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Civil Discourse Committee

Mission Statement

The mission of this committee is to facilitate positive and constructive public discourse through the use of open dialogue. This entails dialogue that respects differences of opinion, promotes an understanding of ways to address conflict through mutually-respectful, courteous and orderly communication. This dialogue uses fact-based discussions to learn from each other, while advancing the common good of the organization, the community, and society as a whole.

Co-chairs: Jean Burns Slater and Anne Quinn

Meetings: The 4th Monday of each month at 12:00 pm
Coastal Peaks Coffee, 3566 S. Higuera St, SLO

Due to the holidays, we will not be meeting in December 2025.

If you are interested in being a part of this committee, please contact us at civildiscourse@lwvslo.org.

This committee's goal is to restore trust in institutions and leaders of these institutions by encouraging respectful interactions in public forums while providing a space for democracy in action.

The committee will begin its work by:

Assisting groups and councils by invitation
Reaching out to councils and boards to offer our services
Presenting public forums that focus on seeing other people's points of view
Reviving the Code of Civility that was adopted by the County Board of Supervisors and several city councils

What You Can Do

Attend public meetings and use a Civil Discourse checklist to determine the tenor of the meetings
At the beginning of public meetings during the "public comment" section read the adopted Code of Civility, thus setting the tone for Civil Discourse during the meeting
Assist in presenting specific Civil Discourse topics at workshops
Help design new workshops on Civil Discourse
Become a Civil Discourse workshop facilitator

More Information about Civility and Civil Discourse

▶ Click here to read the Code of Civility
▶ Find tips on how to spot fake news here
▶ Websites for Fact-Checking here

Book and Papers
▶ The Bill of Obligations: The Ten Habits of Good Citizens, by Richard Haas
▶I Never Thought About It That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times, by Monica Guzman
▶ Our Common Purpose: Reinventing American Democracy for the 21st Century a report by the Commission on the practice of democratic citizenship American Academy of Arts & Sciences

Organizations and Other Resources
▶ National Institute for Civil Discourse
▶ Braver Angels

▶ News Literacy Project