Urban School Districts Rally Support for Launching UDLs
School system investment and ownership is critical to both the sustainability and the programmatic quality of Urban Debate Leagues. Investment by school system leaders provides the institutional stability needed for private sector stakeholders to come on board. Fortunately, each of the UDLs in the NAUDL’s Expansion Plan enjoys strong support from local school systems, even in a tough budget year, and are well on their way to becoming powerful debate programs.
School district leaders have embraced debate. For example, Superintendent Dr. Kriner Cash has been present at Memphis UDL tournaments and, in a recent interview with Fox News Memphis, gave a strong endorsement and continuing funding commitment to his district’s UDL. In Houston, Board of Education President Harvin C. Moore III, a former debater, has been a champion of debate. In Los Angeles and the Bay Area, the district and top leaders of secondary instruction have embraced debate despite state-wide budget cuts. Mary Buttler, Executive Officer of Instructional Services in Oakland, said that debate would "change students forever" and "you open doors none of them knew existed." Detroit Public Schools Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum Shirley Brown has added a line item in her office's strategic objectives specifically on expanding and deepening the impact of the Detroit UDL.
District leaders are also getting involved with debate hands on. In Denver, Happy Haynes, Assistant to the Superintendent, personally recruited six high schools and handed out the awards at the first tournament. Ms. Haynes has worked closely with the Denver Advisory Board to help increase participation in and improve the effectiveness of debate. Boston Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Carol Johnson attended a tournament, along with members of the school board, and she has made both private and public statements of substantial support for the Boston UDL. In St. Louis, Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction K-12 Paula Knight has personally championed launching events for the UDL, has attended tournaments, and has lobbied for support within the district and the St. Louis educational philanthropic community. In Dallas, the school district has committed to improving upon its successful first year by expanding debate to additional schools.
Andrew Kearl and Charlie Smith, Debate Coaches at Manual High School in Denver, receive the 1st Place Sweepstakes trophy from Happy Haynes at the first Denver UDL Tournament
Memphis Superintendent Dr. Kriner Cash (middle), League Supervisor Michael Smith (right), and Trezevant HS Head Coach Angela Beauvais (left) mingle with debaters during a recent Memphis UDL tournament
