Debate Team Starts Up;
Tackles Euthanasia First

By Stephen Finley (November 25, 2005)

Should euthanasia on humans be morally acceptable to the US culture?  This controversial question was the topic of the first debate recently held by the brand new debate team.

Beginning the first debate, Jessica Miller started off by proposing that euthanasia was “an acceptable practice in US culture.” Arguing against her, Ouda Baxter stated, “Euthanasia is assisted suicide.”

The idea to start a debate team was actually floated last year.“Last year, Ryan Hindley and Ashleigh Luthman-Hackett proposed the idea and showed interest in a debate team,” said Mr. Brian Dickson, who has taken on the role of volunteer sponsor/coordinator.

Ever since then, Dickson, Hindley, and Luthman-Hackett have been working to turn their idea into a reality.

Since the debate team is so young, it does not have a solid structure for its schedule. For right now it will meet once a month, for about one hour after school, to debate a topic presented to the debaters in advance.  With time to research, the teams of two members each meet in the TLC, and debate, rotating speakers and rebuttals.

Mr. Dickson judges the debaters on clarity, presence, persuasiveness, and substance.  While still a work in process, the debate team does look forward to eventually competing in a league, where cross school debates are more common, but at the moment it’s an in-school debate club and is open to students at all grade levels.

Dickson said that anyone interested in joining the debate team should meet with him and he will notify participants via e-mail about upcoming events.  There also will be fliers posted throughout the school.  “Even if you don’t want to join in the debates you are welcome to come to the debates and be a part of the audience,” said Dickson.