I understand that CEA doesn’t have any special insight into CFAR’s decision to use Aurora Quinn Elmore for mediation. But I’d guess CEA has quite a lot of information about CFAR including non-public info, and that other EAs could benefit from knowing at least the gist of this. If someone was considering attending CFAR programming (or working for CFAR) and asked the community health team if there were any concerns they should know about, what would you tell them? Has the community health team received complaints about CFAR aside from the Brent incident, and if so, how many? Does the community health team have any concerns about CFAR soliciting attendees via the EA Forum?
CFAR’s use of Aurora for mediation is part of a pattern of highly questionable policies and decision-making. I’m sure CEA is aware of the utter debacle around CFAR’s mistakes regarding Brent and their failure to safeguard a minor (among other mistakes) in that situation. There has been discussion of other issues as well, not all related to sexuality, but many related to troubling power dynamics. As one EA put it :
CFAR’s track record includes a litany of awful mistakes re. welfare and safeguarding where each taken alone would typically warrant suspension or disqualification, and in concert should guarantee the latter as it demonstrates—rather than (e.g.) “grave mistake which is an aberration from their usually excellent standards”—a pattern of gross negligence and utter corporate incompetence. Whatever degree of intermediate risk attending these workshops constitute is unwise to accept (or to encourage others accepting), given CFAR realising these risks is already well-established.
When a community builder who was asked for recommendations of people who might like to attend a CFAR workshop wisely inquired “what safeguards, if any, are now in place to avoid similar situations in the future”, she received no response. CFAR’s co-founder and President has acknowledged that “adults should indeed not expect that we are vetting a particularly careful or safe environment particularly reliably” and that “many bad mistakes were made, then [at the time of the Brent incident] and previously and afterwards.” Does the community health team consider these to be red flags (especially given CFAR’s track record of problems)? If not, why not?
Despite any downvotes (which I anticipated), I think this is an important issue and I hope the community health team responds. And FWIW I’m open to the idea that their response could make me feel less concerned about CFAR than I currently do.
I understand that CEA doesn’t have any special insight into CFAR’s decision to use Aurora Quinn Elmore for mediation. But I’d guess CEA has quite a lot of information about CFAR including non-public info, and that other EAs could benefit from knowing at least the gist of this. If someone was considering attending CFAR programming (or working for CFAR) and asked the community health team if there were any concerns they should know about, what would you tell them? Has the community health team received complaints about CFAR aside from the Brent incident, and if so, how many? Does the community health team have any concerns about CFAR soliciting attendees via the EA Forum?
CFAR’s use of Aurora for mediation is part of a pattern of highly questionable policies and decision-making. I’m sure CEA is aware of the utter debacle around CFAR’s mistakes regarding Brent and their failure to safeguard a minor (among other mistakes) in that situation. There has been discussion of other issues as well, not all related to sexuality, but many related to troubling power dynamics. As one EA put it :
When a community builder who was asked for recommendations of people who might like to attend a CFAR workshop wisely inquired “what safeguards, if any, are now in place to avoid similar situations in the future”, she received no response. CFAR’s co-founder and President has acknowledged that “adults should indeed not expect that we are vetting a particularly careful or safe environment particularly reliably” and that “many bad mistakes were made, then [at the time of the Brent incident] and previously and afterwards.” Does the community health team consider these to be red flags (especially given CFAR’s track record of problems)? If not, why not?
It’s a bad sign that you were being downvoted! I gave you my upvote!
Thanks Anthony, I appreciate the support!
Despite any downvotes (which I anticipated), I think this is an important issue and I hope the community health team responds. And FWIW I’m open to the idea that their response could make me feel less concerned about CFAR than I currently do.