barrowing in PM's were permitted. How would you know if that was happening? Do you read PM's?

2. You said no copying articles, as we are only allowed to write in our own words. -- I noticed that you copied a few articles and posted them. What's the loophole?

3. You said nothing controversial was to be posted - especially about diet etc. -- One of the articles you copied was a, by your terms, controversial article. Are we allowed the same freedom? If not, what's the loophole we can use, that you are using?

 

Thank you for your patience!

[HomeGrownKids]

Hello wildgoatgirl,

 

Welcome to the forums. It's great that you would look over our guidelines as a new member. It seems that you have been a member for quite some time but not posted a lot... hopefully these new guidelines will change that. :) Maybe you aren't aware of the history, the happenings and events in the past that have led to the guideline changes.

 

We don't have 'all our ducks in a row' and this is first attempt at such guidelines - we preferred to be a lot looser and have more freedom with our postings but recurring themes have caused us to reevaluate and come up with the guidelines.

 

1. No, we (mods or admin) have no access to PM's other than our own PM inbox. However, members have been known to offer unsolicited advice and selling via PM. If a member receives unwanted PM's they are welcome to PM the admin team. No one should be harassed via PM. (see our PM netiquette policy)

 

2. An article that is for the general edification of the membership may be copied in full - it isn't to be in the middle of one's own post, as in the middle of a conversation. The article I posted was in no way my own words - the entire article was posted, including the author's name and full blog link. This is quite different to being in a forum discussion, in which to make my point, I copy/pasted a large but incomplete chunk of work from elsewhere on the 'net. The article I posted was not pushing an agenda such as a particular diet, denomination, doctrine, etc. It was simply (or so I believe) pointing to Jesus Christ first and foremost. Do you not agree?

 

3. According to the spirit of the laws set above, I do not see how this article is controversial. Unless encouraging people to put God first is controversial. Again, it was not putting forth any particular diet(e.g: veganism, raw food, etc.), denomination, doctrine, etc. In what way do you consider it to be controversial?

 

As previously stated, the moderating team never desired to have so many rules. We prefer to be guided by the Spirit rather than a set of laws. However, with such a large membership base that does not always work out so easily. The last thing we would want to see happen is for people to use the guidelines as a list of laws to be used, rather guidelines to be followed.

 

If you desire to post an article about nutrition, which does not push a barrow such as meat-only diet, veganism, particular denominations or doctrines, etc. then you may post in the appropriate forum. If the moderating team reviews it and unapproves it, then so be it. It is one way we can learn together throughout these new changes. And yes, we do moderate each other's posts! LOL There is no loophole, so to speak. Although I might be tempted to mention the $800+ per year that it takes to keep this ship afloat as a 'loophole'. But I won't go there   I did set up as a business in the hope that AHS might one day become self supporting but we are a long way off from that happening.

 

I understand that some of the new guidelines may take some time to work through - and it is our hope that we can all work through them with grace.

[Liz_P]

For point 23 should the "(if necessary)" be after the and rather than before? Not to nitpick but I think it's about contacting the mods if necessary not being gentle of necessary?

[DaughterofEve]

Susan makes a good point about this being a learning curve.

However, as part of her moderation team who sees a fair bit of the work she puts in behind the scenes, the sacrifices she and her husband make to run this site and suspect a lot more that I dont see, I fully support her perogative to post as she sees fit for the good of the forum.

I support Susan in this and know she will not abuse the privelege.

[wildgoatgirl]

Thank you for your reply. You are right when you say that I've been a member for a while - though for the whole of that time, I have only been on here once, and that once happened a long time ago. So I consider myself a new member.

Thank you also for clarrifying. I can understand and appreciate what you are saying and why you have written these guidelines. But, if you ask me, I would say that a forum/status/blog/etc. is much more interesting, funner and livelier when there is animated discussion and even a bit of friction. It never hurts. After all, a man convinced against his will of the same opinion still. So, if someone doesn't want to be convinced, they won't!

One thing that made me curious - why does it cost so much to run this forum? My family have operated forums before, and it never cost nearly that much.... :/

[Joel]

Susan,

Can you please clarify something about PM's and businesses contacting members about their products.

I have done this a couple of times in response to a need expressed by a member, and suggested they might benefit from my books. In  both cases, they were.

I refrained from posting the suggestion publicly so as not to appear overt in trying to 'sell' something (quite frankly, I do not like doing it, but sometimes it is a genuine help to someone).

How do you suggest we businesses handle sincere suggestions of our products? Where do we draw the line?

Thanks for all your hard work with all these guidelines - I don't envy your task!

[DaughterofEve]

Thank you for your reply. You are right when you say that I've been a member for a while - though for the whole of that time, I have only been on here once, and that once happened a long time ago. So I consider myself a new member.

Thank you also for clarrifying. I can understand and appreciate what you are saying and why you have written these guidelines. But, if you ask me, I would say that a forum/status/blog/etc. is much more interesting, funner and livelier when there is animated discussion and even a bit of friction. It never hurts. After all, a man convinced against his will of the same opinion still. So, if someone doesn't want to be convinced, they won't!

One thing that made me curious - why does it cost so much to run this forum? My family have operated forums before, and it never cost nearly that much.... :/

 

 

Understandable questions from one who is not here often. I can appreciate that to come in at this point would be very confusing.

 

To clarify - AussieHomeschool has for many years been and still is a wonderful place to discuss many issues, including some very animated discussions. I think you will find that the site owners (Susan and John) heartily endorse and encourage free speech - in fact it is site policy to never edit any member for whatever reason unless it is something like a safety issue - phone numbers or other personal details. This is born of bitter experience in other areas of online life.

 

What these guidelines attempt to address (and as has been stated, it is a work in progress) is the rare occassions when a member/s use this forum to repeatedly and unrelentingly push a particular opinion. Contrary to healthy discussion this does hurt, and hurt badly to the point where not only  have members left this community, but they have been turned off the faith that many members here testify to.

 

So to summarise, AussieHomeschool encourages and endorses free speech, but free speech does not include haranguing the community about issues that:

a) have no relevance whatsoever to homeschooling,

b) are barrowpushing, or

c) bring the name of Christ into disrepute.

 

Since this site is owned by, developed by, and time invested (over ten years) by Susan (HomeGrownKids) then it is only fair that she and her husband John get to set the rules for how to play nicely. And they're pretty fair rules too.

 

 

 

Regarding your question about costs - forums are a mixed bag. To run a site of this magnitude there are considerable investments made. One of those is financial. There are a number of facets that hold a financial cost including the purchase and ongoing technical support of that software. This is NOTHING like running a blog setup or a simple hosted forum. This forum and domain name are completely owned by AHS. I dont think any of us really get how big this site actually is and what it means to keep it going (and not just financially either).

 

Hope that helps.

[Jennywren]

Thank you also for clarifying  I can understand and appreciate what you are saying and why you have written these guidelines. But, if you ask me, I would say that a forum/status/blog/etc. is much more interesting, funner and livelier when there is animated discussion and even a bit of friction. It never hurts. After all, a man convinced against his will of the same opinion still. So, if someone doesn't want to be convinced, they won't!

 

To be honest, I have struggled with this as well.  I enjoy debates and a bit of lively conversation, but I have realised how easily it degenerates into people shouting each other out from their soap boxes and hurling insults.  That is what is being discouraged, not simply having an opinion about a topic.   Some people enjoy debating and  there are loads of forums and groups where people can argue themselves blue in the face about all sorts of topics and that is fine, but that is not the purpose of this group and as a support forum why should it have to be?  After all,no one is forced to be a member here  if they do not find it interesting  funny or lively enough.  In the end isn't what the Bible says about arguing more important than a bit of entertainment for some which causes hurt to others?

1. 2 Timothy 2:23
   Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels.
2. Titus 3:9
   But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless.

May I ask you a couple of questions Wildgoatgirl?  What are you hoping to gain from being a member of AHS?  How can the forum support you in your Homeschooling journey or inquiries?   

[Jellybeans]

Hurling insults??  Wouldn't that have been a very rare occurrence?

[DaughterofEve]

Hurling insults??  Wouldn't that have been a very rare occurrence?

 

I think you will find that Bluewren was using that as a figure of speech to indicate that the way things have been said was inappropriate.

[Liz_P]

Insults can be implied.

[Jellybeans]

Maybe it can also be how you choose to take things?

 

A forum is a one dimensional form of communication without tone , volume or body language and without personal association in real life which

can also help one understand context. Therefore it may be best to choose to put the most positive assumptions on what we read.

[DaughterofEve]

Maybe it can also be how you choose to take things?

 

A forum is a one dimensional form of communication without tone , volume or body language and without personal association in real life which

can also help one understand context. Therefore it may be best to choose to put the most positive assumptions on what we read.

 

This is very true.

It is also true that a conversation can be pushed far beyond its natural finishing point.

And it is also true that valid things may be repeated too often.

 

So, to come back to the original purpose of this thread - were there any further questions you had or clarifications required about the guidelines or their application?

[Jellybeans]

It is also true that a conversation can be pushed far beyond its natural finishing point.

And it is also true that valid things may be repeated too often.

 

In real life if we think a coversation is getting redundant  , we opt out or  may start another topic.

[DaughterofEve]

It is also true that a conversation can be pushed far beyond its natural finishing point.

And it is also true that valid things may be repeated too often.

 

In real life if we think a coversation is getting redundant  , we opt out or  may start another topic.

 

Yeah, its so much easier in real life isnt it! So many more ways of getting across our meaning :)  Since we're on a forum though without those things, we need to have some guidelines to help.

 

So, to come back to the original purpose of this thread - were there any further questions you had or clarifications required about the guidelines or their application?

[Joel]

Susan,

Can you please clarify something about PM's and businesses contacting members about their products.

I have done this a couple of times in response to a need expressed by a member, and suggested they might benefit from my books. In  both cases, they were.

I refrained from posting the suggestion publicly so as not to appear overt in trying to 'sell' something (quite frankly, I do not like doing it, but sometimes it is a genuine help to someone).

How do you suggest we businesses handle sincere suggestions of our products? Where do we draw the line?

Thanks for all your hard work with all these guidelines - I don't envy your task!

Yes, could you please address my question.