The Liberty Show

What is education really for?In this episode of The Liberty Show, Matthew Kirby sits down with Bryan Franklin, Director of Fine Arts at Atlanta Classical Academy, to explore the role of music in shaping not just the mind, but the heart.Together, they walk through what classical education looks like in practice, including a live classroom-style lesson using Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9 “From the New World.” Along the way, they discuss how music connects to history, imagination, and the formation of young people.This conversation goes beyond curriculum. It gets at something deeper.Why music and the arts are essential, not optionalHow great teachers bring subjects to lifeWhat it means to cultivate wonder in studentsWhy education should aim at forming meaningful livesIf you care about education, culture, or the development of the next generation, this episode is for you.About the GuestBryan Franklin serves as Director of Fine Arts at Atlanta Classical Academy, where he has taught since the school’s founding. He leads a flourishing arts program and is known for bringing music, history, and imagination together in the classroom.Learn more about Liberty Classical Schools:https://libertyclassicalschools.org👍 If you enjoyed this conversation, consider subscribing for more episodes of The Liberty Show.

Why should we be proud of America?In this episode of The Liberty Show, Matthew Kirby sits down with Burt and Anita Folsom to explore the historical foundations of American liberty and why those ideas still matter today.Drawing from their work on American history and their recent pamphlet Three Reasons to Be Proud of America, the Folsoms walk through the principles that shaped the nation and the stories that are often overlooked in modern education.They discuss how the Declaration of Independence established enduring truths about human equality and rights, why entrepreneurship played a critical role in shaping the modern world, and how America’s actions on the global stage have impacted history in profound ways.  In this conversation:• The foundational truths of the Declaration of Independence• Why rights come from God, not government• How America helped lead the abolition of slavery• The role of entrepreneurship in shaping the modern world• Why the U.S. rebuilt Europe after World War II• How history should be taught to the next generationThis episode is a reminder that understanding history is essential to forming thoughtful, informed citizens.About The Liberty ShowThe Liberty Show features conversations with educators, historians, and leaders shaping the future of classical education and culture.Produced by Liberty Classical Schools, where students are formed through an education rooted in truth, beauty, and goodness.Learn more:https://libertyclassicalschools.orgSubscribe for more conversations on education, history, and formation.#TheLibertyShow #LibertyClassical #ClassicalEducation #AmericanHistory #EducationMatters

What makes a great teacher?In this episode of The Liberty Show, Matthew Kirby sits down with David Hahn, lower school principal at Atlanta Classical Academy, to explore the deeper purpose of education and what it looks like to form students in both mind and character.David shares his journey from aerospace engineering to education and reflects on the mission that drives classical schools: cultivating students who are not only knowledgeable, but virtuous.In this conversation, they discuss:• Why education must go beyond academics to shape character• What it means to form students in both heart and mind• How great teachers bring learning to life• The role of community in sustaining educators• Why coaching, feedback, and growth are essential to school culture• How parents and schools can partner in raising childrenThis episode offers a practical and inspiring look at what it takes to build schools that form students for lives of purpose, responsibility, and leadership.Learn more about Liberty Classical Schools:https://libertyclassicalschools.orgSubscribe for more conversations on classical education, formation, and culture.#TheLibertyShow #LibertyClassical #ClassicalEducation #CharacterFormation #EducationMatters

What is education actually for?In this episode of The Liberty Show, we sit down with sociologist and author Dr. Margarita Mooney Clayton to explore the deeper purpose of education and why modern systems may be missing something essential.Much of education today is focused on credentials, outcomes, and career preparation. But historically, education aimed at something much greater: the formation of the whole person. The cultivation of wisdom. A love for truth, beauty, and goodness.Dr. Mooney Clayton helps us rediscover why these ideas still matter and why recovering them could transform the way we educate the next generation.In this conversation, we explore:• Why modern education has drifted away from its deeper purpose• The role of beauty in shaping the human soul• How the liberal arts form wisdom, not just job skills• Why great teachers must love the subjects they teach• The importance of moral formation alongside intellectual development• How parents and educators can restore meaning to educationDr. Mooney Clayton shares insights from her work as a sociologist and educator, offering a vision of education that develops both the mind and the character of students.About Dr. Margarita Mooney ClaytonDr. Margarita Mooney Clayton is a professor at Princeton Theological Seminary and the founder of the Scala Foundation, an organization dedicated to restoring meaning and purpose in American culture through the integration of education, art, and religion.Learn more about her work:https://margaritamooneyclayton.comhttps://thescalafoundation.orgAbout The Liberty ShowThe Liberty Show features conversations with educators, scholars, and leaders exploring the ideas shaping the future of education and culture.Produced by Liberty Classical Schools, where students are formed through an education rooted in truth, beauty, and goodness.Learn more about Liberty Classical Schools:https://libertyclassicalschools.org

What is education ultimately for?In this episode of The Liberty Show, Matthew Kirby sits down with Robert Kelly to discuss the deeper purpose of classical education.Beyond credentials and career preparation, Liberty Classical Schools exists to form students in moral and intellectual character — preparing them not only for success, but for responsible citizenship.Together, they explore:Why character must precede systemsHow classical education cultivates thoughtful, virtuous citizensThe relationship between formation and freedomWhat it takes to build schools that strengthen communitiesThis is a conversation about education as formation and about the kind of people our schools are shaping.Learn more about Liberty Classical Schools:🔗 libertyclassicalschools.orgSubscribe for more conversations on classical education, civic formation, and meaningful leadership.#TheLibertyShow #LibertyClassical #ClassicalEducation #Citizenship #CharacterFormation

What is education ultimately for — achievement, or something higher?In this episode of The Liberty Show, Matthew Kirby sits down with Dr. Shilo Brooks — professor of political science at SMU, CEO of the George W. Bush Presidential Center, and author of the forthcoming book Noble Ambition.Dr. Brooks shares his powerful journey from West Texas to St. John’s College, where a Great Books education reshaped his life. He reflects on the mentor who made his education possible, the discipline of reading Homer and Aristotle line by line, and why liberal education remains essential to forming free citizens.🎓 In This Episode:The difference between ambition and noble ambitionHow Great Books cultivate judgment and characterWhy liberal education prepares students for self-governmentThe responsibility that comes with opportunityHow mentorship can change the trajectory of a lifeDr. Brooks also co-hosts the YouTube podcast Old School, where he and his colleagues explore classical ideas, politics, and culture through the lens of the Great Books. If you enjoy this conversation, be sure to check out Old School for more thoughtful dialogue.📘 Look for Dr. Brooks’ upcoming book, Noble Ambition🎙️ Watch Old School on YouTube🔗 Learn more about Liberty Classical Schools: libertyclassicalschools.orgSubscribe for more conversations on classical education, civic formation, and raising knowledgeable, virtuous citizens.#TheLibertyShow #LibertyClassical #ClassicalEducation #NobleAmbition #OldSchoolPodcast #GreatBooks #LiberalEducation #CivicFormation #LeadershipDevelopment

What does it mean to “trust the process” in classical education—and why does it work?In this episode of The Liberty Show, Matthew Kirby sits down with Deidre Wallace, a founding second-grade teacher at Northwest Classical Academy. Deidre shares her journey from public school to homeschooling to becoming a core part of a thriving classical school community.She explains why parents often need time, patience, and trust as their children adjust to a new educational model—and why the fruit always comes.🎓 In This Episode:Why “trusting the process” matters in classical educationHow virtue, order, and joy shape strong school cultureWhat great teaching really requires from adultsWhy classical education works for every student—even those who didn’t start in itThe power of great books, clear expectations, and meaningful conversationDeidre’s story reveals why classical education forms not just better students, but better human beings.📘 The Liberty Show shares conversations about classical education, character formation, and raising knowledgeable, virtuous citizens.🔗 Learn more: libertyclassicalschools.org📺 Subscribe for more episodes on education, leadership, and formation.#TheLibertyShow #LibertyClassical #ClassicalEducation #VirtueAndWisdom #TeacherStories #FormationMatters #EducationThatFormsTheHeart #TrustTheProcess

Why does classical education awaken something in students and teachers that modern schooling often suppresses?In this episode of The Liberty Show, Dr. Christopher Perrin—author, educator, and leading voice in the classical renewal movement—explores why education must recover delight, rest, contemplation, and wonder if we want students to flourish.Dr. Perrin explains how classical education forms the whole person by giving students:A human education, not a mechanized oneTime to slow down, reflect, and enjoy learningTeachers who model curiosity, humility, and joyA sense of identity and belonging in a community of virtueA vision for what is true, good, and beautifulThis conversation goes beyond curriculum.It’s about formation, not information.It’s about restoring the love of learning and cultivating the kind of human beings our world desperately needs.🎓 If you’ve ever wondered why classical education feels different—this episode explains it.📘 Learn more: libertyclassicalschools.org📺 Subscribe for more conversations about education that forms both the mind and the heart.#TheLibertyShow #LibertyClassical #ClassicalEducation #JoyOfLearning #TrueGoodBeautiful #FormationMatters #EducationReform #VirtueAndWisdom #Schole #RecoverWonder

What makes a school truly excellent — not just in academics, but in culture, character, and citizenship?In this episode of The Liberty Show, Dr. Matt Stone shares his journey from Hillsdale College to leading classical schools across the country — and now helping launch new Liberty Classical campuses in Georgia.Dr. Stone explains why classical education is not just an alternative model, but a formative vision for raising wise, virtuous, and capable young people — and why the right teachers, curriculum, and school culture matter more now than ever.🎓 In This Episode:What separates classical education from modern modelsWhy schools fail when they neglect formation and cultureWhat great teachers have in common (and how Liberty hires them)How to build a school that lasts — from founding to flourishingThe kind of graduates classical education is designed to produce📘 The Liberty Show explores education that forms both the mind and the heart — through conversations with leaders shaping the future of schools, families, and communities.🔗 Learn more: libertyclassicalschools.org📺 Subscribe for more stories of education, leadership, and formation#TheLibertyShow #LibertyClassical #ClassicalEducation #EducationReform #SchoolLeadership #VirtueAndWisdom #FormationMatters #AcademicExcellence

What if one parent’s conviction could transform education for an entire state?In this episode of The Liberty Show, Janet Tomko shares how a small group of parents in Atlanta turned a kitchen-table conversation into a statewide movement for classical education. From painting classrooms before opening day to shaping statewide policy, Janet reveals how courage, collaboration, and faith built Liberty Classical Schools from the ground up.🎓 In This Episode:How a single family’s search for better education became a community movementThe early story of Atlanta Classical Academy and Liberty Classical SchoolsWhat parents are really looking for in education todayHow virtue, beauty, and truth remain timeless guides for learningThe growing role of classical education in Georgia’s public school landscape📘 The Liberty Show features real conversations about education that forms both the mind and the heart — with leaders, parents, and teachers shaping the next generation.🔗 Learn more: libertyclassicalschools.org📺 Subscribe for more stories of vision, leadership, and formation.#TheLibertyShow #LibertyClassical #ClassicalEducation #EducationReform #SchoolChoice #ParentingWithPurpose #VirtueAndWisdom #EducationThatFormsTheHeart #AcademicExcellence

What happens when a school doesn’t just educate children,  but transforms families?In this episode of The Liberty Show, Kara Williams shares her journey from Liberty parent to school leader, and how classical education reshaped everything from her family’s dinner table conversations to her professional calling.From choosing a new school post-pandemic, to helping build culture at Northwest Classical Academy, Kara reveals how education rooted in virtue, beauty, and community can renew not only students — but entire communities.🎓 In This Episode:Why families are choosing classical education after 2020How rich curriculum changes dinner table conversationsThe role of community engagement in shaping school cultureBuilding beauty and tradition into public charter schoolsExpanding Liberty’s mission across Georgia📘 The Liberty Show features conversations about forming knowledgeable, virtuous citizens through classical learning.🔗 Learn more: libertyclassicalschools.org📺 Subscribe for more stories of education, purpose, and transformation#ClassicalEducation #SchoolChoice #EducationReform #CharacterEducation  #ParentingTips #AcademicExcellence #FamilyCulture #DinnerTableConversations  #TheLibertyShow #LibertyClassical

In this episode of The Liberty Show, Leo shares how he and his wife built a family creed, sacrificed time and income, and intentionally invested in their children’s formation. From parenting principles to classical education, he explains why success isn’t accidental — it’s the fruit of purpose, discipline, and faith.🎓 In This Episode:- Why education deserves the same scrutiny as brain surgery- Sacrifices parents must make to shape a child’s future- How a family creed helped guide purpose and discipline- The role Liberty Classical Schools played in his children’s success📘 The Liberty Show explores how classical education forms minds and hearts for lives of wisdom, virtue, and purpose.🔗 Learn more: libertyclassicalschools.org📺 Subscribe for more conversations on faith, education, and family#TheLibertyShow #LibertyClassical #ClassicalEducation #ParentingWithPurpose #FamilyCreed #EducationThatMatters

What if the solution to our modern education crisis isn’t something new, but something ancient?In the first episode of The Liberty Show, we sit down with Doris Moss to explore why classical education forms both the minds and hearts of students. Learn how Liberty Classical Schools is equipping the next generation with wisdom, virtue, and purpose through time-tested principles that transcend trends.📘 About The Liberty Show:The Liberty Show features meaningful conversations about education, virtue, and the formation of the next generation. Each episode explores how classical learning shapes students for a life of purpose and character.🔗 Learn more: https://libertyclassicalschools.org📸 Follow us: @liberty.classical🎓 Subscribe for more conversations about classical education and culture.#ClassicalEducation #TheLibertyShow #LibertyClassical #Education #Virtue #FaithInLearning