GUIDELINES FOR CIVIL DISCOURSE IN THE CLASSROOM
CRIMINAL JUSTICE 161
 SPRING 2001
Generated: 1/17/01

TO: Students in CJ 161
FROM: R. B. Taylor
DATE: 1/19/01
RE: Guidelines for civil discourse

Small groups met in class on 1/17 and generated ideas for how we as a group should speak with one another and how we should listen to one another. From your suggestions I have generated guidelines. These appear below. You should consider these draft at this time. In other words, we are going to try and follow them, but if it looks like these need further clarification or if there are ones that seem inappropriate, then we can put further work into these. The names of the students who worked on these appear at the end. These supplement the classroom policies that are in the syllabus and with which you should already be familiar.

1. SPEAK WITH RESPECT "talking to one another with the same respect that we would like to be spoken to"; "no cursing"; "keep level tone"; "reasonable tone of voice"; "regulate your tone of voice"; "no name calling" (I will take this to mean not only name calling but also any derogatory comments on appearance, background, racial or ethnic group, or sex of the person); "Don't pass judgment"; "No yelling"; "No pointing with your finger"; "No insulting"; "Do not get rude or have an attitude even if you do not agree with one another"
   

2. ACKNOWLEDGE DIFFERENCES "Be respectful of others' views"; "Respecting others' opinions"; "Disagree with the idea not the person (don't make it personal)"; "Criticize what they say, not the person"
   
3. FOCUS "keep debates or expressions of opinions to the topic at hand"; "Keep to the topic"; "No rambling allowed"
   
4. "DON'T BE AFRAID TO GIVE YOUR OPINION" (as long as your delivery fits within guidelines)
   
5. NO JERRY SPRINGER "Don't attack verbally or physically"

6. LISTEN RESPECTULLY "Don't cut people's ideas short"; "Don't interrupt"; "Raise your hand"; "No snoring"; "One person speaks at a time
   

7. HEAR "Listen before you respond"
   
8. SEPARATE OPINION AND FACT "Don't state your opinion as fact"