'Boot Camp' Teaches City Officials About Ethics

Ethics specialists wearing "moral compasses" as necklaces spent two days taking elected officials from Florida, Texas, and Arizona through various exercises in ethical governance.

1 minute read

July 5, 2006, 8:00 AM PDT

By Alex Pearlstein

"Billed as the first of its kind boot camp for municipal ethics, the two-day gathering here at Santa Clara University on June 21 and 22 could become a model, some experts say. It would serve as a way for local elected officials, academics, and ethics commissioners to prepare for ethical dilemmas that officials deal with in office."

"Instead of an intellectual exercise, organizers hoped to create an 'experiential' component to help participants create real change in their cities. They took a silent walk to the local church mission to reflect on their values and goals."

"Public officials also tried to imagine how they would feel about seeing their own names in newspaper stories under real-life headlines: 'Citizen group to impeach mayor'; 'Attorneys sue city and council members.'"

FULL STORY: Boot camp for city officials teaches 'a culture of ethics'

Thursday, June 29, 2006 in The Christian Science Monitor

Government / Politics United States

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