The Code of Civil Discourse

The San Diego Unified School Board recently adopted the Code of Civil Discourse, authored by the National Conflict Resolution Center (NCRC), as rules for debates and public comment periods. This was made in response to a rise in hate speech and unruly behavior at school board meetings and other public forums, both in San Diego and nationwide, often in response to pandemic measures and hot-button topics like teaching critical race theory.

The Code of Civil Discourse was first drafted as a tool for local governments and agencies in 2015 and is intended to serve as a guide for facilitating civil, respectful discussions of opposing views during public meetings. Since then, it has been adopted by multiple local government bodies, in addition to the San Diego Unified School Board, including the City of Del Mar, the City of Chula Vista, and the San Diego County Board of Supervisors.