Urban Debate In The News
Primarily as a result of the holiday release of Denzell Washington’s
critically acclaimed film The Great Debaters, urban debate
has been featured in several news, magazine and journal articles.
The release of the film served as the jumping off point for several
former debaters to advocate for the establishment of an Urban Debate
League in Houston. A powerful op-ed piece in the Houston Chronicle
by Barbara Ann Radnofsky and Ronald Bankston noted the powerful benefits
of debate. After noting the many Houston-area success stories who
are former debaters, the authors wrote: “Houston needs an Urban
Debate League to bring competitive debate back to the inner city,
and to involve minority and low income students.” They advocate:
“Make Houston’s legacy of The Great Debaters a reality.
Houston and the world beyond will benefit.”
The Boston
Herald reported on students in the Boston Debate League.
It quotes Alexander Chen, the captain of the Josiah Quincy Upper School
debate team, as saying: “It (debate) is about finding a voice.”
The article also details how participation in a debate program can
help students earn college scholarships. “A lot of kids don’t
understand. You have a better chance of getting a scholarship in debate
than in sports,” said Richard Chang, a former public defender
turned history teacher and debate coach. He says about The Great
Debaters: “What the film is trying to bring out is the
art of persuasion. It is important to be assertive without being militant.”
Typical was a news article from the Chicago
Sun Times that reported on a Chicago event where an audience
of urban debaters watched an early screening of the film. The Sun
Times recounted these comments from Cydney Edwards, a member
of the Morgan Park debate team: “To say the film was inspiring
is an understatement. That was the reaction of my entire team.”
The audience cheered loudly when the character Samantha Booke declared:
“The time for equality is right now!”
“The story behind the Hollywood film still resonates in the
drama of the city debate leagues today, said Gabe Cook, the Director
of Debate-Kansas City,” reported the Kansas
City Star. Cook continued: “I’m a huge believer
in the power of debate. It’s a way of learning…a superior
method of teaching.” Desmond Mason, alum of Debate-KC says in
the Star feature: “I like to think critically. I like to argue.
I like the competition. What better format is there for practice –
and for real life?”
In a different medium, the Washington D.C. public radio station WAMU
88.5 FM, recently conducted a 35-minute
segment on the topic of debate – with much of it discussing
the history of debate, particularly with respect to a variety of African-American
experiences. Toward the conclusion they also talk about Urban Debate
Leagues. The segment of the show on debate in general begins at the
17:00 minute mark. Colin Touhey, Executive Director of the DC UDL,
and a guest on the show, appears at the 36:30 point to discuss the
benefits of debate for urban schools.
In conjunction with many of the nationwide advanced screenings of
The Great Debaters, several of the young actors in the film
answered audience questions. At one of these events held in San Francisco,
the San
Francisco Chronicle reported that Nate Parker, who plays
Henry Lowe in the film, said that to prepare for their roles they
“went on a two-day boot camp where they were coached by national
champions.” The story further describes the interesting exchange
where the young actors attended a demonstration debate put on by students
at Balboa High School.
Professor Tim O’Donnell from Mary Washington University recently
published an article in the journal Inside
Higher Education where he reflected on the film and wrote
“The Great Debaters reminds us that academic debate
is a proven investment in the core values of our institutional missions.”
He adds: “Indeed there is no better vehicle for stimulating
undergraduate research, fostering tolerance and open mindedness, instigating
engagement with the issues of the day, (and) promoting understanding
of global connections…”
In August, the Washington
Post Magazine featured an extensive and detailed article
about several students who participate in the Baltimore Urban Debate
League. They reported this about urban debate: “Iggy and Jermol
are participants in what began nine years ago as a pilot program in
eight Baltimore schools to teach democracy -- as well as critical
thinking, basic literacy and research skills -- to underprivileged
urban kids but has snowballed into a wildly popular competition drawing
more than 1,000 students from 60 schools to Baltimore's tournaments
on any given weekend.” The Magazine depicts how the
hundreds of hours that debaters spend on research and practice serve
as an important source of empowerment. Pam Spiliadis, the Executive
Director of the Baltimore League noted: “They become critical
thinkers and speakers, and effective advocates for themselves and
their communities.”
Finally, the efforts of the NAUDL were mentioned in a few of the articles.
The Boston Herald noted: “the National Association
for Urban Debate Leagues strives to keep that spirit alive and empower
young people through the power of their own voices.” Professor
O’Donnell wrote: “Urban Debate Leagues at the middle
and high school level are flourishing under the leadership of the
National Association for Urban Debate Leagues and The Great Debaters
will undoubtedly cause demand for debate to surge in the coming years.”
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No debating Mabel Peters Caruth's legacy in Dallas
12:00 AM CDT on Sunday, April 27, 2008
bmiller@dallasnews.com
The Communities Foundation of Texas has received two bequests totaling $24 million from the estate of Mabel Peters Caruth that will double its ability to award competitive grants.
Using bequests from Mrs. Caruth, who died in December 2000, along with existing discretionary funds, Communities Foundation trustees will increase the amount awarded annually through the foundation's competitive grants process from $1 million to nearly $2 million.
The new Mabel Peters Caruth Fund will support nonprofit organizations that deliver education and social services and, according to her wishes, provide amounts to many organizations rather than large grants to a few.
Nonprofit agencies can apply for the competitive grants in the spring and fall. Unlike the foundation's donor-advised grants, which offer charitable support across the country, the discretionary grants remain local.
"All of us at Communities Foundation of Texas are grateful to Mabel Peters Caruth for her vision, compassion and generosity," said Charles J. Wyly Jr., chairman of the Communities Foundation's board of trustees. "We're honored by the trust she placed in the foundation to use the funds to benefit the community in the manner she wanted."
Long association
The Communities Foundation of Texas' relationship with the pioneering Caruth family dates to 1974, when W.W. "Will" Caruth Jr., Mrs. Caruth's husband, established the W.W. Caruth Jr. Foundation in connection with the Communities Foundation.
"Through Communities Foundation of Texas, their generosity is able to improve the lives of many more North Texans," Mr. Wyly said.
Shortly before her death, Mrs. Caruth announced that she would bequeath $34 million to the foundation to buy land for, build and endow the foundation's current headquarters at Caruth Haven Lane and Central Expressway.
In addition, the Communities Foundation just announced the recipients of this spring's competitive grants, totaling more than $617,000. The grants were given to 19 local nonprofit organizations.
An example of Mrs. Caruth's desire to provide modest amounts to many nonprofits is reflected in the Mabel Peters Caruth Fund grant of $35,000 to the Dallas Urban Debate Alliance to fund a summer debate institute.
The alliance, working with the Dallas Independent School District, is a public-private partnership that takes debate programs to urban students.
Eleven DISD high schools are participating, and by fall, the program will serve 18 schools, including almost every DISD regular high school that does not have an existing debate program.
"Debate programs are valuable learning tools that improve academic performance, increase test scores and graduation rates, enhance college readiness and develop leadership skills," said Brent Christopher, president and chief executive of the Communities Foundation.
Craig W. Budner, administrative partner of the Dallas office of the K&L Gates law firm and interim chairman of the Dallas Urban Debate Alliance's advisory board, said Communities Foundation leaders provided invaluable assistance.
"Their guidance and coaching were instrumental in allowing us to start urban debate in Dallas," he said. "The advisory board couldn't be more pleased with the success of the program's first year."
The Communities Foundation of Texas, a public charity founded in 1953, works with donors and nonprofit groups as well as funding organizations. It both manages assets and makes grants.
As the largest such foundation in Texas, the Communities Foundation manages more than 800 funds. It has distributed more than $900 million in grants since its inception.
Pioneer family
The Caruth family harks back to 1848 in the Dallas area, three years after Texas became a state. William Caruth arrived here from Kentucky with his horse, $100, a gold watch, a pistol and a vision. He sent word back home to his brother Walter to join him.
With $1,000 borrowed from their father, they opened a general store near downtown Dallas, then invested in land that eventually stretched from what is now White Rock Lake westward past Preston Road from Mockingbird Lane north to Forest Lane.
William Caruth's sole surviving son, W.W. "Will" Caruth Sr., continued to amass acreage and in 1911 donated land to Southern Methodist University to persuade it to locate in Dallas rather than Fort Worth.
His wife, Earle Clark Caruth, founded the Hillcrest Foundation.
Their son, W.W. Caruth Jr., who died in 1990, expanded into building materials while continuing the family's role in real estate, donating parcels of land to the nonprofit sector along the way.
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Debate Teams Coming to Some City Schools
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Tampa lawyer argues for launching urban debate league
By Rodney Thrash, Times Staff Writer St. Petersburg Times
In print: Wednesday, May 7, 2008
TAMPA — In December, Barry Cohen sat inside the WestShore AMC theaters. He had come to watch The Great Debaters, which starred Denzel Washington and chronicled the improbable national championship run of the 1935 debate team from historically black Wiley College. By the end of the two-hour movie, Cohen found himself in line, purchasing a ticket for the film's next show.
That night inspired the high-powered Tampa lawyer to fund a free screening for 200 schoolchildren, most of them African-American or low-income.
And now he and a national organization want to start an urban debate league within Hillsborough schools. Since 1997, the National Association for Urban Debate Leagues has increased the number of African-American and low-income students in academic debate programs from Chicago to Baltimore.
In Baltimore, where the graduation rate is only 34.6 percent — the third-worst in the country, according to a 2007 Education Week study — 90 percent of the city's urban debaters graduate on time, and 90 percent go on to college.
"Debate channels high school kids' competitiveness into a ruthlessly academic activity," said Leonard Gail, chairman of the association's board. "You can't help but be educated and improve your reasoning skills and your research skills with debate. You just can't help it."
It is not clear the kind of commitment the district would have to make for a competitive league to work. And no one knows how much it would cost taxpayers. That, Gail said, would depend on the number of schools that participate. For every dollar the school system invests, the national association contributes at least $1.50, he said.
Brandon and Freedom High already have debate clubs, district spokeswoman Linda Cobbe said. So do the International Baccalaureate programs at Hillsborough and King High.
"It sounds like a great opportunity for inner-city kids," Cobbe said. "If there's some kind of grant involved, that will help. The budget situation is very tight this year."
If the cost is too great, officials might consider a pilot version of the program as part of the district's after-school program, Cobbe said. "We have grant funding for that," she said.
Gail and Cohen will make their pitch to Hillsborough officials at 10:30 a.m. Friday.
"All it takes is one identification: 'I want to be like that. I want to have the feeling of winning like they felt in the movie,' " said Cohen. "Before you know it, the child is a winner."
Rodney Thrash can be reached at rthrash@sptimes.com or (813) 269-5303.
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By Dakarai I. Aarons
commercialappeal.com
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Parents and other citizens showed up at Monday's Memphis Board of Education meeting seeking answers and asking that action be taken against a high school principal accused of revealing the romantic relationship of two male students.
The alleged incident at Hollis F. Price Middle College High School has attracted national attention since the American Civil Liberties Union filed a complaint about it last week.
As a parent and grandparent, Elizabeth Goodman told board members she was disappointed by what she'd read and seen in news reports.
"When a student or anyone is outed, it's immediately subjecting the outed person to discriminatory treatment," she said.
The remarks of Goodman and others were met with hefty applause from supporters who filled seats in the rear of the board's auditorium.
In a statement released last week, the district said it believes principal Daphne Beasley acted appropriately and that the sexual orientation of students was not placed on a list of couples that Beasley compiled.
In other news, the board approved a comprehensive plan to submit to the Tennessee State Department of Education. Among the district's goals are:
Improving the graduation rate from 69.6 percent to 80.5 percent by 2011.
Increasing the number of students taking Advanced Placement and dual enrollment courses by 20 percent by 2011.
Enrolling 250 middle school students in entry-level foreign language courses by 2010.
Decreasing the number of students who report bringing weapons to school from 16.9 percent to 10 percent by the end of next school year.
Memphis will soon boast an urban debate league, with groups slated to start at 14 high schools this fall.
The board approved an agreement between the district and the National Association for Urban Debate Leagues to create the program, already present in more than 15 urban school districts nationwide.
A permanent leader to replace former superintendent Carol Johnson could be picked soon. The board meets again tonight at 5:30 to receive a list of finalists for the job from the Iowa-based firm it hired to conduct a national search. The board hopes to have a new superintendent by July 1.
