About
Each month we host a tournament for middle and high schools registered in our Open League, which includes 3-4 rounds of debate for each student. A guest speaker and award ceremony concludes the day where top debate teams, speakers, and schools are recognized. Each student receives ballots and feedback from their rounds.
Public Forum Debate Division
Public Forum Debate is one of our newest debate formats and now one of our largest debate formats in the NYCUDL. Topics are designed by our staff with specifically our debaters in mind. Students devote a month to study, research and write on that topic using our NYCUDL curriculum. The focus is more on persuading your audience – rather than the heavy evidence focus of policy debate. Public Forum Debate is also unique in that it was founded to be easily accessible for the “public” so that any one can serve as a “citizen judge” and any student can be a debater.
Parliamentary Debate
Parliamentary Debate is the largest and most popular debate format in the world as well as at the American collegiate level. Students learn more debate topics than any other debate format and unlike other debate formats – topics are determined by teachers and students. Parliamentary emphasizes extemporaneous and impromptu debate skills with limited preparation times and having to “think on your feet.” Because of this, each Open League tournament also includes and extemporaneous topic announced the day of the tournament that students must prepare for with limited prep time.
Tournaments
2024-2025 Open League Season
| 10/19/2024 | Falling for Debate Workshop | WHEELS |
| 11/16/2024 | Tournament #1 | Midwood High School |
| 12/7/2024 | Tournament #2 (MS) | Corona Arts & Sciences Academy |
| 12/14/2024 | Tournament #2 (HS) | University Heights High School |
| 1/11/2025 | Tournament #3 | Online |
| 2/8/2025 | Tournament #4 | Online |
| 3/1/2025 | Tournament #5 | In-Tech Academy |
| 4/5/2025 | Championships | PS MS 5 |
Topics
| Month/Division | Topic |
| Oct/Nov: League PF | Resolved: The United States should abolish cash bail. |
| Nov: National PF | Resolved: The United States should substantially reduce its military support of Taiwan. |
| Nov: Parli | This House would abolish cash bail in the United States. |
| Dec/Jan: League PF | Resolved: Civil disobedience should be the primary method to advocate for social change. |
| Dec: National PF | Resolved: The United States should substantially reduce its military support of Taiwan. |
| Dec: Parli | This House believes civil disobedience should be the primary method to advocate for social change. |
| Jan: National PF | TBA |
| Jan: National Parli | TBA |