What happened in Newberg? | EP 135

Ron Mock is Director of the George Fox University Civility Project and Professor Emeritus of Politics and Peace Studies. He is also a former Newberg School Board Member, serving for nearly. His loss in 2021 triggered a conservative board majority that made international headlines for attempting to ban pride flags and BLM symbols--and ultimately for firing their superintendent. 

 

In this episode, Ron explains exactly what happened and why it happened. We talk about political polarization and divisiveness--and how it impacts communities. He shares what lessons other communities can learn from Newberg--and provides some specific examples of proactive steps community leaders can take to build a more productive political culture locally. We also discuss the occasional tension between being an advocate and being a convener--and whether "civility" is always the right framework for politics, or if today's political environment requires something different.

 

You can learn more about the Civility Project here: https://sites.google.com/georgefox.edu/gfcivilityproject/home