Johnson County

Local Community Development Specialist Georgia Stuart-Simmons, in conjunction with psychologist Alexa Casey, are available to conduct issues forums in the local area.  Based on the National Issues Forum model which was developed by the Kettering Foundation, these issues forums provide citizens with an opportunity to deliberate potentially contentious issues in a productive format.

Available Topics:

Alcohol and Drugs

• Alcohol: Controlling The Toxic Spill
• Illegal Drugs: What Should We Do Now? 

Children and Families

• Violent Kids: Can We Change The Trend?
• Our Nation's Kids: Is Something Wrong?
• The Troubled American Family: Which Way Out Of The Storm?
• Contested Values: Tug-Of-War In The School Yard
• The Day Care Dilemma: Who Should Be Responsible For The Children?
• Growing Up At Risk

Civil Rights

• Crime and Punishment: Is Justice Being Served?
• Racial and Ethnic Tensions: What Should We Do
• Money and Politics: Who Owns Democracy?
• Protecting Our Rights: What Goes On The Internet?
• Governing America: Our Choices, Our Challenge
• Off Balance: Resetting the Scales Of Civil Justice
• How Can We Be Fair: The Future Of Affirmative Action
• Admission Decisions: Should Immigration Be Restricted?
• The Boundaries Of Free Speech: How Free Is Too Free?

Economic Issues

• From Welfare To Work: Who Should We Help And How?
• Gambling: Is It A Problem? (1998)
• Jobs: Preparing A Workforce For The 21st Century?
• The National Piggybank: Does Our Retirement System Need Fixing?
• Pocketbook Pressures: Who Benefits From Economic Growth?

Education

• Public Schools: Are They Making The Grade?
• Contested Values: Tug-Of-War In The School Yard
• Politics for the 21st Century:  What Should Be Done On Campus? 

Energy & Environment

• A Nice Place To Live: Creating Communities, Fighting Sprawl
• Land Use Conflict: When City and Country Clash
• Environmental Protection: A Challenge Bigger Than All Outdoors
• Energy Options: Finding A Solution To The Power Predicament

Health Care

• At Death's Door: What Are The Choices?
• The Health Care Cost Explosion: Why It's So Serious, What Should Be Done?
• The Health Care Crisis: Containing Costs, Expanding Coverage
• The Battle Over Abortion: Seeking Common Ground In A Divided Nation

International / Foreign Policy

• Terrorism: What Should We Do Now
• Globalization Fear or Promise
• Mission Uncertain: Reassessing America's Global Role

Upcoming Issues Forums:

(There are currently no Issues Forums scheduled)

For more information about Issues Forums in Johnson County, Missouri and the surrounding area, contact Georgia Stuart-Simmons at StuartSimmonsG@missouri.edu