Launched in December 2023 at the Chicago Forum for Free Inquiry and Expression by the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools (Lab), the Project builds on Lab’s long history of leadership and innovation in N-12 education. Free expression and open discourse are central to the Laboratory Schools’ history and vision. Lab was founded by John Dewey in 1896, not only as a laboratory for revolutionary teaching methods that are still in use today, but also as an incubator for democracy. Dewey recognized that a healthy democracy needs a citizenry that is adept in open discourse, critical thinking, the sharing of ideas, and collaboration across differences. 

About the Chicago Forum

The Chicago Forum promotes the understanding, practice, and advancement of free and open discourse at the University of Chicago and beyond. It builds on UChicago’s historic commitment and practices to provide a focal point for understanding and applying free expression, in academia and in the broader culture, in the United States and abroad. The Chicago Forum's mission is to promote the understanding, practice, and advancement of free and open discourse, in collaboration with faculty and the broader university community.

Visit the Chicago Forum website to learn more.