Absolutely fascinating article about how few (white) actors with hidden agendas use social media to trash public schools and prop up private and charter options. Also, this type of behavior is pervasive across political contexts (here's looking at you, DC Urban Moms and Dads). - ThreadSky

betsyjwolf.bsky.social • 121 days ago

Absolutely fascinating article about how few (white) actors with hidden agendas use social media to trash public schools and prop up private and charter options. Also, this type of behavior is pervasive across political contexts (here's looking at you, DC Urban Moms and Dads).

Reposted from Ashley Carey

So excited to share my first solo-authored article! I find that FB presents an accessible tool for special interest actors to disrupt public education. Viral algorithms give Comment Cathy more power than ever to shape knowledge about local public schools: www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/...

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casamuels.bsky.social•121 days ago

Oh boy. DCUM is my guilty....I wouldn't say "pleasure," exactly. It's like when you can't tear your eyes away from a car crash.

carajackson.bsky.social•121 days ago

Me too 🫣 it's so anxiety-provoking, but I can't resist.

betsyjwolf.bsky.social•121 days ago

My only thought visiting that site is, why would you ever want to send your kids to the schools with the #cathycommenters? But I guess that's the point of the article, that the haters have outsized influence online, even if your reaction is to hate-the-haters.

casamuels.bsky.social•121 days ago

One of my takeaways from a LONG time of reading DCUM is that MoCo is not as full of liberal idealists as one might believe. I wonder how many of the folks with "Hate has no home here" yard signs are furiously posting about the demographics of their local schools....

casamuels.bsky.social•121 days ago

...and they always seem to know so much! My kid has only attended one middle school and on elementary school, but DCUMers can speak confidently about the whole downcounty consortium, including every high school and feeder MS and ES, apparently

ashleyjcarey.bsky.social•121 days ago

This! In a separate study, parents shared with me that they read the comments in a "grab the popcorn and enjoy the show" manner.

ashleyjcarey.bsky.social•121 days ago

Unfortunately, I showed community members FB artifacts, and people were willing to change their confidence ratings of schools featured in negative posts pretty easily. No one wants to send their kid to a “bad” school. Comment Cathy monopolizes on this fear.

betsyjwolf.bsky.social•121 days ago

Counterpoint: I don't want to send my kids to the same school where Comment Cathy sends her kids. 😆

ashleyjcarey.bsky.social•121 days ago

I hear that!

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