Middle School Open League
The New York City Middle School Debate League is the largest middle school debate league in the nation. We have also built several other local and regional parliamentary debate leagues. We offer the nation’s two largest debate formats of public forum debate and parliamentary debate. Each month we host a parliamentary and a public forum debate tournament.
Saturday Debate Tournaments
The New York City Middle School Debate League offers online middle school debate tournaments every month to league member schools.There are three rounds of debate for each student. We hope to return live as soon as possible.
NYC Middle School Debate League – Public Forum and Parliamentary Debate Tournaments
Typical Tournament Schedule
8:00am – 9:00am – Registration
9:30–Round 1
11:15 – Round 2
1:30 — Round 3
3pm — Awards
Public Forum Debate Division
Public Forum Debate is one of our newest debate formats and now one of our largest debate formats in the NYC Middle School Debate League. Each month a topic is voted on by coaches across the country. Students devote a month to study, research and write on that topic. 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. The National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) Middle School National Championship includes the event of Public Forum Debate.
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.” The National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) Middle School National Championship includes the event of World Schools.
Upcoming Tournaments
*Tentative Schedule*
Past Tournaments
🏆#6 Championship Tournament April 1st-2nd
PF: Day 1: PS/MS 5, 564 Jackson Ave, Bronx, NY 10455 // Day 2: MS 104 Simon Baruch, 330 E. 21st St. New York, NY 10010
Topic: Resolved: New York City should substantially reallocate resources from police departments to social services.
Parli: MS 104 Simon Baruch, 330 E. 21st St. New York, NY 10010
Topic: All regular season topics are fair game!
____________________________________________________________________
#5 March 11th
Washington Heights Expeditionary Learning School, 511 W 182nd St, New York, NY 10033
PF: Topic: Resolved: The United States Federal Government should ban TikTok.
Parli: Topic: This House would implement climate reparations to developing countries impacted by climate change.
____________________________________________________________________
#4 February 4th (Online)
PF Topic: Resolved: The United States Federal Government should ban TikTok.
Parli Topic: This house would invest in nuclear power over other forms of renewable energy.
____________________________________________________________________
#3 January 7th (Online)
PF Topic: Resolved: New York City should substantially reallocate resources from police departments to social services.
Parli Topic: This House believes that social media companies should be held responsible for user content.
____________________________________________________________________
#2 December 3rd
PF: Hunter’s Point, 1-50 51st Ave, Long Island City, NY 11101
Topic: Resolved: New York City should substantially reallocate resources from police departments to social services.
Parli: JHS 104 Simon Baruch 330 E 21st St, New York, NY 10010
Topic: This House would defund the police.
____________________________________________________________________
#1 November 5th:
PF: In-Tech Academy, 2975 Tibbett Ave, Bronx, NY 10463
Topic: On balance, the benefits of providing voucher funding to students from low-income households outweigh the harms
Parli: PS 161, 499 W. 133rd St, NY, NY 10027
Topic: This House would provide voucher funding to students from low-income
____________________________________________________________________
October 15th Workshop:
PF/Parli: Lab Middle School, 333 W. 17th St, NY, NY 10011
households to attend private school.