Within the perimeters of Griffith High School, there are many students arguing in the hallways of the building. So, why not have a club after school for students to learn more about arguments, in an instructional environment?

A debate team could fit this role. A debate team is a group of students who compete in differentiating events “like a swim team… but more aligned with speech and debate.” said Jeffrey Swisher, high school social studies teacher. Research conducted in March 2024, by Melissa Kay Diliberti and Stephani L. Wrabel said, “25 percent of rural high schools offered debate teams, compared with 44 percent of urban high schools and 49 percent of suburban high schools” (rand.org). Griffith is not one of those schools.

Instead, Griffith High School offers a Mock Trial Team, led by Swisher. Mock Trial is different from a debate team though, seeing students pretend to be lawyers and witnesses to win a case. Students who are interested in Debate should give Mock Trial a chance.

But for those who are less interested in acting, starting a debate team would be a challenge since some schools have it as a class and run it year-round, along with having more teachers than just one or two, to run the club.

All in all, if students at the G want a Debate Club, they’ll have to argue for it.