URDU hosts guest speakers to prepare for supporting high school debate programs in the City of Rochester

This week UR Debate hosted three excellent speakers who shared their wisdom on debate, education history, and leadership. These speakers were invited for their expertise in these areas as guest speakers for the History of High School Debate community engaged learning course being taught this semester. Students are working to establish and support debate teams at several high schools in the City of Rochester, NY (our fair city!)

First, Jillian Marty, Director of Debate at Riverdale Country School in the Bronx, spoke about best coaching practices and how to organize effective team leadership. As the coach of a national championship-winning team, Jillian had a lot of great wisdom to share about debate, leadership, and how to be an effective – and supportive – coach.

Next to give a guest lecture was Justin Murphy, Democrat and Chronicle reporter and author of Your Children are Very Greatly in Danger: School Segregation in Rochester, NY. Justin gave us some excellent insight into the history of racial discrimination and segregation in Rochester City Schools. His visit provided some firm grounding in the broader contexts that inform the organization and politics of Rochester’s school system today.

Most recently the class heard from Dr. Shanara Reid-Brinkley, Co-Director of Debate at Cal State-Fullerton, and one of the most significant thinkers in the activity of debate today. Dr. Reid-Brinkley shared her extensive knowledge of high school debate in marginalized communities – including her own experience as a high school debater. This first-person account of being a debater and a coach helped us to better understand how we can best approach bringing debate to City of Rochester students.

Now that this set of speakers has come through, we continue our visits to Rochester City high school classes! More updates to come soon!