Sandra Dodd Apology

*This was also sent via email to Sandra Dodd directly and we have communicated.  I am posting this here publicly, with Sandra's appreciation and permission.  

(To) Sandra Dodd,

This is an apology. 

I have been following your posts on the Facebook Clearinghouse page you created regarding the Dayna Martin scandal. 

I was first made aware of the issue via a comment on Living Free Project which contained a link to the Green's series of postings.  Since then, I have been loosely following the events themselves.  I say "loosely" because I have not read every other blog post, or every comment on the Facebook page, but I am generally aware of what has been unfolding.   I have written some posts containing opinions which are based on limited observations, but as I find out more and more, I am surprisingly more and more stunned.  More importantly though, it has given me food for thought.

As I read, I am beginning to realize an error in judgement on my part.  I have found myself in disagreement with you before, but as time has gone by and I've learned more I have come to respect you, even despite our differences because as I've said, I do believe you are the real deal.

This email is not a reiteration of that, but I was compelled to begin there.  The point of my communication today is that I owe you an apology.

For a while now, I have described the unschooling community as a "Paradigm" and used terms like "Kingdoms" and "Factions" and even "Cults" or "Sects" etc.

A little back-story: At an early point in my home education journey I used the word "unschool" to describe my family to a friend and she corrected me and let me know that this was not so because we do use an outline and lessons (albeit flexible or relaxed).  I was later reprimanded by another and told that I should not use that word.  I was also warned that if I described myself as such publicly and you found out about it, that you would "rip my head off".  So a negative impression was put upon me from the get go and I am sure that those experiences influenced the conclusions I would later draw and then speak about on the podcast and in my blog posts etc.

As I read more and more about what is happening with Dayna, learn about the fraud and plagiarism from the Martin family, and I read your feedback, accounts and thoughts regarding it, as well as the contributions of others on the page, I am learning, considering and pondering my perspectives.

In a correspondence between you and (name omitted to protect privacy), you explain to her that there are no actual factions and that this illusion was manufactured because of Dayna.  This caused me great pause and I reflected upon my accusations.  I have to admit that this "paradigm" that seemed so  apparent in my perspective may have indeed been artificially established because of Dayna's defection and unfortunate behavior.  I don't know that she would have done it on purpose, but I can see now how it would be a byproduct of her blatant (and sort of shocking) attempts to overpower your work.

I've been charging at this "paradigm" with some ferocity in several ways and while I can't say that I'm suddenly a convert or anything, I have to admit, if I'm to claim to be an honest person, that I was wrong about the paradigm and may have been wrong about my perception of you as well.  For this, I am sorry.

I apologize to you Sandra, for the things I have said or written publicly about you that were unnecessarily derogatory or hurtful. It was a judgment made by me at the time, based on the experience and observations I had and sans the recent experience that has illuminated more.

I humbly regret if through my posts or shows I have caused any unnecessary annoyance or aggravation and would be happy to begin suggesting some of your resources to my listeners/readers as a token of apology.

Please note that I considered making this apology publicly, but because of our history, there is a chance that I will be accused of just trying to drive traffic to my site.  I assure you that is NOT whatsoever my intention.  I genuinely want to extend an apology to you, the only thing I have to gain here is knowing that I am being authentic with my self and my own learning experience.

You have my respect, Sandra and my genuine apologies.

Sincerely,

Laurette Lynn

This was directed at Sandra, but I am comfortable extending the sentiment to include others who may have been affected.