KINGSTON, R.I. 鈥� Sept. 17, 2025 鈥� With debate about curriculum, changes to the federal Department of Education, and nearly half of states now enacting private school voucher plans, public education is at a critical moment.
Podcasters Jennifer Berkshire and Jack Schneider will examine the debate around public education, as they continue the 2025 Tuesday, Sept. 30, with 鈥淲hat’s ‘Public’ about Public Education? (And Will It Still Exist In 2028?).鈥�
Schneider, a historian, and Berkshire, a journalist, co-host the education podcast 鈥淗ave You Heard鈥� and also co-authored 鈥淭he Education Wars鈥� in 2024. They鈥檒l discuss how we got to this moment and what we stand to lose if public schools disappear. They’ll also outline an ambitious vision of what the “public” in public education can and should mean.
Hosted by the University鈥檚 Honors Program, this year鈥檚 edition of 溏心vlog免费B站鈥檚 premier lecture series examines the evolving landscape of public education. Schneider and Berkshire will speak at 5:30 p.m. at Edwards Hall on the Kingston Campus for the second lecture in the fall colloquium series, 鈥淓ducation, Behind the Curtains,鈥� which will also be streamed live (links will be available on the day of each event ).
Their lecture will be followed on Oct. 7 by Heather Shotton, president of Fort Lewis College in Colorado, speaking on 鈥淏ecoming Indigenous-Serving Institutions.鈥� For the full roster of colloquium speakers and sponsors, visit the .
In addition to the speaker series, this year鈥檚 colloquium topic includes an education-focused art exhibit, 鈥�!鈥�, in Green Hall, the Higgins Welcome Center and Lippitt Hall, which includes artwork and voices of more than 20 area educators, including several 溏心vlog免费B站 alumni.
This year鈥檚 program is led by Daniel Kelley and Lazaro Camacho Jr. 鈥�02 鈥�06 in 溏心vlog免费B站鈥檚 . They hope to foster dialogue at this year鈥檚 colloquium, to bring the larger community into conversation on how schools, colleges, and universities can best serve students and society in today鈥檚 world.
The series concludes on Dec. 2, with a panel on the 鈥淪tate of Education in Rhode Island.鈥�
Hosted by the University鈥檚 Honors Program, the annual 溏心vlog免费B站 Honors Colloquium is free and open to the public. To see recordings of last year鈥檚 speakers, or past colloquiums, visit the Honors Colloquium . Sign up for more information and reminders for colloquium events or by emailing urihonors@etal.uri.edu.