Recent Speech & Debate Site News & Updates
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Welcome to the 2023-2024 season of Speech and Debate
Welcome to a new exciting season of Texas UIL speech and debate competition! As educators, some of the most rewarding experiences you will have this year will be with your speech team at forensic tournaments. Whether you are new to coaching speech or are a decades-long veteran of the speech community, we are here to provide resources to support your competitive endeavors and unforgettable championship tournaments.
Remember: It’s the journey, not the destination that will enrich the lives of you and your students.
UIL provides an individual webpage for each of the speaking contests that includes rules, procedures, and a wealth of resources. There is also a newly-updated complimentary digital handbook for each event designed to provide expanded discussion, rule clarification, coaching strategies, links to UIL training videos and curriculum.
Important Links to CX Debate State Meet Information
CX Debate
Potential CX Debate topics for 2023-24 advancing to the final ballot are Economic Inequality and Climate Change. Coaches can access details about each of these topic areas and the wording of each resolution at this link:
https://www.uiltexas.org/files/academics/speech/23-24_final_topic_ballot_%28UPDATED%29.pdf
Coaches of schools who compete in Policy Debate are encouraged to submit their vote. Deadline is December 20.
Top 5 CX Debate Resolutions on the Ballot
The National Debate Topic Selection Meeting was held in Kansas City this month and after 13 topic reports were presented and thoroughly discussed by 64 delegates, 5 resolutions were selected to be placed on a national ballot to become next year’s policy debate topic. Here is the announcement of those topics.
https://www.nfhs.org/articles/five-suggested-debate-topics-for-2023-24/
Take the opportunity to examine the topic reports and discuss each of these potential resolutions with your students. The UIL State Office will be sending out a ballot for you to rank the 5 soon.
Spring 2022 Debate Updates
CX Debate State Registration Required In Tabroom.com
CX teams advancing to the state meet have been verified by results in the UIL Spring Meet Online System and schools submitted judge and certification forms via the UIL website last month. Because the tournament will be managed on Tabroom.com, each school must enter debaters and judges on the Tabroom website in order for your team and judges to receive schematics and ballots during the tournament. If you hired a judge, they must be linked to your school.
Detailed instructions on how to register are posted on the CX Debate State Tournament webpage. Deadline for entering is Wednesday, March 9.
https://www.uiltexas.org/speech/info/cx-state-tournament-page
Lincoln Douglas Debate Entry Clarification
In 2020-21, a permanent rule went into effect concerning the number of LD debaters schools may enter. The Constitution states a school may enter 3 individuals in its district meet. However, if there are fewer than a total of 8 LD debaters competing, each school with a full entry may enter a 4th debater at district. This recent rule change now parallels LD Debate with a similar provision that has existed for CX Debate. The Spring Meet Online System was adapted last year to allow for the potential fourth entry, should a district fall under this rule. For clarity, if your district has 8 or more debaters competing, you are allowed to enter 3 contestants.
Additionally, last year a temporary rule waiver was put into place to address the reduction in state qualifiers for CX Debate due to the pandemic, allowing CX district participants who did not advance to the CX State Meet to also enter LD Debate. CX advancement was not limited this year and this waiver is no longer in place. If a student competed in CX Debate at District 2022, they cannot enter LD Debate this year.
Congress State Meet Update
State Meet Assignments, Training Videos and Instruction Sheets are now posted on the Congress State Meet Tournament page