The University of Arizona’s Center for the Philosophy of Freedom (Freedom Center) played a leading role in the third annual Foundations of Civic Culture summit, co-hosted with the Cato Institute’s Sphere Education Initiatives on January 24–25, 2025, in Phoenix, Arizona. This year’s summit, titled The Importance of Teachers to Free Speech, Civil Discourse, Economics, and Public Policy, brought together over 100 educators from across the Southwest for an intensive, application-focused professional development experience.
The two-day summit featured interactive panel discussions, expert presentations, and breakout sessions designed to equip K–12 educators with strategies to promote civil discourse, tackle complex policy issues, and engage students in thoughtful, informed debate. Key topics included housing affordability, gender equity, and the economic roots of public policy.
Friday evening included a Salute to Teachers dinner and keynote address by Professor Bryan Caplan of George Mason University. Saturday’s sessions featured a panel on the common roots of American freedom with Professor John E. Schwarz and hands-on workshops led by nationally renowned scholars and educators.
The Freedom Center helped develop the summit’s agenda and programming, with Executive Director Mary L. Rigdon delivering a featured session on gender equity and the pay gap.
The Foundations of Civic Culture summit remains a cornerstone of the Freedom Center’s commitment to supporting teachers and empowering students through meaningful civic education. The Center looks forward to continuing its collaboration with Sphere Education Initiatives in the years to come.
