Reader Who Complained About CV Forum Facebook Page Says She's Being Made a Scapegoat

A Castro Valley resident whose is calling the paper's decision to shut down its page "inappropriate."

Rochelle Doss posted an online response saying she didn't like Castro Valley Forum Editor Fred Zehnder's decision to close the Forum's Facebook page Wednesday, upsetting many of its 1,800 fans.

At 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, the Castro Valley Forum announced on its Facebook page that it would discontinue it due to a complaint a reader made to the editor regarding its content.

Within an hour of the announcement, more than 100 upset users had commented. Many said they were shocked over editor Fred Zehnder's decision to take down the site due to just one complaint. The site was gone by 1 p.m.

Zehnder could not be reached for comment.

It was also announced that reporter Robert Souza "would continue to feature the same hometown themes, discussions, topics and photos" on a new Facebook page unaffiliated with the Castro Valley Forum. 

Readers immediately posted their questions, comments and concerns on the new page, Castro Valley News, which has 163 "likes."

Souza responded by saying "a fan objected to a post regarding the gentleman on the Segueway—and felt compelled to complain to our editor—who requested the site be pulled."

In effort to try and resurrect the former Castro Valley Forum Facebook page, readers created the Occupy the CV Forum: Save the CV Forum FB Page!, which has 88 likes.

Doss posted a comment on the page in response to the whole situation:

Nobody has heard back from the Editor. Including the person who made the complaint that caused all of this. I should know because I wrote "the letter". If anybody is interested in reading my "all powerful" complaint to the editor, I am happy to share. Frankly, I don't care for the fact that the CV forum editor is using me and my letter as his scapegoat. I wrote a letter because I saw content posted by the Forum I disagreed with, so I said something! I also wrote a complaint letter to Waste Management that night (I haven't heard back from them either). I didn't make any demands or threats,I exercised my right to free speech and made a complaint. I think removing the FB page was an inappropriate response by the editor. There is one person who had the power to pull the plug on the page, and it was not the person who had one complaint! I am not a community activist, but I am very active in my community. I love living in Castro Valley and am really sad and "dislike" that all of this has happened.

She shared the e-mail she had sent to Zehnder on Occupy the CV Forum: Save the CV Forum FB Page! a few posts later.

She told Patch on Thursday that she made no threats about taking legal action against the publication. Doss said she also did not intend to shut the site down with her complaint.

"Honestly, I thought it would go ignored," she said. "I am quite disappointed they pulled the page."

However, she said she stands by her opinion about the "Segway post" on the Forum Facebook page, which asked for information of a man who's been sighted "ripping down garage sale signs" while riding a Segway.

Though no negative posts were made about the man, Doss said she interpreted it as a form of gossip for singling out an individual "without him knowing what was being said about him — good or bad."

Castro Valley Patch will update this story as more information is made available.