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JSA D EBATE W ORKSHOP
At the heart of the democratic experience is the ability of every citizen to openly share ideas, compare
the merits of each position, and freely select the direction that best reflects their individual beliefs. The
American democratic experience fundamentally is an on-going, public debate among all citizens
regarding their aspirations for freedom and their responsibilities for their own destinies, and for that of
the republic.
Debating builds critical skills. It sharpens focus, it strengthens and
refines analysis, it fosters communication and negotiation and public
speech, it drives conviction and discipline while requiring active
listening and tolerance for differing points of view, and it builds
structure for effective problem solving.
At JSA Summer Programs students don’t just have debates, they
consistently work on public speaking skills – it’s a regular activity, an
energetic, fun, and on-going workshop of sharing ideas, partnering
and negotiating. Students learn to be both accepting of the points of
others, and skilled at persuading others to differing points of view.
Overview
JSA Debate Workshop is a debate program that is a crucial part of the Summer School experience. You
and your classmates will be divided into sections where you will research and then debate a variety of
controversial resolutions almost every night beginning the second week of Summer School.
To successfully complete the JSA Debate Workshop, you will be required to
actively participate in at least 4 debates. In one debate, you will be
responsible for leading the debate and discussion by giving the main speech,
either for or against one of the resolutions listed at:
www.speechstudent.com/jsa (more on the site below). Additionally, in a
minimum of 3 debates, you will be expected to make a supporting or
subsequent speech for or against other resolutions.
Students at your JSA Summer School will be divided into sections, with each section debating over a
dozen issues from among the possible topics. You should start preparing for the JSA Debate Workshop
debates prior to your arrival at JSA Summer School. The more prepared you are when you arrive at the
Summer School, the less you will have to do at the last moment.
To prepare yourself for the JSA Debate Workshop, please see the pre-arrival assignment outlined on the
next pages.
JSA Headquarters
800 S. Claremont Street, Suite 202, San Mateo, CA 94402
Phone: (800) 334-5353 or (650) 347-1600 Fax: (650) 347-7200
Email: [email protected] Web: www.jsa.org
JSA Washington, D.C. Office
1411 K Street NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20005
Phone: (800) 317-9338 Fax: (202) 296-7839
Pre-Arrival JSA Debate Workshop Assignment
•
Access www.speechstudent.com/jsa and set-up your Summer School Debate Workshop account. This
will allow you to see all 25 possible debate resolutions that will be used this summer and will allow you
to choose your topic preference from among them. THIS IS MANDATORY prior to your arrival on
campus.
•
At the same site, indicate on which side you stand for all 25 of the topics. If you are in favor of the
resolution as it is written, select "PRO;" if you are against, then select "CON." You must enter either
"Pro" or "Con" for each issue. If you don't know where you stand on a particular issue, discuss it with
your parents, teachers and friends and do library research on the topic.
•
After selecting your top ten preferred resolutions, begin researching those issues. Avoid using dated
materials for this research; use magazines such as Time, Newsweek, U.S. News and World Report, or The
Economist. Newspapers with national reputations such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal,
The Washington Post, The L.A. Times or The Christian Science Monitor make excellent source materials,
as do The Congressional Quarterly, Facts on File, and many books and reference materials. If you don't
have access to any of the newspapers or magazines noted above, try researching through Web
addresses to access such sources; they're available online!
•
Do some library or internet research of greater depth on your top five preferred resolutions. Remember
that the most popular resolutions will be debated, so anything you can do in advance will be to your
advantage.
•
As you are doing this early research, set aside one key newspaper or magazine article on each of those
top five preferred resolutions. Make a photocopy of these articles to take with you to turn in at Summer
School. At the top of each article, please write your name and the resolution number that it addresses
(e.g. Jane Doe, #11) so that you receive credit for your research. The articles will be due on the first day
of Summer School.
•
An amazing resource provided for you by JSA are online cover sheets for each of the 25 debate
resolutions. These can add to your own personal research by providing dozens of scholarly and
journalistic sources for you to read and study for the purpose of helping to formulate arguments on your
side of the resolution with a myriad of information that can be used as evidence in the debate to prove
your various arguments and contentions. Find those cover sheets at
===>http://jsa.org/downloads/2015-debate-workshop-dw-information/
During your JSA Summer School, you will be asked to put together a synopsis of the issues surrounding
the resolution for which you will be delivering a main speech. You will then be asked to participate in a
faculty-led discussion on your topic. In addition, an outline of your detailed arguments and a
bibliographical list of your sources will be part of a debate "brief" that you will be asked to turn in;
sample briefs will be made available during the Workshop Orientation lectures.
F REQUENTLY A SKED Q UESTIONS
1. Will I receive a grade for JSA Debate Workshop? How about academic credit? Is it a class like my American
Government course? Will I have a textbook?
Yes, you will be graded on your participation in the JSA Debate Workshop. This grade constitutes 20% of your
regular course grade, so it is a fairly significant component of the JSA Summer School. It is not a separate class; instead,
it supplements and extends the information you learn in your classes and through the Speakers Program. There is no
textbook per se, but you will have access to research packets to help you prepare. During the first week, we will review
all of the requirements for JSA Debate Workshop and an extensive series of large and small group presentations will be
made by the JSA Debate Workshop staff to introduce you to the concept of the JSA style of debate.
2. How will the topics and sides be assigned? When will I know which topic and side I have been assigned for my
main debate?
You will be assigned to be the main debater for one of your top ten choices from the list of resolutions.
Hopefully, most of you will be assigned to one of your top five choices. You will be assigned to uphold the side - either
"Pro" or "Con" - that you indicated, so be sure to make that choice correctly. You will be designated to debate a topic in
your section with another Summer School student of comparable debate experience to yourself. These topic choices
and partnerships will be published and announced early in the first week of Summer School. It is imperative, however,
that you arrive at Summer School registration having completed your online topic choices and with your five research
articles in hand.
3. If I have never participated in Junior State debate before, will I be able to survive?
As mentioned above, we pair students by interest and debate experience. That is why we ask you to accurately
fill out the online JSA Debate Workshop Sign-Up form. Help will always be available from your Resident Assistants, from
the Summer School faculty, the JSA Debate Workshop staff and Summer School Director; you will be guided and assisted
with JSA Debate Workshop, no matter what your skill level. All students experience a series of orientation sessions to
help explain how to research, how to put a speech together and how to participate in the Workshop debates. At the
end of the summer, students evaluate each aspect of the program; JSA Debate Workshop always ranks high, especially
by some of the most inexperienced debaters who enjoy this activity immensely.
4. When will the Moderators of the sections be announced? Can I be one? Will I receive any training?
A preliminary list of JSA Debate Workshop Moderators will be selected using the information you provide on the
JSA Debate Workshop Sign-Up form. Additional Moderator candidates will be chosen based on Resident Assistants and
teacher recommendations after the start of Summer School and on self-nominations once the JSA Debate Workshop
process is under way. All candidates will receive special instructions and training during the first week of Summer School
and will be assigned to lead one of the first debates in their section. At the conclusion of the first week of debating,
each section will elect a permanent Moderator for the remaining debates.
5. What should I do if I have further questions about the process?
Feel free to call the Junior Statesmen office for more information at (800) 317-9338 or (800) 334-5353. You can also
send email to [email protected]
Please note: JSA Summer School is a nonpartisan program. The resolutions were written to provoke debate and do not
reflect the position of The Junior Statesmen Foundation, JSA or its staff members who take no position except that high
school students should be prepared for active and informed citizenship and leadership in our system of law and
democratic government.
2015 JSA Debate Workshop Topics
Access www.speechstudent.com/jsa and set-up your Summer School Debate Workshop account and select
the topics you would like to debate.
CONSTITUTIONAL
Resolved, that the right to die be guaranteed by legalizing death with dignity laws nationwide.
Resolved, that non-denominational prayers be allowed at public school events and functions.
Resolved, that an amendment be adopted to the United States Constitution to overturn Citizens United v. FEC.
Resolved, that all Affirmative Action Programs be abolished from college admissions practices.
Resolved, that the death penalty be banned by all states and the federal government.
FOREIGN POLICY
Resolved, that sanctions aimed at Iran remain in place until that country formally recognizes the state of Israel.
Resolved, that the United States recognize Palestine as an independent state.
Resolved, that negotiating hostage swaps should never be part of America’s foreign policy.
Resolved, that Congress officially declare war on the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (aka ISIL or ISIS).
Resolved, that the United Nations discontinue its peacekeeping operations.
ECONOMIC
Resolved, that an across-the-board tax cut be adopted for all individual and corporate tax brackets.
Resolved, that a single-payer national health insurance system be established for all U.S citizens.
Resolved, that the minimum wage be raised nationwide to $15 an hour.
Resolved, that Social Security be privatized.
Resolved, that anti-trust regulations be eliminated from all professional sports.
GENERAL
Resolved, that a one-time blanket amnesty be afforded to all undocumented persons currently residing in the U.S.
Resolved, that ”Freedom to Work” or “Right-to-Work” provisions be adopted in all states for all laborers.
Resolved, that all abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy be banned.
Resolved, that oil production through hydraulic fracturing be banned throughout the United States.
Resolved, that the Tea Party movement has been beneficial to the American political system.
Resolved, that government-issued identification cards must be used to validate voter qualifications in all elections.
Resolved, that the federal government provide two years of free college education for all high school graduates.
Resolved, that the recreational use of marijuana be legalized by all states and the federal government.
Resolved, that vaccinations be mandatory for all children attending public schools.
Resolved, that term limits be adopted and enforced to restrict members of Congress from serving more than 18 consecutive years.