Civil Beat is hosting two new Civil Cafes in October that will focus on education issues. But this time we’re taking the show on the road to Ewa Beach and Manoa.

Sponsored by the HEʻE Coalition and the University of Hawaii College of Education, the first education conversation is slated for Oct. 1 at 5:30 p.m. at Orvis Auditorium on the University of Hawaii campus in Manoa. Called “Public, Private & Charter Schools – How Should Parents Choose?” the featured panelists are:

• Tom Hutton of the Charter School Commission;
• Phil Bossert of the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools, and
• Marguerite Higa of Parents for Public Schools.

A high school student will join the panel as well. Click here to sign up for the Manoa event.

The second forum — “Should Local Communities Have Greater Control Over Their Schools?” — is set for Oct. 8 at 5:30 p.m. at the Ewa Beach Public and School Library. The participants will be:

• Al Nagasako of the Hawaii State Teachers Association;
• Suzanne Mulcahy of the state Department of Education;
• Catherine Payne, the former principal of Farrington High School, and
• Frances Tapiz, a mother of four children in public schools.

The Hawaii State Teachers Association is a co-sponsor of this event. Click here to sign up for the Ewa Beach event.

As always, the talks will last 90 minutes with the first hour being moderated by Civil Beat education reporter Alia Wong and the last 30 minutes open for questions from the audience.

These events are made possible by the generous support of the HEʻE Coalition, the University of Hawaii College of Education and the Hawaii State Teachers Association.

These education Civil Cafes are free, and parents and educators are encouraged to attend and ask questions of the panelists.