Start a civility club at your school
Your one-stop shop for everything you'll need to get started.
Starting your club
Follow these steps to go from idea to first meeting.
Find your founding members
You only need a handful to get started. Reach out to classmates with different viewpoints who are interested in learning from each other. Diversity is your club's greatest asset!
Share the basics of civil discourse
Before your first meeting, have everyone read through the "Why Civility?" page on this site. Understanding anger and the principles of active listening gives your group a shared foundation to work from.
Get school approval
Most schools require a faculty advisor to start an official club. Feel free to reference our sample letters below to introduce your club to the appropriate administrator. Keep it short and focused on the educational value.
Run your first meeting
Start with the Civility Pledge. Have everyone read it aloud together, and encourage everyone to sign their copies if they haven't already. You can find a list of suggested meeting activities available below.
Grow and connect
Once you're up and running, explore bringing the CD3 Program or Courts & Civility to your school. Connect with the civility organizations listed on our Get Involved page for mentorship and resources.
Sample letters
Use these letters as a reference when reaching out to the people responsible for approving your club.
Letter to Your Principal
Requesting approval to start a civility club
Dear [Principal or Administrator's name], I am writing to request approval for the creation of a Civility Club at our school. Nowadays, it is more important than ever that we learn to disagree with someone without becoming angry and unkind, which is why we believe this club will be a valuable addition to our school community. The basis of our club's mission and materials is an organization called Students4Civility, whose mission is to help students learn how to respectfully discuss sensitive or controversial topics while genuinely listening to and learning from opposing viewpoints. You can visit their website to find out more information about what we are aiming to achieve at students4civility.org. As of right now, I have found [number of starting members] students interested in becoming members of the club. I plan to reach out to [potential faculty advisor] to speak about potentially becoming the club's faculty advisor. I appreciate your time and consideration, and hope we can make this club a reality. Respectfully, [Name] [Grade/Contact information]
Letter to a Potential Faculty Advisor
Inviting a teacher or counselor to sponsor your club
Dear [Potential advisor's name], I am a student at [School Name] who is interested in promoting civil discourse in our community. I am working to start a civility club here and am hoping you might be interested in becoming our faculty advisor. The club would focus on structured dialogue, active listening, and exploring how people with different views can discuss difficult topics productively. Our mission and materials would be drawn from an organization called Students4Civility (students4civility.org). Your role as advisor would primarily involve attending meetings and providing guidance, while the students would plan and lead all activities. I believe this club could make a meaningful difference in our school culture. If you would be open to further conversation about this, I would be grateful for your support. Thank you, [Your Name] [Grade / Contact Info]
Ready to take the next step?
Take the Civility Pledge, explore our programs, or try the Civility Translator to see civil discourse in action.