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Horse racing may be the sport of kings, but debate is the sport of community leaders.

The skills necessary to compete in and win a debate - deep research, critical thought, the ability to make an argument - are the same skills needed to lead an organization or win an election or champion a cause.

That's why a group of debate enthusiasts has brought the sport to six schools in Minneapolis and St. Paul. They know that the community leaders it trains need to come from the inner city as well as the suburbs.

Without such efforts, "what will happen is the people who will lead will come from Eagan and not from north Minneapolis," said Karon Garen, who has been the force behind the urban debate teams. "They'll have no idea what happens at North High School."

In the 1960s, Minnesota schools with debate squads numbered in the hundreds. Rampant and unyielding budget cuts have forced many schools to drop it. Now there are fewer than 40 teams, mostly in wealthy suburban districts, private schools and outstate commercial centers.

Five years ago, Garen began promoting the sport at inner-city schools that lacked debate programs. Today there are debate teams at North, South, Washburn and Patrick Henry high schools in Minneapolis as well as at Central and Como Park in St. Paul. More than 70 students are participating.

North coach David Cram Helwich said high school debaters learn confidence, poise and the skills needed to succeed in college. "Debaters have to learn how to research, organize their thoughts and critically analyze arguments," he said. "After competing in debate, their reading ability jumps, they gain confidence and they find it empowering to stand up and make an argument that the opposition has to treat with respect."

While most urban school debaters are already excellent students who participate in other school activities, the sport also attracts some students in crisis. South High coach Aleava Sayre said some of her debaters are intelligent but bored and need a challenge. Some are overactive and need to channel their energy. Some are shy and need to develop confidence.

Debate isn't as expensive as hockey or football, but it still costs serious money. Out-of town meets usually span two days, requiring an overnight stay. Research requires "thousands and thousands of copies," Sayre said. And between practices and meets every weekend from October to mid-December, paying for a coach isn't cheap.

Grants from companies such as Cargill and TCF along with individual donations keep the inner-city programs afloat. Although coaches such as Helwich and Sayre volunteer their time because they love debate, they are an exception to the rule. "You can always find a former football player to coach a team," Garen said. "Former debaters are lawyers and businessmen who support the sport but don't have a lot of time to give."

The urban teams are doing well. They routinely face powerhouses like Wayzata and Eden Prairie, Moorhead and Rochester, Blake and Benilde-St. Margaret. While the urban schools have yet to win these tough matches, they hold their own.

The benefits of debate are well known: Reading skills skyrocket. Absenteeism drops. Grade point averages rise. Graduation rates rise. College acceptance rates rise. More students go on to careers in business, law and medicine.

Garen, Helwich and Sayre agree that these benefits should go to all students, not just those from wealthy districts.

"Advocacy training for people of all backgrounds is very important," Helwich said. "Leaders need to come from a variety of backgrounds. If debate expands the pool of leaders, then it's a worthwhile endeavor."

Sayre put it succinctly: "My kids are just as smart as kids from any other school. It would be a crime to restrict that."

John Fitzgerald
Minnesota 2020 Fellow
john.fitzgerald@mn2020.org

http://www.mn2020.org/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC=%7B7AABD713-C023-4AB1-A71C-8588F81B1A5A%7D&DE=