The Dawn Society adheres to three core values that lie at the very heart of our book club: respect, inclusivity, and curiosity. We thrive on having a diverse community, and each of our members brings their own unique background and life experiences to the group.
To that end, please read through the following community guidelines to help maintain a safe space for all members.
CURIOSITY
Be curious. Be inquisitive. Have fun! Our discussions – both in our forum and on Zoom – are meaningful and lively, and there is nothing better than learning from one another. Remember that our members can (and will!) disagree with one another. Keep in mind, however, that while disagreeing with an idea and presenting a differing opinion is fine and even encouraged, criticizing a person is not. Curiosity inspires growth and inquiry, not negativity. The Dawn Society will not tolerate insults or attacks on any person or their views.
CONFIDENTIALITY
Our small groups become trusted communities; our members connect and share a lot with one another during our discussions. It is of the utmost importance that we maintain the confidentiality of our members. Thus, what happens within a book club meeting or in a private book club discussion must stay within that club.** Do not share another member’s personal stories, thoughts or opinions. Trust is vital to the success of our community!
Being an upstanding member of our community is important. The topics discussed here matter to us. Thus, please be mindful that certain types of posts can be distracting and frustrating to other members, especially when thoughtful conversations are being had. Do not post spam, advertisements, or junk links. Do not create a series of posts with each having only one word or letter. Do not post emojis with no text responses. Members do not want to wade through “junk” posts to get to the good stuff!
RESPONSIBILITY
We moderate our forum daily. However, a safe community also depends on your help. If you see something, say something! Should you discover any inappropriate or offensive behavior on our forum, please contact me immediately so I can take appropriate action. I will always treat your email with confidentiality.
RESPECT
Respect is at the heart and soul of The Dawn Society as we value our members’ diverse backgrounds, opinions, and experiences. Thus, harassment of any kind, including name-calling, insults, hateful comments, or other derogatory content, is strictly forbidden. Any offensive posts or messages will result in immediate removal from the group.
*For the safety of our members, please do not share any personal contact information in our discussion forum or a zoom chat. If there are members you would like to talk with outside of The Dawn Society, please have your grownups contact me, and I will facilitate the connection.
**Should I believe that any member of the group is in danger, I reserve the right to speak with your grownup(s).