National Issues Forums: What is the 21st Century MIssion for our Public Schools?

National Issues Forums (NIF) began in 1981 and were initiated by the Charles Kettering Foundation. NIF is nonpartisan and considers public policy issues. It is rooted in the simple notion that people need to come together to reason and talk--to deliberate about common problems. Indeed, democracy requires an ongoing deliberative public dialogue. These forums offer the opportunity to join together to deliberate, to make choices with others about ways to approach difficult issues and to work toward creating reasoned public judgment. Forums focus on domestic issues (unlike the Great Decisions program that examines international issues). The forums provide a way for people of diverse views and experiences to seek a shared understanding of the problem and to search for common ground for action. Forums use an issue discussion guide that frames the issue by presenting the overall problem and then three or four broad approaches to the problem. You'll work through the issue by considering each approach; examining what appeals to you or concerns you. You may also identify what the costs, consequences and trade-offs may be that would be incurred in following that approach.