It is the mark of an educated mind to entertain a thought without accepting it
Aristotle
The debating and public speaking programme at SCAS continues to be an important activity that engages and develops the key skills that we as a community value; creating young people who are socially and emotionally aware, with the intellectual agility to think critically and consider perspectives beyond their own.
On Friday, the SCAS Debating Team (Stage 3, 4 ,5 and 6) travelled to Coffs Harbour to compete against other Independent schools from the Northern Conference region (Bishop Druitt College, Emmanuel Anglican School and Clarence Valley Anglican School) in Round 3 and 4 of the Statewide independent School HICES Debating Competition.
The HICES competition is an enriching opportunity for our students to be involved in a comprehensive state-wide Independent School debating competition that facilitates access to a high standard of debating, as well as a significant platform for progression and achievement.
In Rounds 2 and 3 (which were held virtually) all of our SCAS teams, Junior (Year 5/6), Middle (Year 7/8), Senior (Year 9/10) and Open (Year 11/12) were successful in every one of their debates, an affirming achievement.
Travelling to Bishop Druitt on Friday for Rounds 3 and 4 was a wonderful opportunity for our students to engage with others from around the region who share their interest in debating in person. Beyond the rich debating experience, the opportunity for social connections and collegiality was particularly important.
In terms of the competition, SCAS had a successful day, with more wins than losses recorded in the 10 debates that took place.
Some of the debate topics which challenged our students included:
- Primary schools should provide lunch to all students
- Community service should replace all fines
- A child’s right to privacy outweighs a parent’s right to know their whereabouts
- Teachers should be paid more than politicians
- Smokers should be denied access to medicare
This year our Debating Squad has grown to include around 50 students, and the rounds of this competition have allowed many students to participate, not just the same 4 for each stage team. This speaks to the depth and growth of debating at SCAS.
Congratulations to all of the teams and students that competed in Rounds 3 and 4.
