Nation Chooses Poverty as 2009-2010 Policy Debate Topic
By Jana Riggins | Thursday, January 29, 2009 11:12 AM
The people have spoken. The vote is in. Results from national balloting conducted by the National Federation of State High School Associations confirm that cross-examination debaters in 2009 – 2010 will debate the topic: Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase social services for persons living in poverty in the United States.
Ballots were first sent to states, the District of Columbia, the National Forensic League, National Debate Coaches Association and the National Catholic Forensic League last August with five topics included on the ballot: space, healthcare, immigration, poverty, and federal elections. The voting was intensely close with the top two vote getters, health care and poverty, then placed on a final ballot.
After a period of discussion of the two final topic areas, states conducted balloting in December and January. The University Interscholastic League conducted the balloting for the state of Texas. Results were sent to NFHS headquarters by Jan. 5, 2009.
In the initial balloting, Texas coaches overwhelming selected immigration as the most critical topic for debating. When immigration tied with space for third, thus not making the final ballot, the majority of Texas schools preferred poverty as the debate topic for the ensuing season.
Of the 39 votes cast, 23 favored poverty over health care. Concurring with Texas were the states of Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming, NCFL and NFL.
Those states preferring health care included Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia and the NDCA organization.
Coaches and students may access online the complete study report on poverty presented to the Topic Selection Committee last August for insight into the topic by Chuck Ballingall from California at http://www.nfhs.org/web/2008/08/five_debate_topics_suggested_for.aspx.
The League will offer a CX Debate study packet available in late summer that will include issues of the Forensic Quarterly for in-depth analysis of the poverty topic area.