This ongoing course is designed as a year long series to engage deep thinking on critical issues while developing debate skills and argumentation strategies. Learners can choose to spend one week or an entire month exploring the specific current event topic.

Each week of the course will engage learners in a series of debates on that month's issue. Each week the format of the debate will be different. It is important to note that this class does not build upon previous classes, you can join in at any time and expect to be engaged in the topic right away. 

Week 1 - Introduction to debate topic and cross examination debates
Week 2 - Team debates
Week 3 - Lincoln-Douglas debates
Week 4  - Public policy debates

The topical issues by month are as follows:

January - Healthcare
February - The Black Lives Matters Movement
March - Gender discrimination in society
April - Global Warming 
May - International trade 
June - Technology in society
July - Immigration
August - Summer break, no class
September - The Right to Bear Arms
October - Freedom of Expression
November - Separation of Powers
December - The United Nations

Learners will be assigned different positions requiring them to consider all perspectives and positions in order to both learn how to argue from various positions as well as to consider all points of views on the subject. The goal of each class is that learners will have an expanded understanding on the dedicated monthly issue and will have strengthened their ability to view and engage in strong argumentation involving strong ethical sources and logic as well as learning how to connect with their audience (ethos, logos and pathos).