The ability to debate divisive topics respectfully is essential to living in a free society and a foundation of our democracy. In fact, were it not for the capacity to speak their minds but also find compromise, our Founding Fathers would not have been able to create the United States of America. Their vision of productive discourse embraced all points of view regardless of the contentious nature of their disagreements. However, as a 17-year-old who has grown up with a bombardment of news on social media outlets that is often hostile as well as distorted, I find that my peers and I are reluctant to voice our perspectives when they diverge from the majority viewpoint. I have keenly felt this pressure; usually I am eager to express my opinion, but fear of being dismissed or ridiculed began to affect my willingness to join debates.
By the time children are in elementary school they have learned that “freedom of speech” is a right. But as a high school student I can see that my fourth grade awareness of free speech assumed a civility that seems to have either disappeared or did not exist in the first place. Either way, the fact that students cannot find a way to express themselves without incurring the wrath of their peers is a disturbing consequence of the lack of civil discourse in our society.
I decided to take action to see if my fellow students and I could talk meaningfully to each other about the issues impacting our world and our lives. I created a program called Civil Discourse, in which groups of four students are instructed to read fact cards about issues ranging from gun control to school uniforms. Participants review the “Rules of Engagement” and learn to give evidence to back up their statements and to distinguish between opinions and facts. Students debate “what if” questions that consider how people of different gender, racial, religious or socioeconomic status might feel about that issue. Students rate themselves on their ability to listen to others and remain open-minded.
After months of running the program with the support of my school, the results have proven that high school students crave a way to frame discussion and debate in a respectful and productive way. When offered the opportunity to interact, face to face, have our voices heard, and hear the voices of others, teenagers rose to the occasion. This issue is everyone’s responsibility. In addition to local high schools, my initiative has been adopted by elementary schools, and there is interest in more schools integrating a Civil Discourse curriculum.
We live in fractious times and if the important work of truly understanding each other is going to occur, there must be a willingness to engage with those who hold vastly different beliefs from our own. Therefore, having a blueprint for productive interaction helps ensure that civility is not deemed irrelevant and that freedom of speech is not used as an excuse to simply shout louder than everyone else. Civil discourse and free speech must go hand in hand if our conversations are going to have any lasting force or impact. Attempting to understand each other might be the first step toward bridging some of the divide that separates us.
Diana Somorjai is a senior at Crystal Springs Uplands School. To continue this conversation, or to learn more about the Civil Discourse initiative and how it can be adapted for all ages including college and work environments, please contact Diana Somorjai at news@smdailyjournal.com.
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.