Resolved: High school Public Forum Debate resolutions should not confront sensitive religious issues.
Most are familiar with the Jeffersonian notion of a “wall of separation” between church and state. But should a similar wall exist between religion and high school debate? Students are asked to discuss this question as they debate issues involving religious freedom and toleration and the role of religion in the public square. Especially timely given the recent controversy over the “Ground-Zero Mosque,” this resolution forces students to think critically about how policies ought to deal with religion, tracing out implications for their own involvement in high school debate.