DC DC - Relisha Tenau Rudd, 8, SE DC, 26 Feb 2014 - #9

[datalover]

Hi datalover, I checked too. The comments are gone, perhaps because the posters were getting all riled up about "It was the school's fault." I think it would have been weeks, maybe months more before we learned that this beautiful little girl was missing if a teacher had not cared enough to check things out.

Is anyone else bothered, like I am, that the Washington Post is censoring comments?

It seems strange to me, because I've previously seen comments locked to prevent further comment, but not completely deleted.

I'm grateful that the school took the initiative to investigate Relisha's absences, though I wish that the fake doctors notes set off the alarms sooner than 30 days worth of absences.

 

[shadow of my mind]

Is anyone else bothered, like I am, that the Washington Post is censoring comments?

It seems strange to me, because I've previously seen comments locked to prevent further comment, but not completely deleted.

I'm grateful that the school took the initiative to investigate Relisha's absences, though I wish that the fake doctors notes set off the alarms sooner than 30 days worth of absences.

Maybe this is the article where comments have been made about "blaming the school".
Source:http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...pective-on-the-relisha-rudd-case/?tid=up_next

I don't remember ever seeing any comments under the Protection From Abuse article at all. I typically check the on-line comments, at least for a day or two, to see what people are saying. It helps me gage how much, or in this case how little people are actually aware of the facts. I don't believe that WaPo has censored anything.

 

[datalover]

Maybe this is the article where comments have been made about "blaming the school".
Source:http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...pective-on-the-relisha-rudd-case/?tid=up_next

I don't remember ever seeing any comments under the Protection From Abuse article at all. I typically check the on-line comments, at least for a day or two, to see what people are saying. It helps me gage how much, or in this case how little people are actually aware of the facts. I don't believe that WaPo has censored anything.

Thanks Shadow. I'm glad that nothing was censored. I stopped reading comments for the same reason; public opinion often trumps the facts.

 

[tlcya]

The iamrelisha fb page was actually started by two old rrtf admins. They saw the light and are as disgusted with Warren as we all are. The cap on their discontent was when he did the Relisha trivia. That ended any sort of alliance with the nut job.

Thank you for filling me in on the back story. what I read there makes more sense now.

When the link was first posted I read the first available post on that page and it had talk of weeding out spies and and FB group jumping and zigzag FB hustlers (whatever that means) and "sides". That told me enough to know I will continue to avoid the social media on this case as most of it seems to be the same old infighting and picking of sides.

I don't want to be asked to pick any side. My side is Relisha's side and I don't feel a need to be part of any FB group to be on her side.

JMO. Me personally, not telling anyone else how to feel, participate or not in any single thing they feel will help the cause of finding out what happened to this child and if she is in danger or beyond it now. Just my own comfort level in regards to this case and the circus that came to surround it.

 

[wendiesan]

Hi datalover, I checked too. The comments are gone, perhaps because the posters were getting all riled up about "It was the school's fault." I think it would have been weeks, maybe months more before we learned that this beautiful little girl was missing if a teacher had not cared enough to check things out.

I agree. Since it was only through the school that Relisha's situation was discovered, the family bears the responsibility. If the school social worker had reported her disappearance earlier the search would have begun much sooner, but Relisha's sporadic attendance was not uncommon. It seems as though truancy is an endemic problem in DC and the number of Relisha's absences (given the fake excuses) could be seen as normal within that context. When I was checking to see what the policy was regarding school absences and reporting to CPS, or Truancy Officers, or LE, was in effect in DC, I came across this article.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local...69291e-cb1f-11e3-a75e-463587891b57_story.html

Writers Emma Brown and Keith L. Alexander included some startling and sad information.

"Last school year, about 15,000 D.C. Public Schools students — 32 percent of all students in pre-kindergarten through high school — missed more than 10 days of classes without a valid excuse, according to school system data released in January. Nine thousand of those students missed more than 20 days without an excuse.
Total absenteeism in the traditional schools, including absences excused for reasons such as an illness, is even worse. Last school year, DCPS officials said, nearly 40 percent of the city’s students missed at least 18 days of school, a level of chronic absence tightly linked to academic failure. Half of those students were absent for the equivalent of seven weeks during the course of the 36-week school year."

New laws make it mandatory that at 10 unexcused absences DCFS is brought in, and a child who misses 20% of a school day is considered to have been absent.

The situation seems overwhelming, but Brown and Alexander go into some detail regarding the changes being made and the positive results already obtained.

 

[tlcya]

yes that WaPo article about chronic absenteeism was very helpful in understanding just how big a problem it is and how the school and other agencies are trying to address it. Thanks for tracking that down and bringing it forward wendiesan

 

[Idon'tneedthesame]

Since the other thread is locked, I will post it here. Mods can delete if I am breaking rules. No show tonight. Next show Wednesday, posted on the RRTF fb page. I just didn't want to see anyone waiting tonight.

 

[StormyNights]

Back to the front page you go sweet girl. You are so missed and so loved :loveyou:

 

[KanyeTwitty]

The iamrelisha fb page was actually started by two old rrtf admins. They saw the light and are as disgusted with Warren as we all are. The cap on their discontent was when he did the Relisha trivia. That ended any sort of alliance with the nut job.

I have never followed a case on social media before now. Of the 3 Relisha group pages I have read they all eventually start to have "issues". Are other cases like this? If not, what is it about Relisha's case that is so divisive?

 

[SurfieTX]

I have never followed a case on social media before now. Of the 3 Relisha group pages I have read they all eventually start to have "issues". Are other cases like this? If not, what is it about Relisha's case that is so divisive?

IMHO, they ALL get like that over time. In fact, there was just a big to-do on Facebook concerning Abigail Hernandez.

 

[tlcya]

KanyeTwitty

because social media pages, especially groups, are not moderated nearly as strictly as sites such as this one they IME invariably devolve into either

a) a lynch mob mentality against the suspect dujour or

b) a power struggle over who loves/cares for/is the staunchest supporter of the victim which then causes the page to split between at least two and sometimes more factions. Its ugly.

which is why I tend to follow social media of suspects, POIs, parents of victims etc and leave all those support/find type group pages alone.

I want to sleuth social media of relevant players in the case but not play footsies or participate in a popularity contest, which is what most FB groups end up being IMO.

 

[PrivateEye006]

KanyeTwitty

because social media pages, especially groups, are not moderated nearly as strictly as sites such as this one they IME invariably devolve into either

a) a lynch mob mentality against the suspect dujour or

b) a power struggle over who loves/cares for/is the staunchest supporter of the victim which then causes the page to split between at least two and sometimes more factions. Its ugly.

which is why I tend to follow social media of suspects, POIs, parents of victims etc and leave all those support/find type group pages alone.

I want to sleuth social media of relevant players in the case but not play footsies or participate in a popularity contest, which is what most FB groups end up being IMO.

I can honestly say - I never realized before just how difficult it is to be involved in these "groups" I have recently left the only group I actively participated in. Difficult lesson to learn - cant say I wasn't warned - but I think you are 100% correct about what you stated. Groups run by people who have no ability to "run" or admin anything with an open mind and no leadership skills. Makes it very hard. I will not ever involve myself in such BS again. Ever. Quite a let down. But more - just another failed attempt to do what can be done to help this beautiful girl. Don't have much more to even say about it - other than I wont burden myself with any of them again.

Still no news on our girl. Praying everyday.

 

[SCHMAE]

Here's a great idea. There are currently ( havent checked today ) TWO active amber alerts. One is a month old, the other 2 months old. Relisha and Myra. SO active amber alerts and nothing going on. Why can't the amber alert people work with national media people and LE and after a certain amount of time goes by and an essentially ( cold) amber alert is still on then get it out there again only nationally ? Wouldnt' it be nice if the alphabet networks and cable news networks would just post the baby's pics once a DAY going to commercial break or something and just say " these are STILL active alerts,, these babies are STILL missing''. ?
It would and even if it didnt' bring about too much useful information or any new leads, what would it really hurt the networks ? And more people could see their faces ?

So done........

ETA Posting this same comment on Myras' thread .
ETA Crap make that one is 3 months old and one is 2 months, the amber alerts .

 

[AstroKitty]

Here's a great idea. There are currently ( havent checked today ) TWO active amber alerts. One is a month old, the other 2 months old. Relisha and Myra. SO active amber alerts and nothing going on. Why can't the amber alert people work with national media people and LE and after a certain amount of time goes by and an essentially ( cold) amber alert is still on then get it out there again only nationally ? Wouldnt' it be nice if the alphabet networks and cable news networks would just post the baby's pics once a DAY going to commercial break or something and just say " these are STILL active alerts,, these babies are STILL missing''. ?
It would and even if it didnt' bring about too much useful information or any new leads, what would it really hurt the networks ? And more people could see their faces ?

So done........

ETA Posting this same comment on Myras' thread .
ETA Crap make that one is 3 months old and one is 2 months, the amber alerts .

I wish this was possible, but I can understand why it's not - aka MONEY for air time and the fact of how many children go missing in the US every day.

 

[wendiesan]

I wish this was possible, but I can understand why it's not - aka MONEY for air time and the fact of how many children go missing in the US every day.

I think you've hit the nail on the head with your observation, AK, but isn't there a certain amount of local content/public service time that every station is mandated to fill?

Even if public service content is not required, it seems to me that not all the air time available to advertisers is actually filled with paid advertising. Couldn't the broadcasters use Cold Amber Alert information to fill a little of that time? Say around the lunch news broadcast or evening news or before the late night shows start.

Right now it looks like "empty" spots are filled with promotions for upcoming programming. Maybe if there was a reciprocal agreement--that if a broadcaster made a daily spot available (like 30 seconds) they could be considered a sponsor of a local missing children's charity and have their name appear of the charity's website.

Or maybe the IRS could see this as a charitable donation in kind and give the broadcasters a financial incentive if they did this every day. A 15 second spot, every day for a year, comes to 91.25 minutes of advertising time. I guess every station would have a different rate per minute depending on the time of day, kind of programming, etc. influences the amount someone would be charged.

It does seem like it could be a complicated process, but, with support from LE, interested groups, etc. maybe it would be possible.

Since my math abilities are on a par with my ability to translate Nushu, I'm sure websleuthers who are fluent in business administration and accounting will instantly see the pitfalls in these thoughts. But, IMHO, I think Schmae's idea is worth discussing. I would guess that would have to be on another thread.

 

[ohhieliz]

still thinking about you Relisha!

 

[SCHMAE]

I wish this was possible, but I can understand why it's not - aka MONEY for air time and the fact of how many children go missing in the US every day.

It's true about the money and air time, but I'm thinking specifically ' cold' amber alerts. When CNN and all of them are going to commercial, they always show a picture of what's next in the broadcast. They could just as easily show Relisha's picture and say ' STILL missing' without any kind of a story. Maybe Still Missing and ' day 83 of the amber alert'. It would cost them literally nothing and be a public service. Grrrr

 

[kimi_SFC]

It's true about the money and air time, but I'm thinking specifically ' cold' amber alerts. When CNN and all of them are going to commercial, they always show a picture of what's next in the broadcast. They could just as easily show Relisha's picture and say ' STILL missing' without any kind of a story. Maybe Still Missing and ' day 83 of the amber alert'. It would cost them literally nothing and be a public service. Grrrr

Good morning SCHMAE,

I have been away from the threads, and the "other" forums, but tryingmy best to keep up with everything that's been happening here and there via email alerts. My poor inbox is overloaded, as I'm subscribed to quite a few threads. But a :websleuther: has to do what. :detective: has to do! :sleuth:

Slight O/T detour first: I've been working valiantly (and often in a bewildered state) on my girls' rookie season of PineCar Grand Prix derby race cars for months now. You are given blocks of wood, plastic wheels and nails (for axles) and a manual, with the expectation to convert them into a sleek, fast, speed machines. :facepalm: :hiding: I own not a single power tool, so a LOT of fellowship, borrowing, long nights, and stress (along with fun time teaching my daughters that a girl can do anything they set their minds to!) have been my world.

The races for Youth Group were last week. We almost didn't make it. I was assembling the cars up to the last minute. I was so rushed I forgot to glue the axles! Anyhow, my eldest (who looks the most like Relisha) took 2ND PLACE)!!!!! Her little sister lost an axle+wheel and came in 4th (no trophy). She was upset at first but eventually realized how well she actually did. She's seven, so there were lots of :tears: - I was crying for my own reasons.

As I videoed my girl being awarded her trophy, she jumped up and down with joy, her braids flying in the air. Her face was hidden, and again, I was struck by the resemblance. I was SO happy for my girl, she was RELISHING in her joy, and I was too. I was in tears, and my heart and mind was screaming to God, "Please, find Relisha! This could be her, too! Where IS SHE?"

---------

Sorry, but I just had to share that long story. I've been away for a while, and the words are flying from my fingertips. :blushing:

-----

SCHMAE,

Your posts regarding the PSAs about the Cold Amber Alerts is absolutely BRILLIANT!!!! :loveyou:

I am officially throwing my hat into the ring on this one. Here's why:

When the government shutdown occurred, the AA system took a major hit[B/] on social media and MSM. They say there's no such thing as bad publicity, but those who had a bone to pick with the current administration used it to spread false information re: the AA system.

I was tweeting furiously at the time to spread awareness about the AA system. It was a mess. www.missingkids.com/amber remained online the entire time, and the AA system never out children at risk, despite the smear campaign. The fact that people were willing to use AAs and missing children as political pawns still angers me.

Your idea could be the catalyst for reaching out to the higher ups to get this thing going! I could draft a proposal. We could reach out to all of the agencies.

I could also talk to my contacts at ChildQuest International and KlaasKids foundation.

THIS needs to happen. Whatever it is that we are doing isn't exactly working. These AAs have been "active" for months, yet I have to come to WS to "hear" about them! :banghead; :tantrum:

Am I crazy (I just woke up and saw your posts - no :coffeews: yet) or is it time to DO SOMETHING?

#WHEREISRELISHA?????


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[wendiesan]

It's true about the money and air time, but I'm thinking specifically ' cold' amber alerts. When CNN and all of them are going to commercial, they always show a picture of what's next in the broadcast. They could just as easily show Relisha's picture and say ' STILL missing' without any kind of a story. Maybe Still Missing and ' day 83 of the amber alert'. It would cost them literally nothing and be a public service. Grrrr

These are the spots I was thinking of, but I really think that the networks would want something back. Maybe, if it still exists, in the entry under "creating positive public image" or "community goodwill", or "charitable donation in kind". Possibly local stations would be more likely to do something along this line if the missing child was local, and it would fit in their news coverage.

As well, it would cost the networks a little bit in production costs because a producer would have to chose the subject and images, a writer would create the text, an editor would put it all together, and the producer would have to make sure it got to air. It takes a lot of work to put an effective spot together.

So the choice of which child to feature on the Cold Case Amber Alert spot, or Still Missing spot, might be problematic for large networks, and the production factor could be a hurdle.

So, JMO, it might be easier to pitch the idea if an organization put together the spots (made the choice, did the production) according to industry standard and distributed them to the networks willing to air them. Some group like Klass Kids maybe?

 

[popsicle]

One of the local stations here, WUSA9, dedicates Thursday to the local missing kids. During the news they show missing posters on the right hand side and they also mention this during the news casts and twitter. This is something they started with the disappearance of Relisha... they are awesome imo.