Democracy School Comes to Buffalo State

Two Buffalo State College faculty members learned of an intensive course that tackles some of the toughest issues of our day—food and water security, toxic dumps, factory farms, hydraulic fracturing, civil liberties, and war, among others. 

Stephen Gareau, associate professor, Computer Information Systems, and Kyeonghi Baek, assistant professor, Political Science, were so intrigued by the course developed and delivered by the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania, they decided to offer the day-and-half-long course at Buffalo State.  

Through a grant from the college’s Faculty-Student Association, they are hosting “Democracy School,” on Friday, March 30, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. and Saturday, March 31, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in Caudell Hall.

The workshop, which instructors from the Pennsylvania organization will lead, is intended to examine often exhausting and discouraging issues in a way that confronts corporate control on a powerful single front: people’s constitutional rights.

“We’re currently facing a wide range of social, economic, and environmental challenges, and it’s important that everyone understands what their rights are. They need to know how they can best apply their rights to effect positive change using available methods and tools,” said Gareau. “It is our hope that the program will inspire participants to help create a healing environment for the world.”

The free workshop is limited to 20 participants and already is full. Buffalo State students and faculty in the social sciences and the Volunteer and Service-Learning Center are expected to attend, along with representatives from the Western New York Peace Center, Occupy Buffalo, and a few unaffiliated community members.

Depending upon the success of the workshop, Baek and Gareau said they would like to host another “Democracy School” in the fall.