723X 3rd Place Middle School Winners
Congratulations to the 723X Golden Hawks. They are the 3rd Place Winners in the 2015 Debate Championships.
The 186X Debators receive Honorable Mention for their 4th Place finish.
I just saw the Final Topic (e.g., Round 4) cover slide, which appears during the online debates.
It makes me Scared Straight!
According to “Business Cheat Sheet,” private prisons are good investments.
At one time, “jail” was spelled “gaol.” It is still spelled that way in parts of England today. Here are pictures about what “gaols” were like in Victorian England, about 200 years ago.
Did you ever wonder about the difference between a jail and a prison?
The American Correctional Association (ACA) is a Washington, D.C.-based organization that has as its mission:
“[The ACA] provides a professional organization for all individuals and groups, both public and private that share a common goal of improving the justice system.”
They may have information or position papers on the use of private prisons.
There is also a New York chapter.
Here are the names of two of the biggest private prison companies in America:
The GEO Group and Corrections Corporation of America.
This article by National Public Radio (NPR) has information about the companies, albeit with a left-leaning slant.
To understand the current debate topic better, it may help to understand the different court systems in the United States.
Brainpop has two good videos: Trials and Court System. Also, explore the “FYI” tab of the Court Systems page, which lists the different types of courts in the country, as well as what can happen to young people convicted of crime.
And, if you have not already done so, you should definitely watch the movie Debate.
Use your school’s account to access Brainpop.com
Rosalina Lee’s students at 224Q — The Shurgan Knights — shared their thoughts on this year’s season:
Nicholas Watson: “I like being the opening statement on the debate because I like being first”.
Christa Marks: “My experience during the debate was pretty awesome. I like the teamwork and the hard work going towards the debate. This debate made my speaking and reading improve. There are also flaws that make me annoyed about the debate like my counting on my teammates, emotional things going through people minds. Also, more debate time would help, like instead of 2 minutes so 3 minutes would be helpful”.
William Pender: “I really liked this debate because the subjects are what is going on in real life”.
Antonio Lyons: “I had a good experience with the debate. I also like the topic that was giving to us was really good to discuss about. I did not like the timing to start the debates. I think that the debate should start at 9:30am instead of 10:00am”.
Thank you, debaters, for your input and honesty.
Latasha Jones’ students at 186X — The 186X Debaters — posted their thoughts on this year’s season:
Ashley Thorpe: I like being on the debate team because it gives me confidence. I like to win because that tells me that all of our hard work is paying off. I also don”t mind when we lose because that tells me that we need to work harder.
Stephanie Hargrove: If we lose its ok because maybe we will win next time. Win or lose I’m still happy with the results as long as we give it our best.
Nicole Jones: I was scared when I joined the debate team. I felt like that because I didn’t know some of the words. I’m still trying to get used to the words. Now we are going to the the championships and we will win. I hope that I will get over my fear of speaking on stage.
Thank you, debaters, for your honesty and input.
Teacher Antonio Vastano, 25R, shared some thoughts on preparing for last year’s live debate while on the Staten Island ferry:
Haha. Last year I was helping them [the 25R Panthers] tuck shirts and tie neck ties on the boat. Our team captain, Samson Loriston, was one of several being groomed. That’s our best time to prep. They feel like a million bucks during that half hour.”
Here is an article from the Washington Post about for-profit prison lobbying.
A drone reveals the extent of damage in Nepal during the earthquake. Do you think these views could have been taken any other way?
(Youtube video, sorry)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFRPFMGptJE
And the new topic for Round 4/post-season is… Should private prisons be legal?
Ready…. Set…. Debate!
A radioactive drone landed on the home of the Japanese Prime Minister.
President Obama offered these words regarding the accidental drone strike in Pakistan that killed American hostage.
This news analysis by the BBC explains how drone strikes can go wrong.
http://www.bbc.com/news/32441853
A recent drone strike in Pakistan accidentally killed the hostages, not the terrorists. This Associate Press story explains how and why it can happen.
The “Flipped 3” Round begins next Tuesday, and we are still debating the pros and cons of drones- not only for military, but for recreational and commercial uses too. There are still many arguments to consider, but even as the teams are debating this issue, preparations are in motion for the post-season topic, which was announced yesterday.
This article from The Wall Street Journal (April 7, 2015) describes how a rancher from New Zealand uses a drone to herd the animals, among other things.
