KPBS Midday Edition

San Diego Community Leaders Call For Revival In Civics Education

By Maureen Cavanaugh / KPBS Midday Edition Co-Host, Marissa Cabrera / News Producer, KPBS Midday Edition

Published April 16, 2019 at 7:39 AM PDT

This story was published more than 5 years ago.

Donnell Branch, right, raises his hand in his Perkins Elementary Schoool fourth-grade classroom, March 2, 2017.

The Institute for Civic Engagement's 8th annual Restoring Respect Conference at the University of San Diego gets underway this week. This year's theme is Restoring Civic Literacy: Revitalizing Civic Education across our Community.

With the polarization of U.S. politics, it’s not uncommon for a friendly conversation to turn uncivil.

But for the last eights years, local educational and civic leaders have convened in San Diego to discuss ways to improve civility in civic dialogue.

This week, the Institute for Civic Engagement's 8th annual Restoring Respect Conference is taking place at the University of San Diego. This year's theme is Restoring Civic Literacy: Revitalizing Civic Education across our Community.

Become a KPBS sponsor

Carl Luna, political science professor at San Diego Mesa College and the director of the Institute for Civic Engagement joins Judith McConnell, presiding justice on the Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District in San Diego, on Midday Edition Tuesday to talk about the role of civic education in keeping a healthy American democracy.

KPBS Midday Edition

Maureen Cavanaugh

twitter

Maureen Cavanaugh has been a familiar voice for KPBS listeners for more than 15 years, serving in a variety of capacities including announcer, host, and producer. As host of KPBS Midday Edition, Maureen has interviewed a wide range of notables, such as comedienne Sandra Bernhardt, actor John Lequizamo, author Chuck Palahniuk, composer Marvin Hamlisch, artist Robert Irwin, and designer Zandra Rhodes. But of all the interviews Maureen has conducted, her most special was with His Holiness, the Dalai Lama. Before joining KPBS in 1997, she worked as a news anchor for KSDO and KOGO News Radio in San Diego. While working for commercial radio stations in San Diego and in Salt Lake City, Utah, Maureen reported on both hard news and lifestyle features. Maureen has received three "Golden Mike" awards from the Radio and TV News Association of Southern California for economic reporting and breaking news. She has also received a "Best of Show" and “Best Radio Newscast” awards from the San Diego Press Club and the "Flo" Award from Public Radio Program Directors Association for Best Public Radio Announcer in a large market. Maureen is a native of Queens, New York, but after more than 20 years in San Diego she feels she qualifies as a real Southern Californian.

What do you want to hear host Jade Hindmon talk about on Midday?

Marissa Cabrera

twitter

Marissa Cabrera worked as a producer for KPBS Midday Edition and had previously served as a Newscast Producer for KPBS' Morning Edition. Before joining KPBS she reported on Vatican affairs, social, and cultural issues in Rome, Italy. She also contributed to a documentary on sex abuse in the Catholic Church. Marissa has worked as a multimedia journalist at various news stations in San Diego and Monterey as well as Columbia, Missouri. Marissa graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism.

See stories by Marissa Cabrera