Brian Surkin – TapTalk

Brian Surkan – Educating for Liberty

Bio: Educated in Canadian public schools, Brian won the green card lottery in 1992 and continued his

high-tech career in Silicon Valley. He left technology to pursue his childhood dream of becoming a

middle school history teacher in 2002. After two decades of teaching a variety of age groups and

subjects in conventional independent schools, he created an alternative adolescent program at an

Acton Academy during COVID, transitioning to adolescent Montessori in 2022. He has taught in

Europe, Africa and the United States and is in the process of completing his international Montessori

certification. Though not an Objectivist, Brian is a libertarian since he discovered Ayn Rand at the age

of 18 and believes that there are many compelling libertarian educational options available, including

Montessori and homeschooling.

Topic – Educating for Liberty

In the increasingly politicized domain of education, it is difficult for well-intentioned parents to

navigate the best path forward for their children. It seems that the discussions are increasingly about

what NOT to teach in public schools, rather than how to best approach education in a pedagogically

sound way. Indeed, even posh private schools are sometimes reduced to discussing why it is

important for students to learn content and phonics in order to be able to read and write effectively.

How did we arrive here and what options are available for liberty-loving Americans?