Washington policy debate is resurgent (Georgetown Day School, Thomas Jefferson)

[Anonymous]

I'm a former high school and college policy debater (Scott "The Duck" Deatherage was my coach, actually) and I'd be happy to see policy debate die on the vine. Policy debate grew into an insular community focused on the development of skills that have little application in other contexts. Policy debate is wholly inaccessible to anyone not steeped in its vocabulary and arcane rules. Even removing the element of speed, there is less focus on strength and quality of argument than in other forms of debate -- the emphasis is instead on spread. Frankly, I don't see any reason for anyone to choose to pursue policy debate over other forms of debate other than the inherent attractiveness of being a member of a secret, exclusive club.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a former high school and college policy debater (Scott "The Duck" Deatherage was my coach, actually) and I'd be happy to see policy debate die on the vine. Policy debate grew into an insular community focused on the development of skills that have little application in other contexts. Policy debate is wholly inaccessible to anyone not steeped in its vocabulary and arcane rules. Even removing the element of speed, there is less focus on strength and quality of argument than in other forms of debate -- the emphasis is instead on spread. Frankly, I don't see any reason for anyone to choose to pursue policy debate over other forms of debate other than the inherent attractiveness of being a member of a secret, exclusive club.

Agreed, I was the PP that did policy and my kids are doing PF. Only advantage is that it is more appealing to colleges for recruitment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a former high school and college policy debater (Scott "The Duck" Deatherage was my coach, actually) and I'd be happy to see policy debate die on the vine. Policy debate grew into an insular community focused on the development of skills that have little application in other contexts. Policy debate is wholly inaccessible to anyone not steeped in its vocabulary and arcane rules. Even removing the element of speed, there is less focus on strength and quality of argument than in other forms of debate -- the emphasis is instead on spread. Frankly, I don't see any reason for anyone to choose to pursue policy debate over other forms of debate other than the inherent attractiveness of being a member of a secret, exclusive club.

Did you write this article previous poster.

https://www.americamagazine.org/arts-culture/2017/09/26/corrosion-high-school-debate-and-how-it-mirrors-american-politics

[Anonymous]

It appears that Georgetown Day School qualified two of its policy teams for this year's Tournament of Champions (the NCAA tournament of high school debate). GDS's are the only policy teams representing DC, Maryland, and/or Virginia at the TOC this year.

https://www.tabroom.com/index/tourn/fields.mhtml?tourn_id=8965&event_id=76977

[Anonymous]

Policy debate is still very much a relevant activity as many good colleges and universities still field very competitive policy teams. One need only look at the results of the (2018) 72nd National Debate Tournament (the NCAA tournament of college policy debate). I can tell you the students who participate in the activity are, by and large, very intelligent and high achieving.

https://www.tabroom.com/index/tourn/results/event_results.mhtml?tourn_id=9542&result_id=64954

https://www.tabroom.com/index/tourn/results/bracket.mhtml?tourn_id=9542&result_id=64611

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a former high school and college policy debater (Scott "The Duck" Deatherage was my coach, actually) and I'd be happy to see policy debate die on the vine. Policy debate grew into an insular community focused on the development of skills that have little application in other contexts. Policy debate is wholly inaccessible to anyone not steeped in its vocabulary and arcane rules. Even removing the element of speed, there is less focus on strength and quality of argument than in other forms of debate -- the emphasis is instead on spread. Frankly, I don't see any reason for anyone to choose to pursue policy debate over other forms of debate other than the inherent attractiveness of being a member of a secret, exclusive club.

Did you write this article previous poster.

https://www.americamagazine.org/arts-culture/2017/09/26/corrosion-high-school-debate-and-how-it-mirrors-american-politics

The article actually criticizes all types of debate for the same reasons, including LD and PF.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a former high school and college policy debater (Scott "The Duck" Deatherage was my coach, actually) and I'd be happy to see policy debate die on the vine. Policy debate grew into an insular community focused on the development of skills that have little application in other contexts. Policy debate is wholly inaccessible to anyone not steeped in its vocabulary and arcane rules. Even removing the element of speed, there is less focus on strength and quality of argument than in other forms of debate -- the emphasis is instead on spread. Frankly, I don't see any reason for anyone to choose to pursue policy debate over other forms of debate other than the inherent attractiveness of being a member of a secret, exclusive club.

Did you write this article previous poster.

https://www.americamagazine.org/arts-culture/2017/09/26/corrosion-high-school-debate-and-how-it-mirrors-american-politics

The article actually criticizes all types of debate for the same reasons, including LD and PF.

I can see today where LD and now PF have become the same and that is sad. But that is not because of today's politics; as the article points out, this has been ongoing since at least the late 1970s (when I quit policy debate because I frankly found it boring). Extemp was WAY more accessible and WAY more fun -- and rewarded speakers for persuasiveness, not for the pile of 5x7 cards on the desk at the end of your speech.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a former high school and college policy debater (Scott "The Duck" Deatherage was my coach, actually) and I'd be happy to see policy debate die on the vine. Policy debate grew into an insular community focused on the development of skills that have little application in other contexts. Policy debate is wholly inaccessible to anyone not steeped in its vocabulary and arcane rules. Even removing the element of speed, there is less focus on strength and quality of argument than in other forms of debate -- the emphasis is instead on spread. Frankly, I don't see any reason for anyone to choose to pursue policy debate over other forms of debate other than the inherent attractiveness of being a member of a secret, exclusive club.

Did you write this article previous poster.

https://www.americamagazine.org/arts-culture/2017/09/26/corrosion-high-school-debate-and-how-it-mirrors-american-politics

The article actually criticizes all types of debate for the same reasons, including LD and PF.

agree. echo chambers galore nowadays.

go northwestern!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It appears that Georgetown Day School qualified two of its policy teams for this year's Tournament of Champions (the NCAA tournament of high school debate). GDS's are the only policy teams representing DC, Maryland, and/or Virginia at the TOC this year.

https://www.tabroom.com/index/tourn/fields.mhtml?tourn_id=8965&event_id=76977

and go GDS!

[Anonymous]

In public forum debate, numerous local schools qualified, including Potomac School and a host of Maryland public schools: Whitman, Churchill, Richard Montgomery, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In public forum debate, numerous local schools qualified, including Potomac School and a host of Maryland public schools: Whitman, Churchill, Richard Montgomery, etc.

MD public schools Whitman and Wootton qualified in Gold Public Forum, the others in Silver PF.

[Anonymous]

Georgetown Day School also has TOC entries in Original Oratory and Extemp Speaking. Nice to know it has expanded to include other types of speech and debate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Georgetown Day School also has TOC entries in Original Oratory and Extemp Speaking. Nice to know it has expanded to include other types of speech and debate.

So does Potomac School--in oratory and extemp. Has two of the two top extempers in the country--kids of one of the top policy debaters of all time--the Michael Jordan of Debate. Any policy debater worth his or her ilk will know whom I reference.

[Anonymous]

Long story short, former policy debaters from the high school through the college level, from the 1979s to the 1990s, heck, even the Michael Jordan of policy debate, detest today's policy debate, consider it a bastardization of the activity they knew and loved, and won't let their own children anywhere near it, choosing LD, PF, Original Oratory, Extemp, or anything but. Policy debate is apparently to debate as football.is to athletics.

[Anonymous]

I did policy debate as a high school student (and one year of college) and while I enjoyed it and learned a lot, I also agree that the style (speed) is a real handicap for utility. It took me perhaps ten years of public speaking post-college to adapt to a style that can really engage and impact an audience. (I speak publicly 30-40 times a year)

I will not encourage my children to do this, but definitely will ask them to consider other options.