Watch the full platform here.
Sunday, January 18th, 2026
Since the 47th President’s inauguration, within a matter of months, by executive order, he eviscerated the federal Department of Education, and, along with it, the historic mission to prepare America’s youth for participation and leadership roles in a vibrant democracy and civil debate and discourse. These executive actions hinder, if not eliminate, the prospect of ongoing democratic governance. We are at a turning point.
Joe Palau will present a few remarks on a humanistic view of the connection between moral development, civic virtue, and preparation for active citizenship in a democracy. He will lead an open discussion on these topics during a Q&A session following his brief talk.
Joe Palau holds a Doctorate in Philosophy from Binghamton University. He ran the NYSEC Sunday School program and served as Head of Ethics for the Ethical Culture Schools. Today, Joe teaches Ethics, Critical Thinking, and Introduction to Philosophy at Southern New Hampshire University.