Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2006-09-25/Clerk resigns

Clerk resigns

Arbitration clerk Tony Sidaway resigns

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By Ral315

After concerns over a three-hour block placed on Giano, as well as incivility concerns, Tony Sidaway resigned as arbitration clerk on Monday, after a request to do so by arbitrator Charles Matthews.

Private discussion after controversial edits on an arbitration case involving Giano led to the request, which was made public in a proposed finding of fact in the case. Arbitrator Fred Bauder commented "I don't think much of it, cutting our nose off to spite our face, but I think there was a sense that Tony's actions reflected badly on the Committee. I think they reflect badly on Tony, but he was the best clerk we have ever had."

After confirming his resignation, Tony said "I worked hard at a time when there was nobody else to do the job, and I felt appreciated. I am happy to leave the clerks' corps after seeing our three new clerks do an excellent job of taking over. ... A controversial sysop is not a sensible choice of clerk, no matter how good he may be at the job. There is a conflict that, with experience of the role, we have come to acknowledge."

Sidaway's resignation comes just after former arbitrator Kelly Martin left the English Wikipedia, resigning her administrative, checkuser and oversight privileges and access to the Arbitration Committee mailing list on Friday, after multiple administrators asked her to resign.

The arbitration case, of which Sidaway and Martin are still parties, is in the evidence phase.


Also this week: — Eloquence elected — Wikimania Taipei — Clerk resigns — Danish Wikipedia — News and notes — Press coverage — Features and admins — Technology — Arbitration

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What, Kelly Martin resigned? I didn't know that -- that's not been reported.... / Fred-Chess 08:18, 26 September 2006 (UTC)[reply]

I do not know much about the matter under reference. However, I found Tony a nice person: in the initial stages of my wiki-life, it was Tony whose encouragement by award of an exceptional new comer barnstar, had motivated me. I think people do not generally change: several other wikipedians may have felt his encouragements. However, for last 18 months, I feel that a number of 'events' are taking place in wikipedia, events which I am unable to articulate in words but only feel. --Bhadani 16:51, 26 September 2006 (UTC)[reply]

This article doesn't tell the story as I understand it. Most of the discussion that led to her action has been archived at Wikipedia:Administrators' noticeboard/Giano. Having read this exchange (I found about it after she annoucned she was quitting), I would say a number of Admins asked her to end her participation in the ArbCom's private mailing list, which somehow mutated into her believing that either she had to choose between talking on IRC with her friends on the ArbCom, or participating on Wikipedia -- which was not her critics' intent. -- llywrch 18:33, 26 September 2006 (UTC)[reply]

I agree with llywrch. "resign" might not be the best phrase for Kelly Martin leaving. She left, and voluntarily gave up her rights, after some brinkmanship and "all or nothing" statements. It is difficult to pin down an accurate way to characterise this though, so "resigns her [...] rights" is probably the best way. Carcharoth 09:26, 27 September 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Something not mentioned in the article: Tony Sidaway commented himself that Jimbo personally intervened...
In response to McGinnley, I was asked to resign as a clerk in an email from Charles Matthews. I made a couple of edits which had the effect of removing myself from the clerks' corps. I had spoken to Jimbo the previous day and he said he thought "declerking" would be likely. I didn't find that surprising. --Tony Sidaway 21:09, 25 September 2006 (UTC)
After a conversation like that, I don't find the result surprising. Casey Abell 14:04, 27 September 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Also, the article says that Kelly Martin resigned her "access to the Arbitration Committee mailing list". But the talk page of the workshop for the current RfAr has comments expressing uncertainty about this. I've certainly lost track of everything that was said. Can whoever wrote this article say where they read this? Carcharoth 22:28, 27 September 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Gender

Isn't Kelly male? Or am I confusing them with someone else? -- Beland 03:38, 30 November 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Kelly is transgendered, and prefers to be referred to as female. Most users, and the Signpost, refer to Kelly using female pronouns per her preference. Ral315 (talk) 03:52, 30 November 2006 (UTC)[reply]
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