Would you address this?

[Puppmom]

So, a few months ago, our daycare director accidentally emailed every parent with cc instead of bcc. It was just a regular email with the newsletter and calendar for the month. Twice now, the same parent (I don't know him) has emailed the ENTIRE group (287 email addresses) with personal issues. The first was around the Connecticut school shooting. I cut him a break because I knew that was such a sensitive issue and understood that so many parents would be rattled.

Today, I get an email (again sent to 287 other people) saying that his kid keeps getting sick and wants to know if anyone else's children have the same symptoms. He went on to apologize for sending it to everyone but he NEEDS to know if other children are getting this *illness* so he can let the director to know how to address it. Now, the director knows who's sick and with what most of the time because those kids are either sent home or out for a period of time. So he's clearly not happy with how she's handled his particular situation for some reason.

When the initial email was sent inadvertently disclosing everyone's email address, I addressed with the director. But really, it's done. She can't take it back. Frankly, this latest email pissed me off. Does this man have no discretion? Right now, he has my email address only but, if I'm ever out of the office when he sends a note, he and EVERYONE he copies will receive my auto-reply with all of my contact information.

Right now, I'm ticked and inclined to respond telling him it was inappropriate to email everyone and to NEVER email me again. I'm just not sure that would accomplish anything...other than making me feel better for just a moment.

I also thought about suggesting to the director that she send a note that the emails were not intended for distribution and no parent should use the list for personal use. Again, not sure that'll help the cause with a guy who clearly doesn't have any discretion in the first place.

 

[Skippy123]

I would just do the last item you suggest. "I also thought about suggesting to the director that she send a note that the emails were not intended for distribution and no parent should use the list for personal use. Again, not sure that'll help the cause with a guy who clearly doesn't have any discretion in the first place." That would be best for everyone and it would prevent further craziness from going on if she follows through.

 

[ame]

I would just do the last item you suggest. "I also thought about suggesting to the director that she send a note that the emails were not intended for distribution and no parent should use the list for personal use. Again, not sure that'll help the cause with a guy who clearly doesn't have any discretion in the first place." That would be best for everyone and it would prevent further craziness from going on if she follows through.

I would do that as well, and possibly reply to him personally and mention that you do not appreciate that he is contacting you, period, and that you suspect other parents likely feel the same way. That he needs to contact the director individually about any concerns, and stop copying other parents, some parents have that email contact for emergencies only, and cannot get personal email at work. And he could cost someone their job.

 

[Circe]

I would just do the last item you suggest. "I also thought about suggesting to the director that she send a note that the emails were not intended for distribution and no parent should use the list for personal use. Again, not sure that'll help the cause with a guy who clearly doesn't have any discretion in the first place." That would be best for everyone and it would prevent further craziness from going on if she follows through.

I would do this, and then I would block his email address, frankly. The director can handle the problem herself once notified, but you shouldn't have to deal with him anymore either way.

 

[Puppmom]

Circe, how did I not think of blocking his address?! Thank you! I'm on it.

I think it's probably best not to email this guy even though I would really love to tell him off!

 

[february2003bride]

I also thought about suggesting to the director that she send a note that the emails were not intended for distribution and no parent should use the list for personal use. Again, not sure that'll help the cause with a guy who clearly doesn't have any discretion in the first place.[/quote]

This. And I'm kind of surprised the director didn't immediately send out said email after she made the initial mistake.

This guy clearly has boundary issues. If you email him back, I could see him taking your email and then sending it to every one on the list as well. But this is something the director should handle.

 

[Skippy123]

Circe, how did I not think of blocking his address?! Thank you! I'm on it.

I think it's probably best not to email this guy even though I would really love to tell him off!

what email do you have? gmail, yahoo? I know how to block people with yahoo and do it! hahaha it is a nice option (out of sight, out of mind)

 

[diamondseeker2006]

In addition to the suggestion to write the director, I would simply send him a brief email asking him to please delete your email address from the group emails.

 

[Puppmom]

This is my work email unfortunately so blocking is complicated (but can be done) and that's why he can easily obtain my personal information. I have an auto-signature for obvious reasons and my out of office autoreply contains it.

I am disappointed that the director didn't address the situation the first time...at least not with the whole group. I'm just going to chat with her when I pick up DS today.

I have a feeling that this guy's a fruitcake. Aside from sending the email to everynoe, he mentions in his note that his one kid was sick in November and again now and the other has been sick twice since December. Um, it's winter, flu season and your kids are in daycare...and you're surprised that they've each gotten sick twice?

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Okay, you should contact the director and ask her to send a BCC email to everyone stating that nobody should be sending mass emails to all the parents. You should not contact the guy directly. He is overstepping boundries and by you doing so in any person form of response and asking him to stop, or saying anything to him at all, you are INVITING him to respond to you. If the director handles it, this tosses the ball back in her court and makes it clear you stand by your view that parents should not be contacting one another. Also, if you feel this guy is a "fruitcake," the last thing you want to do is attract attention. Right now, you're one of over 200 parents and anonymous on a list of names and it'd probably be better to remain that way.

 

[Puppmom]

Just got an apology email from the director along with a BCC email asking parents not to use the list. In the email to me, she did tell me that this guy is not the parent of a child in DS's room.

I think I'll refrain from any interaction with him (however tempting to tell him off!). I was able to block his email address. Hopefully, our *relationship* ends there.

 

[minousbijoux]

Puppmom, I love issues that appear to be fully resolved by the time I stop in to read the thread

It sounds like you've come up with a great solution and hopefully feel good that the director took action without prodding. The only other thing I could see doing is offering an opportunity, should this parent remain undeterred in his use of the list, to have the director make it clear that the directive to parents not to use the list was requested by parents too. This way, if you do feel like he has a bone to pick with her and will be irritated that SHE is getting in the way of his right to free communication, that he understands that some of his parent peers have requested that parents not email blast the entire list. Since he has been the only one to email blast, he can do the math and figure out that his own peer group is annoyed by him. Just a thought.

 

[Puppmom]

Guess if I would have cooled my heels a little longer before ranting here, it would have been *resolved*. You make a good point though...I can't imagine I was the only parent irritated by this man. The fact that the director's apology was so prompt and so profuse, leads me to believe she had to send it to more than just me!

 

[texaskj]

This is why a lot of people have more than one email account. (It's never a good idea to have personal stuff going into your work account because work owns it.) You can pigeon-hole different parts of your life. I know, I know, when I tell people this the usual response is that they don't want to keep up with more than one account. Then be prepared for stuff like this.
This guy's a boob. Block him.