Democracy Days 2023

 ~ an annual tradition at SCC since 2001 ~

 

all sessions in Conoyer Hall Auditorium (unless otherwise noted)
free & open to the public

 

 Monday, Sept 18

10 a.m.              Open Mic Session with SGA

Student body President Piper Stutsman and members of the Student Senate will host an open forum for students’ views, questions and experiences regarding current events and political issues that are impacting their lives. Come join the conversation! See how real politics can be. The dialogue is always conducted in a way that allows people to speak their minds without fear of ridicule.

 

 

11:30 a.m.        Rebutting the attack on Public Education

Our public schools, long thought of as essential to a thriving community and the bedrock of democracy, have come under attack from advocates of vouchers, tax credits and ‘school choice.’ Former senator and circuit judge Ted House discusses the grassroots efforts to defend our local schools, support teachers, and preserve public education.

 

 

1 p.m.              The Prose of Protest

The current political climate of the United States has created an environment that is rife for protest in its many forms: marches, picket lines, vigils, & speeches. This panel examines another form of popular protest with a rich history: the written word. Following a brief history of the use of literature as protest, members of the Fall 2023 Fiction Writing class taught by Joe Baumann (SCC English) will present their protest writing and discuss their motivations and inspirations for writing, as well as what they hope the power of art and the written word can achieve in a time of turmoil and upheaval. 

  

 

Tuesday, Sept 19 

10 a.m.                 Abortion in Missouri

In the summer of 2022, the Supreme Court found that persons in the US have no constitutional right to obtain an abortion. Shortly afterwards the state of Missouri effectively banned the procedure statewide. Gabe Harper (Political Science) will examine the effect of these restrictions and look at the current effort to restore abortion access in the state.

 

 

11:30 a.m.           150 Years of Telling Their Stories: History through Lens of Greenwood Cemetery

Grace Moser (History) leads a panel discussing the work of Greenwood Cemetery Preservation Association to preserve the stories of African Americans buried there since 1874. Through the work of descendants and activists, the cemetery was saved from development in the late 90s and gained a place on the national register of historic places. Greenwood has dedicated itself to telling the stories of the nearly 50k that call it their final resting place. As a public history site, Greenwood offers a unique and compelling story that captures an audience, regardless of their race, telling the story of St. Louis through the lens of those interred.

 

 

1 p.m.                 Trump Indictments

Political Science Professor Paul Roesler will explore the multiple indictments against former President Donald Trump. We’ll explore the allegations behind each indictment and whether he will still be able to run for president if convicted before the election.

 

 

Wednesday, Sept 20

 

10 a.m.                  Moms Demand Action - Use Your Voice: How a Bunch of Mothers Took on the Gun Lobby

Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America is a grassroots movement of everyday people working to reduce gun injuries and deaths. Missouri has the 7th-highest rate of gun deaths in the U.S., including suicides which account for more than half. Chapters in every state are working for stronger gun laws and a culture of responsible gun ownership with nearly 10 million supporters under the umbrella of Everytown for Gun Safety. Angela Curtis and other Moms Demand Action volunteers will share their motivations, strategies and experiences within the gun violence prevention movement.

 

 

11:30 a.m.            School to prison pipeline

Tracy Bono (SCC Business Faculty) will lead a panel to discuss the “School to Prison Pipeline.” According to the MO ACLU: "The School to Prison Pipeline is the current system of funneling children out of public schools and into the juvenile and criminal justice systems. Students of colors and students with disabilities are often punished harsher than their peers leading to disproportionate disciplinary outcomes. Children should be educated, not incarcerated."

Panelists will include:

Kenya Brumfield-Young, St. Louis University faculty in Criminology & Criminal Justice

Amber Benge, Co-Director MO Equity Education Partnership

Amanda Schneider, Staff Attorney at Legal Services of Eastern Missouri

Jennifer Phillips, Restorative Justice Coordinator at MO Juvenile Justice Association

Rev. Darryl Gregory Gray, Director General for Social Justice at Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc. and Chairperson of St. Louis Detention Facilities Oversight Board

Christina Ingoglia, President of MoDE Foundation Board and Director of Advocacy at Emmaus Homes, Inc.

 

 

1 p.m.                     Why Are Unions Still Important?  

Rebecca Klemme Eliceiri (SCC Library) will lead a panel discussion on unions. Labor unions have been a mainstay of American life, bringing working people important protections and benefits such as ending child labor, improved wages, the 40-hour work week, and employer-sponsored health insurance, but are they still necessary in today's workforce? SCC Faculty Association, Adjunct Faculty Union, and Staff Union members discuss this and related questions about unions' continued relevance for today's workers, beginning with a brief history of unions, continuing with recent local labor and union situations, and concluding with an opportunity for audience questions and discussion.

 

 

Thursday, Sept 21

 

10 a.m.                      Article V: Conventions of States – Why Call an Article V Convention?

Former Missouri State Representative John Wiemann will discuss Article V in the US Constitution along with the facts and arguments for petitioning congress to call for a convention of the states. We will review Missouri Article V legislation passed and discuss the outcome of the most recent simulated convention of states that were held August 4-5th, 2023 in Williamsburg, Virginia.

 

 

11:30 a.m.                 DEI and Healthcare through an Occupational Therapy Lens

The power of occupational therapy lies in its core belief that each person is a unique occupational being. OTA faculty will discuss how the profession not only facilitates engagement and independence in meaningful occupations, but also recognizes the importance of those unique client factors.

 

1 p.m.                         Protest Music as Democracy in Action: From Bob Dylan to Beyoncé

American music has deep roots in the sounds of protesting. Join English Professors Jayme Novara and Rachel McWhorter-Rushas we explore songs from the American Revolution, the Civil Rights Movement, protestations of the Vietnam War, the Women’s March, and the Black Lives Matter Movement to show that the foundations of democracy are alive and well in the music we make.

 

Democracy Days 2022 

Examining the History, Health & Functioning 
of Democracy in America and Abroad 

 ~  an annual tradition at SCC since 2001 ~

 

all sessions in SSB Auditorium (unless otherwise noted)

free & open to the public 

Download The Democracy Days Program

Monday, Sept 19 

 

10               Democracy, Dictatorship and War  

In the post-Cold War era, it was commonly believed that democracy was ascendant, with the expectation that dictatorships would become a thing of the past. Today it is democracy that is in retreat, and Europe has seen a shocking example of tyrannical imperialism. Gabe Harper (SCC Political Science) will discuss the prospects of democracy worldwide and its potential to make war a thing of the past.    

 

11:30          Teach-In: Abortion Access in Missouri 

Join Gender Studies scholar Brenda Boudreau (McKendree University) for a Teach-In about abortion access. Practical takeaways include: learning how to dispel misinformation, learning how to use inclusive and fact-based language, and finding out what you can do to help the state of reproductive freedom. This session is moderated by Jayme Novara (SCC English). 

 

 

1                Crip Camp [film]

Join us for an excerpt from the documentary Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution followed by a 30-minute discussion led by Paige George (SCC Disability Support Services Manager). The film shares with insight, clarity, humor and beauty the experiences of one group of disabled young people and their journey to activism and adulthood. In so doing, the film provides an opportunity for all to delve into the rich and complicated history of disability activism, culture and history. Community-led screenings and conversations can elevate and amplify diverse voices in the disability community, build capacity for advocacy and activism and provide space for people to connect and share their stories.

2:30           Feeding Democracy: Food as Politics 

From corporate food production to agricultural policy, and from the local grocery to the backyard BBQ, our food system and our food choices are unavoidably political. Join Mike Dewes (SCC Culinary) and a smorgasbord of local food system experts for a heaping helping of food politics.  

 

 

Tuesday, Sept 20 

 

9                     Fight to the End

Gun rights. Questioning elections. "Cancel culture." Assassination. International aggression. Perhaps more than at any other time in living memory, democracy itself seems to be rife with conflict arising from external opponents as well as within. Can't we all just get along? Should we even want to? Join Charles DeBord (SCC Philosophy) in unpacking a philosophy that claims that democracy's struggles are a feature, not a bug: our very existence as conscious human beings guarantees it. The conclusion may shock and offend you, but just remember, you're always free to disagree!

 

  

 

10                   Politics, Democracy, Psychology

This presentation will center on the use of psychological principles in understanding the current rise of tribalism in politics. How that tribalism threatens the democratic process and how it isn't simply a case of "both sides doing the same thing." Marvin Tobias (SCC Psychology) will talk about how identity and emotionality have tainted the political process, and the presentation will conclude with tools and correctives which can hopefully promote a better democratic process.
  

 

11:30            Why Are Books Dangerous? A Historical and Literary Case for Reading Banned Books

Corey Porter (SCC English), Rachel McWhorter (SCC English), Michael Kuelker (SCC English) and panel moderator Grace Moser (SCC History) confront the issue of censorship that is splashing across the news and social media, and answer the question, Why? Why are these books deemed so dangerous that they required removal from public and school library bookshelves? The panel will address the history of banned books and moral panics and look at the latest books objected to by school and library boards around the country. Attend to find out why we should care about protecting this right to read "banned" books. 

  

 

1:00               Critical Disability Theory  

US society continues to challenge what “democracy” looks like at the site of our bodies and our identities – recognizing a long heritage of white supremacy and heteronormativity. Yet mainstream society has only begun to confront our latent ableism in these conversations. Critical Disability Theory offers a lens to view disability not as a “property of bodies” but rather as a set of “cultural rules about what bodies should be or do” (Rosemarie Garland-Thomson). From stock characters in mythology and literature, where physical disabilities have too often represented “character flaws,” to contemporary images of the “super-crip” mascot for those that overcome a fate “worse than death” (picture Christopher Reeves in his chair, “Super Man” as the copy, on 48-foot wide billboards) -- disability problematically continues to function as the margins by which “normal” society may feel reassured of itself. This panel will share some tenets of CDT and have an open discussion about the micro-aggressions to outright injustices our society still perpetuates around the idea of “disability” – and what we might do to challenge them in the name of democracy. Rachel McWhorter (SCC English) is our panel moderator.

 

  

2:30               Russia & Ukraine: What Our Students Are Saying 

What impact has the Russian-Ukrainian conflict had on SCC English as a Second Language students and on international/immigrant students in general? Dawn Huffman, who has taught language learners for 27 years, will explore the accounts of students who are attempting to study in a non-native language while having to cope with a myriad of emotions that arise in times of war. In addition, she will explain how the classroom can become a haven for students who are from conflict-ridden cultures and/or divided nations. 

 

 

Wednesday, Sept 21 

 

10                   Pushing Back Against the Bans: Libraries and Intellectual Freedom

This panel of SCC librarians and information professionals will address the recent and ongoing challenges of books in America’s schools and best strategies for challenging the challenges. The panel will be made up of local librarians, members of Missouri Library Association’s Intellectual Freedom Committee, and possibly students working against these recent bans. We will discuss the history of banning books in libraries and schools, what led us to where we are today, and how to best address things going forward.

  

 

11:30            The U.S. Constitution and the Insurrection of Jan. 6, 2021

In Democracy Days 2022’s keynote address, a specialist in the U.S. Constitution addresses this founding document in light of Jan. 6, 2021. Gregory Magarian is Thomas and Karole Green Professor of Law at Washington University School of Law in St. Louis and the author of Managed Speech: The Roberts Court’s First Amendment (Oxford Univ. Press, 2017). The insurrection marred an otherwise stellar record of peaceful transfers of power, one of the hallmarks of democracy. Do not miss this constitutional scholar’s analysis.

  
 

 

1                      My Body, My Choice? 

The Supreme Court appears poised to overturn the constitutional right to an abortion. In recent months, some states have banned all abortions, including those caused by rape and incest, while other states proposed laws that will label abortion as homicide and seek the death penalty for women seeking abortion. Meanwhile, other states are proposing laws that ban certain types of contraception. This panel confronts the implications of this ruling. Kate Weber (SCC History) explores the history of abortion and other restrictions on women's bodily autonomy. Dana Prewitt (SCC Sociology) will discuss the sociological impact of this ruling on American women. Paul Roesler (SCC Political Science) will examine the Constitutional roots of the Right to Privacy, and how its elimination will weaken other bodily autonomy rights, including birth control and gay sex.

  

 

2:30               What’s Going On? A Satirical Look at America Through the Eyes of an Educator 

Gregory Bosworth (SCC Dean of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences) chairs a panel offering a critical examination of America through the lenses of educational professionals who are on the front lines of the anti-intellectual movement that has permeated many facets of our daily lives. From mass shootings, the overturning of Roe vs. Wade, the Jan 6 Committee, inflation, and the war in Ukraine, we will speak on topics that we as everyday Americans are dealing with in our homes as well as the classroom. Joining Dr. Bosworth for the discussion will be Dana Prewitt (SCC Sociology), Nicole Nunn-Faron (SCC Education), Laura Barbarick (SCC Psychology) and Kate Weber (SCC History).

 

 

Thursday, Sept 22 

 

10                   Can Capitalism Guarantee Democracy?

William Baca-Mejia (SCC Economics) delves into the relationship of capitalism and democracy. Orthodox economists, such as Milton Friedman, tend to suggest the causality between capitalism and freedom. That capitalism leads to a better democracy. Nonetheless, the classical liberal notion of capitalism is one thing, and capitalism has evolved into different market structures that goes against what we know as democracy. To be more precise, the reflections of John Maynard Keynes on his “Am I Liberal?” or “Economic Possibilities for Our Grandchildren,” takes us to be wary of the orthodox interpretation of the link between the economic and political spheres of society. Understanding the complexities between the economic and the political systems helps us to see how the process of accumulation works in favor or against democracy.

  

 

10                   Interfaith Panel on Abortion**
                       venue: College Center (CC) Rotunda aka The Cave

Rev. Rebecca Turner, Pastor of Maplewood United Church of Christ, engages in an interfaith dialogue on abortion with Rev. Emma Holley, Pastor at Faith Des Peres Presbyterian Church, and Sonya Vann, Minister at Christ the King UCC in Florissant and Executive Director of Central Reform Congregation in St Louis. This session will take place in the College Center (CC) Rotunda (“The Cave”).

  

 

11:30            The ADA in Higher Education: A Student Panel

Paige George (SCC Disability Support Services Manager) offers a short history of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as it relates to higher education. A panel of students who are receiving accommodations at SCC, or have in the past, will discuss the challenges that they have faced and the solutions that have worked for them. This session will raise awareness about disability issues and give an opportunity for everyone on campus to learn more about the disabled student’s experiences.  

  

 

1                     The Poetry & Prose of Protest

The current political climate of the United States has created an environment that is rife for protest in its many forms: marches, picket lines, vigils, speeches. This panel examines another form of popular protest with a rich history: the written word.  Following a brief history of the use of literature as protest, members of the Fall 2022 Creative Writing II class taught by Joe Baumann (SCC English) will present their protest writing and discuss their motivations and inspirations for writing, as well as what they hope the power of art and the written word can achieve in a time of turmoil and upheaval.

  

 

2:30            Jennifer Ambler’s Political Parody in Blue 

                   à special presentation on the main stage of the Shook Fine Arts Bldg.  

Jennifer Ambler is a serious political junkie. No really, she’s got a problem! Her obsession results in writing hilarious parody songs about the insanity of the American political system. It’s Weird Al meets Schoolhouse Rock. Ambler is a native of Florida. She attended the University of Florida, majoring in Political Science and interning for her Senator in DC. She spent 10 years in New York pursuing her Broadway and musical theatre dreams. In 2017, she launched Parody in Blue, a performing arts company dedicated to talking about current issues through musical comedy. She lives in Georgia. This presentation is sponsored by SCC Student Life and will take place on the main stage of the Shook Fine Arts Building (FAB).

  

 

7 pm              The Kinloch Doc [film]

Kinloch is a city in St. Louis County that has undergone profound social, political and economic changes since its inception in the 19th century. For many years, Kinloch was a thriving community built on black entrepreneurship, but today it is a shell of what it was suffering crime, corruption, a declining tax base and other ills. What happened? This 50-minute film, directed by Alana Marie, a storyteller and content creator in St. Louis, uncovers a wealth of history and brings us up close to the people, the community and its complexities. Hosted by Michael Kuelker (SCC English) and sponsored by SCC Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences. 

 

SCC Democracy Days 2021  

Examining the history, health and functioning
of democracy in America and abroad since 2001
 

 

Free & Open to the Public

Attend in-person in the SSB Auditorium
or see the presentations at stchas.edu/DemocracyDays

Democracy Days 2021 Flyer 
Democracy Days 2021 Program
Twenty Years of Democracy Days
 

Monday, Sept. 13

 

8:30 a.m.             The U.S. Constitution and Major League Baseball

Batter up! As the hometown team tries to make history yet again, come and see how our country's pastime compares to one of its other most prized traditions ... the United States Constitution. Lisa Randoll (Political Science) will game out exactly how various aspects of Major League Baseball compare and connect to our country's most integral founding document.

 

10 a.m.                The Poetry & Prose of Protest

The current political climate of the United States has created an environment that is rife for protest in its many forms: marches, picket lines, vigils, speeches. This panel examines another form of popular protest with a rich history: the written word.  Following a brief history of the use of literature as protest, members of the Fall 2021 Creative Writing II class taught by Joe Baumann (SCC English) will present their protest writing and discuss their motivations and inspirations for writing, as well as what they hope the power of art and the written word can achieve in a time of turmoil and upheaval.

 

 

11:30 a.m.            Signs of Life 

When push comes to shove, what are we willing to live with? From the death of George Floyd to the storming of the U.S. Capitol, recent events raise the question of what we're supposed to do when we can no longer run our moral lives on autopilot. Extraordinary situations like these seem to call for acts of ethical creativity, but how can this be accomplished while maintaining our integrity?  Join Charles DeBord (SCC Philosophy) for an investigation of how the philosophical foundations of ethics can ground our understanding of right and wrong within a rapidly changing social landscape.

 

 

1 p.m.                   Transgender Today: A Panel Discussion 

Missouri leads the country in the number of anti-LGBTQ bills introduced, most of which target transgender youth. Fifteen such bills have recently made an appearance. On this panel to discuss these bills and other related issues: Rep. Barbara Phifer represents St. Louis County (District 90/Kirkwood) in the Missouri House of Representatives. She was a United Methodist pastor for 40 years and has a transgender grandchild. Rep. Doug Clemens represents St. Louis County (District 72/St. Ann) in the Missouri House of Representatives. He is the uncle of a gender non-binary individual. Danielle Meert is the parent of a transgender youth and an activist with TransParentSTL. Sara Baker is the Deputy Chief of Staff for St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones. Oliver Spencer is transgender and a self-advocate who studied at SCC from 2014-2017. Moderating the panel is Tracy Bono, adjunct faculty in the SCC business department. 

 

 

2:30 p.m.              Afghanistan in Focus: A Panel Discussion

The 20-year, U.S.-led coalition war in Afghanistan has concluded with shocking scenes of chaos, violence and Taliban rule. What happened and where do we go from here? Our panelists bring multiple perspectives. Fahime Mohammad, who came to the United States from Afghanistan in 1991, shares a riveting personal journey with his observations of government. He co-owns and operates Sameem Afghan Restaurant in St. Louis. He will be joined by William Baca Mejia (SCC Economics) and Ryanzo Perez, a veteran of the U.S. military who served in Afghanistan. 

 

 

Tuesday, Sept. 14

 

10 a.m.                   Medicaid in Missouri: A Panel Discussion

The SCC Political Science department hosts a discussion on Medicaid expansion featuring two Missouri legislators. In 2020, Missourians passed Amendment 2, which changed the Missouri Constitution and required the state government to expand Medicaid to cover Missourians earning up to 133% of the poverty level. In 2021, the Missouri legislature refused to fund that expansion, but the Missouri Supreme Court ruled that the expansion could proceed. State Representative John Wiemann (R) and State Representative Trish Gunby (D) will discuss their perspectives on Medicaid expansion and what happens next. Gabe Harper (SCC Political Science) will moderate the discussion. [Postscript -- Unfortunately, Representative Wiemann had a last-minute conflict and was unable to appear at Democracy Days.]

 

  

11:30 a.m.            Ordinary Equality: Why We Need the ERA  

A 2020 poll revealed a 75% majority of Americans support an equal rights amendment. By 2020, 38 states ratified the ERA and passed the 3/4 rule to become constitutional. So why is it not law? This discussion, led by Grace Moser (SCC History), Dana Prewett (SCC Sociology) and Monica Swindle (SCC Sociology), will address the history behind the amendment and what it means for American women today. Panelists will discuss the Constitution and its amendments regarding equal rights and explore other nations’ constitutions with more specific protections already included.

 

 

1  p.m.                  The 2020 Election: An Analysis 

Paul Roesler (SCC Political Science) examines the 2020 election, focusing on the myth of voter fraud. Roesler will explain constitutional requirements for presidential elections, the roots of the Voter Fraud Myth and how it undermines our democracy. He will discuss some of the more bizarre myths, such as those involving bamboo and the ghost of Hugo Chavez, as well as the political implications of spreading the Big Lie, including the January 6th insurrection and restrictions on voting.

 

 

Wednesday, Sept. 15

 

10 a.m.                  Student Open-Microphone Forum 

Lisa Randoll (SCC Political Science) annually holds an open forum for students’ views, questions and experiences regarding current events and political issues that are impacting their lives. Come join the conversation! See how real politics can be. The dialogue is always conducted in a way that allows people to speak their minds without fear of ridicule.  

 

 

11:30 a.m.           Moms Demand Action  

Angela Curtis, Local Group Lead for Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, will discuss her group’s grassroots non-partisan movement to prevent gun violence. She will also focus on the ways Moms Demand Action volunteers get involved in the legislative process to influence the laws that impact gun safety. 

  

1 p.m.                   Balancing Security and Accessibility in Elections 

Kurt Bahr, Director of Elections for St. Charles County, will discuss the competing yet complementary goals of voter access and ballot security in elections.  State and Federal changes to election laws have proposed changing who and how voters access ballots as well as how those ballots are secured from fraud before and after they are cast. A look at Missouri’s current laws on election verification, auditing procedures as well as the process for voter registration and list management will provide perspective on how those proposed state and national election laws will change our election system.  

 

 

2:30  p.m.             Critical Race Theory: A Panel Discussion 

Greg Bosworth (SCC Dean of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences) leads an exploration of CRT in our political discourse and the public education system. It’s one of the hottest political flashpoints in our time. Joining the panel discussion will be Grace Moser (SCC History), Rachel McWhorter (SCC English), Anastasia Bierman (SCC English) and Martha Kampen (SCC Diversity & Compliance).

 

Thursday, Sept. 16 

 

10 a.m.              Separate and Unequal in Death: The Challenges of Preserving a Segregated Cemetery
                           
 Greenwood Cemetery, established in 1874, is the oldest non-sectarian cemetery for African Americans in St. Louis. Archivist and Historian Etta Daniels and Board Secretary Shelley Morris of the Greenwood Cemetery Preservation Association will discuss their research and work at the cemetery and how it continues to change and affect descendants of those buried there. Inequality continues even after death, as Greenwood highlights the continued struggle for St. Louis’ black community to preserve and honor their dead.

 

11:30 a.m.        Covid-19: The Delta Variant 

Amy Koehler, Provost of the SCC Dardenne Creek Campus (and former nursing faculty), joins Monica Hall-Woods (SCC Biology) and Nicole Pinaire (SCC Biology) to discuss medical questions surrounding vaccines and the evolution of Covid-19, including the Delta variant. Sara Evers, Assistant Director of the St Charles County Department of Public Health, will discuss government efforts to fight this pandemic in St. Charles and provide updates on the efficacy of vaccines and masks. Paul Roesler (SCC Political Science) will moderate the discussion and discuss the role of government in a democracy.

 

  

 

1 p.m.                Creating Equitable Education in Our Communities (Monday, Sept 13, etc.)

Over 10 million children live below the poverty line in America, and only 14% of children growing up in poverty will graduate from college within eight years of graduating high school. The U.S. education system struggles to provide a functioning learning experience for children in low-income communities. Francesca Meixner, an educator for Teach for America, works in these communities to ensure that all children receive an equitable education regardless of family income. A true democracy will care about the needs of all; this means addressing the lack of equity within our local schools. Ms. Meixner will share what individuals can do to assist in creating a fair education system for all and will also guide students in seeing their ability to create lasting change in their own communities.

 

 

7 p.m.                Missouri at 200 Years 

It’s Missouri’s anniversary!  Join Debra Crank Lewis (SCC History), Gabe Harper (SCC Political Science) and Gary McKiddy (SCC History) as they discuss 200 years of Missouri being part of the United States. They will cover topics including Missouri Compromise, the Missouri Constitution, German influences in Missouri as well as the fractious politics of Missouri today.  

 

 

A Note about Methodology
Since 2001, this annual forum has featured SCC students, faculty, staff and administrators as well as invited guests discoursing on democracy. Every spring semester, an “all mail users” message goes out inviting proposals for Democracy Days that September. No one who has ever proposed a session has been turned down! The agenda you see this year, and every year, reflects the intellectual energies and commitments of the people who step forward to participate. Presenters and panelists are asked to allow for ample time in every session for Q&A, discussion, dissent, etc., as this forum seeks to be democratic in practice. 

If you’d like more information about Democracy Days, or you’d like to take part in SCC Democracy Days in the future, please contact Michael Kuelker (SCC English) at mkuelker@stchas.edu.

An interdisciplinary forum assessing the history, health and functioning of democracy in America and abroad 

20th anniversary event!

Monday, Sept 14
10 a.m. Disability Rights, Education & Democracy

Tracy Bono and Paige George explore disability rights, education and legislation. They will bring compelling examples of the fight for disability rights including Bono's personal story regarding her son. Paige George holds a Master of Arts in Professional Counseling. She has worked at SCC for 15 years with over five years serving as the Disability Support Manager. She is a member of the Association on Higher Education and Disability. Her goal is to make SCC a welcoming place for students with disabilities and to remove barriers to students reaching their educational goals. Tracy Bono (SCC Business, SCC Reading) is a parent advocate. She is often a guest speaker at disability rights rally events throughout the state of Missouri, has worked closely with state legislators regarding bills related to disability rights and is an administrator of the International Coalition Against Restraint and Seclusion.

  

 

11:30 a.m. No Holding Back

E pluribus unum – out of many, one. But are we really? From Coronavirus to the ghosts of the Confederacy, from Black Lives Matter to the Boogaloo Boys, it appears that we are in fact more divided than united. Some have gone so far as to suggest that we shouldn’t even try for one, we should just settle for we.

This presentation explores the significance of our traditional national motto: what does it mean to be one? Is there reason to believe that true unity is possible? If so, how might it be brought about? In light of both ancient and modern philosophy, Chaz DeBord (SCC Philosophy) argues that a number of popular conceptions of the American nation are inconsistent with true unity. He then describes some conditions for the possibility of unity and points to how these conditions might offer guidance for bringing the American one out of the American many.

  

 

1 p.m. Inside Elections: The St. Charles County Director of Elections Speaks

Free and fair elections are a cornerstone of democracy. Get the inside story from St. Charles County Director of Elections Kurt Bahr. Covid-19 has affected voting practices and the law has changed to reflect this. Director Bahr will discuss safety measures at polling stations as well as absentee voting and early voting by mail, methods which are seeing significant increased usage this year.

 

 

Tuesday, Sept 15

 

10 a.m. The Pandemic and Mental Health 

As the world is continuing to endure the pandemic, racial injustice protests, unemployment and social and economic uncertainties, it is becoming clear that democracy and its systems are either failing many Americans or is working only for the privileged few. Experts are predicting that the emerging “second curve” of the Covid-19 will be in mental health impacting families, patients, health care workers and others who face trauma while dealing with social isolation and other ordeals relating to the pandemic. Vi Rajagopalan (SCC Psychology) will examine key issues and precautionary measures that families and individuals can focus on to develop healthy coping mechanisms right now to prevent or curb further escalations in stress related responses.

 

 

 11:30 a.m. It’s All Our History

An interdisciplinary panel led by SCC profs representing Psychology, Sociology, English, and Occupational Therapy examining the importance of knowing and understanding African American history. The discussion proceeds from the assumption that we cannot understand the present without knowing and acknowledging US history through the lens of African American history. This panel examines how knowing and understanding this history can affect everything in society from accessibility of jobs and homeownership, to mental health and access to adequate medical care, and this panel calls for the inclusion of African American representation in our current education system as a standard, not an elective. Panelists include Marvin Tobias (Psychology), Dana Prewitt (Sociology), Rachel McWhorter (English) and Courtney Barrett (Occupational Therapy). Moderated by Grace Moser (History).

 

 

 1 p.m. ‘You Can’t and I Won’t’: The Controversy Over Social Distancing During the 1918 Influenza Pandemic

Stephen Randoll (SCC History) explores the history of the 1918 pandemic in America and its bearing upon our current health crisis. The 1918 pandemic, a subject of Randoll’s graduate studies in history, claimed 675,000 lives in the US and upwards of 50 million people globally.

 

 

Wednesday, Sept 16

10 a.m. Poetry and Democracy in the American Tradition

How can poetry teach? And what does American poetry about democracy have to teach us in 2020, a year of acute challenge and change? When we study poetry and democracy, we realize that democracy is not only a system of governance; it’s a way of thinking and being, something that can inform the very acts of writing and reading themselves. Michael Kuelker (SCC English) will elaborate. Examples in this hour will spring from Walt Whitman (“I speak the password primeval, I give the sign of democracy”), the Harlem Renaissance, contemporary poetry slams, the verse of current US Poet Laureate Joy Harjo & many others who have taken part in the grand parade of American poetry.

 

 

 11:30 a.m. Civic Engagement in the Wake of 2020

This panel will detail how instructors and students are pursuing activism, social justice, and service-learning projects in their remote and virtual classrooms. Bryonie Carter (SCC English) moderates.

 

 

 1 p.m. Racism, Police and the Black Lives Matter Movement

A panel of SCC faculty discusses racism in the US and the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement. Dana Prewitt (SCC Sociology) examines contemporary institutional racism from a sociological point of view, focusing on economic, educational, and health disparities. Paul Roesler (SCC Political Science) explores evidence of widespread discrimination in policing and shifting public opinion in favor of police reforms. Marvin Tobias (SCC Psychology) looks at updated research on bias and behavior and the role that racism has played in the response to the movement. Grace Moser (SCC History) speaks about the importance of understanding and including black history in our narratives so we can understand context.

 

 

Thursday, Sept 17

10 a.m. The Stock Market Indexes: Not a Macroeconomic Indicator

This presentation by William Baca-Mejia (SCC Economics) contests the mainstream view in economics that reduces democracy to a simple efficient resource allocation of the market. In news about the state of the economy, indexes of the stock market have been presented as indicators that reflect the well performance of the economy, suggesting that the higher these indexes, the higher the well-being of a nation. This is a misconception because it is the trends in consumption, business real investment, government purchases and exports (in terms of foreign consumption and investment) as well as unemployment and inflation what gives us a sense of how well the economy is doing. Along with data and theoretical principles, we will present the case of how an economy should be evaluated.

 

 

 11:30 a.m. A Conversation on Police Reform with Sgt. Heather Taylor

Gabe Harper (SCC Political Science) will introduce some calls to reform the police including the push by some activists to “defund” the police. Sgt Heather Taylor will then discuss her observations on policing in America and her observations on these reform proposals. Sgt Taylor is a homicide sergeant with the Metropolitan Police Department of the City of St. Louis, and she is the President of the Ethical Society of Police (ESOP), an organization founded within the St. Louis Police Department to address race-based discrimination.

 

 

 1 p.m. The Myth of Voter Fraud

A panel of faculty from SCC’s Political Science department will discuss allegations of voter fraud, including voter I.D. and concerns with absentee voting during a pandemic. The panel will discuss past allegations as well concerns about the 2020 presidential election and President Trump's suggestion to postpone the election.