Ben Davis Debate Tournament II

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General information

This is a High School tournament in Indiana.

View manager contact information

Dear Coach and Speakers,

Welcome to the BDHS Debate Tournament II on December 16th, 2023.  The meet will be held at Ben Davis High School located at 1200 N Girls School Road, Indianapolis, IN 46214.  Doors open at 7:00 am.

All judges and coaches please report to your first round by the time posted on the ballot.  We will spin the first rounds at 8:30 AM. There are seats in our commons to accommodate. Schools, please spread out. Judges bring your devices for e-ballots.

DIRECTIONS AND PARKING

Please park in the front of the building and enter through Door 1.  Buses please use the bus lot.

REGISTRATION DEADLINE

All Registration will be done on www.speechwire.com. No emails, faxes or paper entries will be accepted. We strongly encourage that entries be made as early as possible (like right now, so you don’t forget) Please note the following:

• Registration will be locked (meaning no adding of entries can be added) on Wednesday, December  13th, 2023 at 5:00 PM.  

• Coaches will be able to make name changes and drops until Saturday, December 16th, 2023 at 8:00 AM.

DEBATE TOURNAMENT STRUCTURE

This will be an open tournament with multiple rounds (with Power Matching after Round Two) depending upon the event.  The numbers of rounds will run as following:

5 rounds – Lincoln Douglas (LD)

4 rounds – Public Forum (PF), Policy Debate, and World School Debate (WSD)

DEBATE EVENTS & TOPICS

• LINCOLN-DOUGLAS 

  • TOPIC - Resolved: The United States ought to prohibit the extraction of fossil fuels from federal public lands and waters. 

• POLICY DEBATE \

  • TOPIC - Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase fiscal redistribution in the United States by adopting a federal jobs guarantee, expanding Social Security, and/or providing a basic income.

• PUBLIC FORUM

  • TOPIC - Resolved: The United States federal government should forgive all federal student loan debt.

• WORLD SCHOOLS DEBATE (WSD)

  • All ROUNDS WILL BE PREPARED

  • Round One Topic - This House believes that the UN has failed in its mission to protect refugees and asylum seekers. 

  • Round Two Topic - This House believes that the preservation of indigenous artifacts without supporting cultural practice is ethnocide.

  • Round Three Topic - This House believes AI is good for education.

  • Round Four Topic will be selected a blind draw of one of the topics from the previous three rounds.  Sides will be determined by Speechwire REGARDLESS of the side debated in previous rounds.  

• CONGRESS

  • Students will debate three rounds, break to a 4th final round.

  • The Presiding Officer (PO) will be nominated and selected by the chamber.

    • The PO can relinquish the gavel to speak on any bill and it is expected that a contestant in the round will serve as PO for that opportunity.

  • Round Bills

    • Round One - Bill 1# A Bill for Federal Bail Reform

    • Round Two - Bill #6 A Bill to Decriminalize Drug Charges Relating to Possession

    • Round Three - Bill #12 A REsolution to Recommend a Joint U.S./Canadian/U.N. Presence in Haiti to Facilitate the Reestablishment of a Legitimate  Government

    • FINAL Round Bills ( 2-hour session)

      • Bill #5 A Bill to Allow Gender Affirming Care for Children aged 14 and Older

      • Bill 11# A Bill to End the Cuban Embargo to Promote Foreign Relations with the Republic of Cuba

Tournament Entries

Debate Events Entry: No event cap, team entry cap 24

BALLOTS

This is an e-ballot tournament.  Judges must bring their own device.

BALLOTS and WIN-LOSS Records

All Ballots will be uploaded on Speechwire after the tournament for any coach to download.  WIN-LOSS records will be printed and distributed during awards.

JUDGE REQUIREMENTS - NO STUDENT JUDGES

JUDGE ELIGIBILITY

Judges: any reasonable adult is eligible to judge. We would like very well-written critiques. We will ask you to select the appropriate judge type: adult or student in Speechwire.

DEBATE JUDGE REQUIREMENTS

Judge requirement will be 1 to 4 ratio i.e. 1 judge per 4 debaters examples: 2 policy teams = one judge or 1 judge per 3 Congress and 1 LD

DROPS

Call late drops to (317) 988-7188 by 8:00 am on Saturday, December 16th, 2023.

CONCESSIONS

There should be no leaving the building as food for students will be served in the cafeteria. Complimentary food for judges, coaches and bus drivers will be provided.

AWARDS

Awards will be given out for placements 1-8th.

Questions: If you have any questions please email Gary Peters, Tournament Host, at gary.peters@wayne.k12.in.us or Fred Douse, Tournament Manager, at fred.douse@wayne.k12.in.us.

We want to thank you for coming to the BDHS DEBATE TOURNAMENT II .

Warmly,

The Ben Davis GIANT SPEAKERS COACHING STAFF

Manager contact information

Fred Douse
Email address: fred.douse@wayne.k12.in.us
Phone number: (317) 260-3777

Mailing address

1200 N Girls School Rd
Indianapolis, IN 46214