What do we debate?  What’s the issue?

Throughout the coming debate season :

Support of United Nations peacekeeping operations.

2004-2005 Novice Limited Policy Debate Topics:

1 By joining with the UN to establish a rapid deployment force responding to the peacekeeping needs in Africa or the Middle East.

2 By providing training and personnel to target crimes against women in areas of conflict.

3 By engaging the UN to support or replace the NATO mission in Kosovo.

4 Through ratification of and active participation in the International Criminal Court.

(Novice debaters know in advance that these four are the only affirmative Topics that can be presented in their debates.)  Makes it easier on the beginners.

******

Lincoln-Douglas Debate

Students may choose to compete in Policy Debate or in a separate debate format called Lincoln-Douglas Debate.  L.D. is a less technical debate style and involves single debaters (not teams) clashing on a somewhat more philosophical topic (not the U.N. Peacekeeping Operations  Policy resolution) that is changed several times during the debate season.   L-D debate topics are announced just before the debate season begins—around mid-August.   And they change after eight weeks.

First Lincoln Douglas Topic, 2004     (September and October)

Resolved: Individual claims of privacy ought to be valued above competing claims of societal welfare.

*****

Public Forum  (Ted Turner) Debate

Finally, there is a new style of Debate, similar to the debates that were originated on the Turner Broadcasting Service under the title of Crossfire.  There may be limited opportunity for this style of debate during the coming season.

September Public Forum Topic  

Resolved: That the United States should establish a cabinet-level position to oversee its entire intelligence community.

Are you shy?  Worried about getting up and speaking in a debate?

Don’t worry.  Every debater who ever lived was nervous before starting.  It goes away.

Links:

1 www.Planetdebate.com   ” is a research service we subscribe to.  It  provides materials to assist debaters in developing and perfecting affirmative and negative arguments on the Policy debate topic (UN Peacekeeping Policy).   Planet Debate is a great resource for cases and arguments, and how to be prepared with research and ideas. 

Some of this will seem to be heavy-going for beginners; this is material and references for someone beginning to construct arguments for an affirmative case.  Take a quick tour through the list of arguments (cases) presented as a way to get a handle on the over-arching issue—Both United Nations Peacekeeping and the issue of United States participation in these activities.  You'll need a password to get very deep into this, as the people who sell the research require us to make it available only to Muskego Debaters.

2.   WDCA.   The Wisconsin Debate Coaches Association.  Lots of information and many links.  The debate season schedule of tournaments is announced here.  This is an extremely rich source of further links.

3.   Gear.  It is helpful to have a few things.   They are essential for keeping research organized and keeping track of the timed periods in an actual debate.  For example, the opening speech, is limited to 8 minutes.  When the time's up, the debater can only finish the sentence, then must stop.

Your son/daughter has joined the Muskego High School Debate Team. We believe that debate is one of the most worthwhile activities offered and that the skills learned during debate participation can be used throughout a student’s lifetime.

The debate season begins with the first competitions in September and continues to the last competitions in early December. "Regular" season ends in late November, and sectional, regional, state and national championships extend into the holidays and the new year. Debate is covered by the code of student conduct, and each participant and parent needs to read and agree to the provisions of the code. The grey "code" card, signed by each participant and parent, outlines the expectations for conduct, the causes for anyone’s being suspended and –most importantly—a procedure to help communication and resolve misunderstandings or disputes.

Competition is the key to debate success, all members of the team are expected to attend or compete at every scheduled tournament. Arrangements to miss a scheduled tournament must be made well in advance. Special consideration for Novice debaters—we'll get you ready, not push you beyond what you’re able to do. Fear not.

All absences from tournaments are to be arranged by a note from parent/guardian, signed and delivered to a debate coach.

When a participant is scheduled to attend and/or compete at a tournament, a fee is paid by the school district for transportation, and for registration and for judging (approximate cost, $40 per participant). If any debater cancels himself/herself from a tournament after the registration has been mailed, (usually two weeks in advance), this money is lost.

Exemptions to the above conditions would include events out of the ordinary, including death in the family or extreme emergency. Sickness must be completely disabling and requiring doctor ordered bed rest or isolation due to contagion. In the case of sickness, the team can provide a sub, but the debater and family must phone the coach, preferably the night before and no later than one hour prior to the departure time. (Phone the coach at home).

All departures from school will be on schedule. Failure to arrive on time will be considered an unexcused absence from the tournament. The bus will not wait for late debaters.

Participation in the Debate Team is covered by the general student activity fee—nothing additional. However, debate preparation involves practice and use of materials. The School District has available books, research services and videotapes on debate technique, for students to use in school, after school and for limited check-out.

By far the most effective and useful tool available is PlanetDebate.com, a service of Harvard University Debate, that remains available to debaters throughout the debate season.  Members of the deb ate team (and those who just want to explore will be given a Planet Debate password . PlanetDebate.com has a wealth of instructional material on debate technique as well as up-to-the-minute research on the debate topic. This year’s (’04-’05) topic focuses on United States participation in United Nations Peacekeeping Operations.

The coaches will strive to assist every debater equally. Since the on-line program is available 24-7, debaters can be working together from home computers in the evening and on weekends. The coaches will be consistently on-line with the team members evenings and weekends.

On-line study and collaboration are useful; they make it less necessary for students to spend an hour or two after school, when they may be busy or tired or needing to rush for a bus.

Preparation and practice are the cornerstones of the Muskego Debate team. All members of the debate team must spend no less than one hour a week in attendance at a regularly scheduled debate meeting or practice; spend at least one hour a week working with his/her partner; and spend at least two hours a week analyzing evidence and arguments.

Speed and spread debate wins championships. Each debater will strive to answer opponent arguments with multiple points of clash, backed by analysis and evidence.

It is a given that successful debaters are persuasive communicators. Each debater must intend to practice speaking reading and clearly enunciating their arguments and evidence.

To compete successfully, debaters must have evidence. Each debater must provide a tub in which evidence will be filed in an orderly manner. Evidence will be organized into argument briefs. In order to advocate a position, each debater must prepare briefs.

Any violation of ethics will stain the entire Muskego Debate team and history. There is to be no compromise of ethical principles. All evidence will be authentic. (One is naturally led to consider the recent controversy over evidence provided in the British Parliament and the U.S. Congress in support of arguments for and against a world-shaking policy decision.

Team activity: the success of one is the success of all. Each individual shall carry a fair share of the necessary work. No sarcasm, negativism or put-downs will be tolerated. Muskego debate teams have an expectation to build winners within a positive standard of assistance for the greatest good of all members.

The debate team is a school sponsored extra-curricular activity. Any debater suspended/punished for violation of either school rules or civil laws will be suspended from debate, according to procedures laid out in the Code of Conduct.

During the debate season, students should strive to maintain a B average of 2.75. Debate does involve practice time, and if a B average cannot be maintained, the student needs to consider spending more time studying for his/her classes.