The Democracy School: An effective training for communities to exercise local governance by passing ordinances to protect their environments from being destroyed by outside corporations. This schooling has helped hundreds of towns and municipalities to take control of their communities to successfully resist corporate “personhood” by educating and uniting people into true democratic action. A tool for powerful activism.
WABI-TV5: Citizens and Activists Learn About U.S. Government System
Dover-Foxcroft – Concerned citizens and activists had a chance to learn more about the United States government system.
The Daniel Pennock Democracy School was held at the Congregational Church in Dover-Foxcroft earlier this week.
This was the third time the course has been taught in the area by members of the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund.
“Folks come here to learn about the legal structure. How it’s set up and what they can to do to actually take local democracy back and actually make those decisions for themselves”
“It’s about giving them an avenue to follow to be able to get that kind of community established and in place.”
Nat Pop: “So were going actually move now and take a look at the constitution of the United States of America.”
Participant Matthew Newman was paying close attention throughout the session.
“I came here specifically to learn how to write legislation or ordinances for towns along the route so that they can self govern”
In particular, he is concerned with the East West Corridor proposal.
“we should have the right as the community to to say as a community that we don’t want this”
But not everyone is here for the same reason as Matthew,
“We’ve had elected officials folks from all different political backgrounds. Folks come to this school when they either would like to say no to something coming into their community that they don’t want to see that’s going to harm…Or they would actually like to implement a positive policy ”
“I very rarely know what political leanings the people who participate in these democracy schools are. I seldom ask and I seldom find out. It’s really about those members of the communities who see that they perhaps are somehow being restricted from really obtaining the goals they have for their children or their grandchildren”
Caitlin Burchill. WABI TV 5 News. Dover-Foxcroft.