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PUBLIC FORUM DEBATE
TOPICS, TIMES, SPEAKER DUTIES, RULES

 

1. Public Forum Topic

The May Debate Event uses the April Topic.

Resolved: The United States should eliminate the President’s authority to deploy military forces abroad without Congressional approval.

 

The November Debate Event uses the November-December topic.

Resolved: The United States federal government should require technology companies to provide lawful access to encrypted communications.

The March Event uses the March topic.

 

2. Public Forum Debating Times

When the rooms get posted, then debaters go to their debates and begin immediately.

Beginning of the Debate: Debaters are required to share with each other their google drive/dropbox/one drive for sharing evidence and to test sharing.

On Zoom (Friday online) demonstrate you can share files with each other in the Chat.

Shared evidence may not be used in debates by the team receiving the evidence.

4 min. prep. during the debate for each team to use as they choose before their speeches or before crossfire (NOT during a speech nor during crossfire). No prep time prior to the debate.

 

Each debater gives 2 speeches and engages in 1 crossfire plus the grand crossfire.

·                  1 Pro Constructive: 4 minutes, present pro case

·                  1 Con Constructive: 4 minutes, present con case

·                  Crossfire (questions) 3 minutes between 1 Pro and 1 Con

·                  2 Pro Rebuttal: 4 minutes, refute con case

·                  2 Con Rebuttal: 4 minutes, refute pro case

·                  Crossfire (questions) 3 minutes between 2 Pro and 2 Con

·                  1 Pro Summary: 3 minutes, defend pro case and/or address key points of clash

·                  1 Con Summary: 3 minutes, defend con case and/or address key points of clash

·                  Grand Crossfire (questions) 3 minutes among all debaters

·                  2 Pro Final Focus: 3 minutes, give reasons from previous speeches to vote for pro

·                  2 Con Final Focus: 3 minutes, give reasons from previous speeches to vote for con

 

 

3. Public Forum Debating Rules—READ THEM, THEY ARE UNIQUE

·        Debaters can participate from ages 10 to 15 or by permission from Jim Hanson.

·        We do make an effort to separate out teams by grade level and experience but can’t guarantee that.

·        Pro teams of two debaters (1Pro debater and 2Pro debater) defend the topic.
Con teams of two debaters (1Con debater and 2Con debater) reject the topic.

·        Con teams cannot run counterplans; they must discuss the topic/the current policies.

·        Speaker Duties:
1 Case Speeches: Present Case. Do not respond to opponent’s case in this speech except minimally.
2 Rebuttal Speeches: Respond to your Opponent’s Case.  Do not respond to responses to your case except minimally. 
1 Summary Speeches: Defend Your Case/Crystalize. Do not respond to your opponent’s case except minimally. 
2 Final Focus Speeches: Address Key Arguments and Weigh.
WE DO NOT WANT PF DEBATERS SPREADING TO HIT BOTH CASES IN THEIR SPEECHES—DO NOT DO THAT. ONLY THE FINAL FOCUS SPEECHES DIRECTLY ADDRESS BOTH CASES IN THEIR SPEECHES.

·        Debaters use prepared materials in their debates. Debaters may/should use printed materials and/or laptops during the debate.

·        You may also access the internet including during the debate (but you CANNOT communicate with any person including a coach or parent unless it is an emergency).

·        YOU MAY USE AI BEFORE AND DURING THE DEBATE BUT READING AI MATERIAL DIRECTLY IS PLAGIARISM. DON’T DO THAT. Use AI for ideas not your exact words.

·        No POIs, No heckling.   No Coin tosses.

·        Debaters may speak to teammates who are speaking BRIEFLY AND RARELY and can pass notes or text messages/chat. Remember, interrupting your debate partner can hurt their debating—do it at most once or twice during an entire speech and only in urgent situations.

·        Use your own flow paper.

·       Coaching help prior to the debate is fine but the debate starts on time. No coaching during the debate.