Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Piki Kids Reponds and Blows it Even More

Hi Kate,

I do agree that this is very disappointing, .
We as the pikikids creators do try and moderate the site as much as possible.
Of course as this is an internet website we don't control what image appears as the coolest comic as it is community voted by the users of the site, we do of course moderate this as often as possible so I would say it was very bad timing that this comic happened to be voted as the coolest just as you guys looked it it.

You may note that all comics can be reported as offensive by users and they are atomically remove from the site

We can create a site for you that is separate from pikikids, with your branding and you can moderate this.

Regards
Greg Pentland
Pikikids

Dear Greg,

Disappointing? Seriously? Is that what you had said if the word "N***r" or "F****t" had slipped through? Obviously you have no idea how offensive that word is. I don't want to moderate my own site, I want you to take responsibility for yours.

One other thing. This is a site for KIDS. Children, who by their very nature are likely to make bad decision that need moderating. Who in their right mind would decide not to moderate for offensive or prejudice before they move something to their home page?

My little blog only get 300-500 hits a day, educators all, but my blogger friend Larry Ferlazzo already re-posted my story about this and his hit count is many, many times mine. You should think about how detrimental it is going to be to alienate all those educators for the sake of allowing your community of children to make bad decisions.

Kate

5 comments:

  1. I was not in your class but now that I've read this, I see no reason to use that website or even promote it. Thanks for the heads up.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Kate,

    You might find the comment left on my post by Pikikids, and my response, interesting.

    Larry

    ReplyDelete
  3. 'Retard' used as an insult is plain nasty. It's 100% as offensive as any other word I can think of that is used to denigrate a person. Good for you, Kate - it should not be thought of as acceptable.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Yay, advocacy! I've been reading/checking your blogs daily for over 6 months now. I've appreciated the amazing content and insightful information shared. I've never felt the urge to comment/respond until today! Kudos for your willingness to share on your blog and double kudos for responding to Piki Kids. Their defensive tone to you indicates that they understand what transpired was not appropriate. Let's hope that they can get past who is to blame and ensure that it doesn't happen again.
    Lisa-Ann

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thanks everyone, I thought for a split second I was over reacting, but the reassurance reminds me why I do what is right. The best compliment anyone every gave me was when someone said to me, "Kate Ahern, expecting you not to stand up to social injustice is like shaking a pear tree and expecting apples to fall." Well, I am going to shake this tree and every other tree in the name of all of my students and my sister who passed away two months ago yesterday and because of a speech disorder was called that terrible "r" word far too many times.

    ReplyDelete

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