Persuasive Essay On High School Debate
Kurt McKay Essay Dr. Long Com 233 For several years debate has been a part of high schools across the country, and more than likely will continue to be for years to come. There are several benefits from high school debate including improving critical thinking and academic skills. Debate also improves mental and emotional maturity. However, there is disagreement on the actual purpose of high school debate. “Is it just to take the smartest kids in the country, the most privileged kids in the country and just make them smarter and more privileged? Or should the purpose of the way we debate, the style of our debate…be something that engages and brings in other students?” For most high schools, the debate
team is another organization on campus. One that allows students to join at will however is not necessarily required. When a high school’s debate team is a club or organization it does not effect, or bring in other students. A club style debate team only makes the most privileged and smartest kids in the country smarter and more privileged. When debate in a high school is not required, only the kids who already have the necessary skills and interest in debate will be affected. This would keep other students who are not as smart or privileged from receiving the benefits of debate because they would not be willing to join the debate team at their own will. When a high school’s debate team is mandatory it is a lot more effective. Students who wouldn’t necessarily join the debate team would then be exposed to the benefits of debate. The students who would not join the debate team at will are more than likely the students who need the benefits of debate the most. Making a debate team mandatory also makes the smarter and more privileged students smarter and more privileged. However, it also bridges the gap and makes the less privileged and less smarter students more privileged and smarter. Students who would join the debate team at their own will are more than likely the students who already possess the benefits of debate more than their peers. These students are already mental and emotionally mature and have adequate academic and critical thinking skills. The students who would not join the debate team may feel like they aren’t smart enough, or don’t know how to argue constructively. Thus these students need the benefits of debate more to increase their critical thinking skills, make them feel smarter, and teach them the correct way argue constructively. The true purpose of debate should be to increase academic and critical thinking skills and to make students more mentally and emotionally mature. This purpose would be met more effectively if high school’s made their debate program mandatory. A much more wide range of students would then be exposed to and receive the benefits of debate. Therefore students would receive the benefits whether they weren’t smart or privileged enough or not.
team is another organization on campus. One that allows students to join at will however is not necessarily required. When a high school’s debate team is a club or organization it does not effect, or bring in other students. A club style debate team only makes the most privileged and smartest kids in the country smarter and more privileged. When debate in a high school is not required, only the kids who already have the necessary skills and interest in debate will be affected. This would keep other students who are not as smart or privileged from receiving the benefits of debate because they would not be willing to join the debate team at their own will. When a high school’s debate team is mandatory it is a lot more effective. Students who wouldn’t necessarily join the debate team would then be exposed to the benefits of debate. The students who would not join the debate team at will are more than likely the students who need the benefits of debate the most. Making a debate team mandatory also makes the smarter and more privileged students smarter and more privileged. However, it also bridges the gap and makes the less privileged and less smarter students more privileged and smarter. Students who would join the debate team at their own will are more than likely the students who already possess the benefits of debate more than their peers. These students are already mental and emotionally mature and have adequate academic and critical thinking skills. The students who would not join the debate team may feel like they aren’t smart enough, or don’t know how to argue constructively. Thus these students need the benefits of debate more to increase their critical thinking skills, make them feel smarter, and teach them the correct way argue constructively. The true purpose of debate should be to increase academic and critical thinking skills and to make students more mentally and emotionally mature. This purpose would be met more effectively if high school’s made their debate program mandatory. A much more wide range of students would then be exposed to and receive the benefits of debate. Therefore students would receive the benefits whether they weren’t smart or privileged enough or not.