Geneva School Board President Calls for Civility in Public Discourse on Education

Speaking at the Geneva School District 304's leadership breakfast Wednesday, made a strong argument for civility in public discourse, especially on school issues.

"Education as we know it is under attack," Moran told an audience of educators, students and civic leaders at the annual breakfast, which pays tribute to American Education Week. "Not just the processes of the past, but the concept of education is being attacked. Teachers are a target, administrators are a target. We need to stay in this fight.

"The attack is no longer just debate," he said. "Coarse opinion is substituting for discourse, and bluster is masquerading as statesmanship."

Moran said students present at the leadership breakfast—particularly student council members—should take note and learn from the behavior of Geneva School Board members.

"These are people who speak in reasoned tones," he said. "The people in these chairs know how to agree to disagree. We must voice our disagreements, but when the level of invective takes the front page, we have lost our ability to make progress."

Moran said it was important for tomorrow's leaders to understand "not just what to debate, but why to debate and to be civil about it."