Howard County residents might need a reminder to use good manners and treat others with respect.
“How do we bring an element of civil discourse back to our communities?” said Christie Lassen, spokeswoman for the Howard County Library.
A new countywide initiative, Choose Civility, seeks to address this question. Led by the library system, the program involves more than a dozen county groups and aims to enhance respect, consideration and tolerance in the county.
The idea for the ongoing program was sparked by an appearance before the library staff by Dr. P.M. Forni, author of “Choosing Civility: The 25 Rules of Considerate Conduct,” and founder of the Johns Hopkins Civility Project. He will be featured in a Feb. 22 presentation at Howard Community College to kick off the program.
“Civility is not the ability to choose which fork to use for the salad, but instead the building block of community,” Forni said.
Most people believe civility is declining, as anonymity and stress are growing in American society, he said.
To remedy this, communities can encourage policies that promote good manners, he said. For example, police departments can teach ethics courses, and school systems can include civility in the curriculum or school policies.
The Howard County School Board passed a policy promoting civility, which applies to the school system?s staff, parents and students.
At a recent County Council meeting, Council Member Courtney Watson, D-District 1, asked to have a section about civility added to the council?s manual of rules and procedures.
“I think it?s good to have the expectations set,” Watson said. “It?s a nice tool to refer to when you are in a heated debate.”
For the countywide initiative, each group will approach the goal differently, Lassen said. Howard County police may incorporate the idea of civility in a motor vehicle safety campaign, and Howard Transit might start a campaign urging against vandalism on county buses.
