Public School Kids
Public School Kids is about what we share as Americans,
and why it matters.
More than 90% of American kids attend public schools. That means public school is one of the few experiences most Americans still share. Public School Kids tells the stories of who we are, where we come from, and what happens when we learn alongside people whose lives are different from our own.
It’s about freedom, opportunity, community, and the promise that every child deserves the chance to reach their full potential.
At its heart, Public School Kids asks: Who do we want to be?
Podcast
Season I: Who Do We Want to Be?
Season I of Public School Kids explores the history, purpose, and promise of public education in the United States, beginning with Thomas Jefferson and the founding of the American republic. Through stories from public school kids, conversations with historians, educators, and civic leaders, plus a closer look at the ideals that shaped America itself, the season examines why generations of Americans believed that educating children together was essential to democracy.
Along the way, we explore citizenship, community, and contradiction. We ask what public schools were designed to do, how well they have lived up to those ideals, and what they can teach us about living together in a complex democracy.
Ultimately, this season asks the question at the heart of both public education and the American experiment: Who do we want to be?
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