Debate Overview

The purpose of debate in the STOA league is to instill in Christian home school students the skills of presentation, critical thinking, and research; and the analysis of values, policies, and current events. That endeavor is accomplished in an environment of honorable competition that cultivates maturity, wisdom, grace, poise, and brings glory to our Lord Jesus Christ.

STOA offers three forms of debate:

Lincoln Douglas Value Debate

Lincoln Douglas is value debate. A Lincoln Douglas debate examines competing value systems to answer big questions, traditionally placing a heavy emphasis on logic, ethical values, and philosophy.

Structure:

  • One student per team.
  • Value oriented debate.
  • Rounds last 40 min.

This year's Lincoln Douglas resolutions are:
Resolved: Liberty ought to be prioritized over order. 
Resolved: In regulating emerging technologies, governments ought to prioritize caution over innovation. 

Team Policy Debate

A Team Policy debate asks competitors to develop and defend competing policy options to address contemporary problems. The affirmative team proposes a change in policy that fits within the assigned resolution, and the negative team presents potential problems with the specific policy change.

Structure:

  • Two students per team.
  • Policy oriented debate.
  • Rounds last 75 min.

This year's Team Policy resolution is:
Resolved: The U.S. Federal Government should substantially reform its agriculture policy.

Students generally choose between Team Policy and Lincoln Douglas each year. A student cannot compete in both forms of debate at a tournament.

Parliamentary Debate

Parliamentary debate is an activity in which teams of two students debate one another in an impromptu and extemporaneous form of debate. The topic changes every round and is given to the debaters just 20 minutes prior to the round. Parliamentary debate asks competitors to develop and defend positions on a wide range of issues that could be fact, value, policy or scenario in nature. Parliamentary debate (aka Parli) not only relies on quick thinking but also on an accumulation of general knowledge on a broad range of subjects.

Parliamentary Debate is an advanced form of debate. Students are required to have 2 years of prior debate experience or a coach’s permission to join.

Structure:

  • Two students per team
  • Students will debate a variety of topics, including values, policies, facts, and scenarios.
  • Rounds last 38 minutes

Students are allowed to compete in Parliamentary Debate in addition to Team Policy or Lincoln Douglas.