Beginning with the 2007-2008 school year, the DCUDLl offered the High School Public Debate Program, the first of its kind in the nation! Based on the highly successful Middle School Public Debate Program, this format will allow students to explore a wide array of issues while developing important skills through debate.  It this format, three-person student teams engage each other over multiple topics selected each more by their coaches, keeping the issues relevant and on-going research essential.  The High School Public Debate Program is designed to emphasize extemporaneous public speaking skills as well as critical thinking and strategic argumentation.  The outstanding success of this program will only continue during its second season!

Topics debated during the 2007-2008 season are:
The death penalty does more good than harm.
Racial profiling is an appropriate tool in law enforcement.
The US should lead an international effort to replace the current regime in Sudan.
Single sex schools do more good than harm.
DCPS should be required to reserve all closed schools for affordable housing.
Hip Hop does more good than harm.
Healthcare in the United States is a privilege, not a right.
The United States should leave NAFTA.
DC public schools should discontinue the celebration of Black History Month.
Ipod use in schools does more good than harm.
All DC public schools should have childcare facilities on site.
The DC government should ban use of plastic bags by retail establishments.
In a democracy, civil disobedience is a necessary weapon in the fight for justice.
Animal testing does more good than harm.
All DC public schools should adopt uniform high school exit exams.
The District of Columbia should be granted statehood.
The frontloading of the US presidential primaries is a threat to democracy.
The United States should make a preemptive strike on Iran.
All DC public schools should adopt year-round schedules.
RFK Stadium should be demolished and replaced with affordable housing.
The United States should have a military draft.
The fence along the US/Mexico border is justified.
Mandatory high school uniforms do more harm than good.
The District of Columbia City Council should overturn the ban on handguns.
Social Networking websites should be restricted for those under that age of 18.
The United States should set a deadline for the withdrawal of troops from Iraq.

Also, some high school students participating in the DCUDL engage policy debate.  Here, Sstudents in teams of two on the affirmative are charged with offering up and defending a plan that “solves” the problem presented by a national resolution.  Teams on the negative then argue that this plan is bad using a number of different strategies.  For the 2007-2008 school year, students in our high school division are debating the following resolution:

Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase its public health assistance to Sub-Saharan Africa..

If you are a high school teacher interested in debate, click here.

If you re a high school student interested in debate, click here.