Learning to Respectfully Disagree

In a world that has become increasingly divisive, students from St. Mark’s and other Dallas schools came together to learn how to talk about today’s issues and, more important, how to respectfully listen to the other side. On the night after the first presidential debate, students from St. Mark’s, Hockaday, Greenhill, ESD, and other local schools gathered at Ursuline Academy for a “Civil Discourse” discussion hosted by the Dallas Area Diverse Youth Organization (DADYO) and Ursuline’s African American Awareness Club. Students led discussions about prominent social and political issues, ranging from diversity and gender equality to policing and immigration.

“The purpose of the Civil Discourse discussion was to give students an opportunity to learn how to discuss the presidential debate and related issues in a way that is respectful so that everyone has chance to voice their points of view,” said Marjorie Curry, St. Mark’s DADYO sponsor. “It also gave students an opportunity to learn more about current events so that they could develop informed opinions.”

In learning to discuss topics respectfully, students gained practice in analyzing opposing arguments, critical thinking, and respecting various viewpoints. Mrs. Curry and other teachers hope that these skills will carry over to the academic debates students have in the classroom.

“Rather than making these issues completely taboo, Civil Discourse allows for discussion in tandem with respect,” Mrs. Curry said, noting that many seniors will be heading to the voting booth for the first time in November.