Lincoln Douglas Debate

LD Debate, or Lincoln Douglas Debate, is a common form of high school debate that focuses on logics, ethics, and philosophy. It is a one-on-one debate and is named for the famous senatorial debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas.

The structure of LD is very similar to that of policy, with both affirmative and negative speeches and rebuttals and cross-examination in between. Furthermore, it employs the use of evidence, analysis, and speed.

LD, however, is different from policy in its focus on ethics and logic, where debaters investigate the meaning and depth of a variety of issues, allowing them to develop high-level skills of analysis and presentation. Also, LD topics change every two months, giving LD debaters exposure to a variety of issues ranging from universal health care to domestic violence to nuclear proliferation, just to name a few. The research required for such a variety of topics also makes LD students very well-read and informed. LD is also applicable to real life, evident in the most recent presidential elections, where then-Senator Hilary Clinton challenged then-Senator Barack Obama to a one-on-one, ethical, and analytical debate, or in other words an LD Debate. Lincoln Douglas is a wonderful form of debate that teaches various skills that prove vital to students' futures and shape each student to achieve their maximum potential.

The September-October topic is:

"Resolved: Public high school students in the United States ought not to be required to pass standardized exit exams to graduate."

Our LD Team

Nupur Gupta (Student Coach)

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(Jason's photo goes here)

Jason Denis

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