The Institute for Civility in Government defines civility as “more than just politeness, although politeness is a necessary first step. It is about disagreeing without disrespect, seeking common ground as a starting point for dialogue about differences, listening past one’s preconceptions, and teaching others to do the same. Civility is the hard work of staying present even with those with whom we have a deep-rooted and fierce disagreement.” Civility and civic engagement can complement each other in a way that engages students around common areas of interest, bridging the gaps that may have been created. In this session of edTrends, panelists will discuss how to safeguard civility and encourage civic engagement in a pre and post-election environment when emotions are highly charged.

Welcome:
Dr. Joseph Dragone, Senior Executive Officer, Capital Region BOCES

Moderator:
Jodie Orzechowski, Communications, Capital Region BOCES

Panelists:
Dr. Brett Levy, SUNY Albany (Dept. of Educational Theory & Practice)
Dr. Alfredo Medina Jr., Executive Director, Office for Public Engagement
Natalie McGee, President of Progression Partners
David Blanchard, Superintendent of Schoharie
Dr. Alex Finsel, Instructional Administrator, Guilderland High School