Group Aims to Boost Civic Engagement in Palos Verdes

Looming elections and low voter turnout for a local school parcel tax last year combine to make what a Peninsula PTA group calls "the perfect storm" as it takes steps to refocus the community on civic engagement.

"We’ve got parents in Palos Verdes, as well as a lot of community members who don’t know the first thing about civics," said Pamela Secor, co-legislative representative for the Palos Verdes Peninsula Council of PTAs.

The group is organizing a series of upcoming events it hopes will spark an increase in civic education in schools and throughout the Peninsula. The inaugural “Capitol Comes to Campus” events, part of the Council’s Civic Engagement Campaign, will be held May 18-19 at and High Schools.

California State Controller John Chiang will speak at the event, which will also feature a panel of educators and legislators moderated by Los Angeles mayoral candidate and former radio talk show host Kevin James, as well as Steve Kuykendall.

Discussion sessions facilitated by Palos Verdes teachers, in addition to jazz performances from local students are also planned for the event. A artist will work with fourth- to seventh-graders on a mural project that depicts the tenants of democracy.

This year’s local event is a change from the usual Council-organized "Capitol convoy" comprised of local students, teachers, district officials and parents who travel to Sacramento to lobby for the .

"Instead of taking 40 people to Sacramento, let’s try to bring Sacramento and government [here]," Secor said.

Secor noted that parent voter turnout for last year’s school parcel tax measure, , was only about 15 percent.

"We thought this year is kind of the perfect storm," she said, pointing to the measure, upcoming elections and economic issues as good reasons to focus on civic education.

The Council has reached out to elected officials from local and state government, as well as schools, in hopes that they and others in the community will attend the events planned for later this month, she said.

"How can we expect people to be good citizens if they don’t know what to do?" Secor said. "We want people to be more aware of what they can do and how they can do it."

More about the event: The "Capitol Comes to Campus" events are scheduled for May 18-19. A reception will be held from 5-7 p.m. May 18 at Palos Verdes Peninsula High School. Events on May 19, including the presentation by California State Controller John Chiang, will be held from 7:45 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Palos Verdes High School. Those interested in attending the Friday event are asked to RSVP to friday_reception@cox.net. For Saturday’s events, RSVP to saturday_congress@cox.net. The events are free to the public.