Armidale’s Skeptics In the Pub is moving to the Welder’s Dog brewery in Beardy St, starting on March 19.

In another change, the event will now be held on the third Wednesday of the month, rather than Tuesdays.

The March 19 event will be a panel presentation with two authoritative guest speakers who will challenge every parent and grandparent to think about their cherished beliefs on kids’ education.

The UNE’s Emeritus Professor Brian Byrne and Senior Lecturer Dr Sally Larsen will co-present their conclusions drawn from exhaustive analysis of reputable world-class research.

“People will be in for some surprises,” said Prof. Byrne.

“Sally and I will explain what the research says about widely held beliefs about education.

“Do private schools ‘value add’?

“Does pre-school attendance boost a child’s school performance? “Are education standards dropping?

“Is teacher quality a big influence on a child’s school performance? “Does holding a younger child back from starting school pay off later?

“The answers would seem obvious, but are they?”.

Skeptics In The Pub is affiliated with Australian Skeptics Inc and aims to promote critical thinking, reason, logic, and the scientific method.

Everyone is welcome. There is no need to book, and there is no ticketing charge, although a gold coin donation is appreciated.

Arrive at 6pm. Pay for drinks from the fully-stocked bar, order a quality Welder’s Dog artisanal pizza, then settle back for Brian and Sally’s presentation, followed by a lively discussion.