Civility standard
John Green, director of the University of Akron’s Bliss Institute of Applied Politics, is working with a steering committee, polling and focus groups to develop civility standards that guide people in conducting respectful conversations about difficult issues.
The standards also will be used this fall to grade political statements for their level of civility.
These questions were developed as part of the effort. “Yes” answers help identify uncivil or disrespectful conversation:
Does the statement contain offensive language, derogatory comments, or attack the motives of another person?
Does the statement misrepresent, belittle or dismiss another person’s opinion?
Does the statement interrupt discourse, disrupt deliberation or escalate conflict in a dialogue with other people?
Have an opinion? Email Green at green@uakron.edu.