Following is the text of a press release about an upcoming day-long community dialogue on “Education and the Achievement Gap,” part of a nationwide experiment in citizen dialogue that’ll end up airing on public TV.
Gateway Community College to Convene By The People
Deliberation on Education and the Achievement GapNew Haven, CT: A press conference will be held at Gateway Community College on October 12 at 3:00 p.m. to announce that the college, in partnership with MacNeil/Lehrer Productions, Connecticut Public Broadcasting, the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, Bank of America, United Way, the William C. Graustein Memorial Fund, Yale University and The New Haven Free Public Library, will convene a civic dialogue with over 150 citizens from the Greater New Haven community on the topic of Education and the Achievement Gap on October 22. Dialogue participants are representative of the region as a whole; having been drawn from the pool of randomly-invited —Àúalumni’ of previous Citizen Forums.
The local discussion, which will be held on October 22, is part of the By the People Citizen’s Deliberation Week, a local/national initiative sponsored by MacNeil/Lehrer Productions to bring —Àúordinary’ citizens into nonpartisan, balanced discussions of important public policy questions.
The day will consist of small group discussions and an opportunity to question a panel that represents a range of perspectives and experience. The plenary session will be moderated by CPB’s Ray Hardman and CPTV will air a half-hour broadcast about the New Haven deliberations Front and Center with Ray Hardman on November 4 at 9:00 p.m. The New Haven deliberation will also contribute footage to a PBS national, one-hour special to be anchored by The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer senior correspondent Ray Suarez that will air at 10:00 p.m. on November 10.
The press conference take place on Gateway’s Long Wharf Campus in the Library at 60 Sargent Drive in New Haven at 3:00 p.m. Press kits and background materials are available. For information contact Evelyn Gard at (203) 285‑2065 or via email: egard@gwcc.commnet.edu
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