April 4, 2022 (OPB, “Think Out Loud”) – If there’s one thing Americans can agree on, it’s that the country is sharply divided. But supporters of debate teams in public schools say the activity could actually increase the chances of opposing sides working together. The Portland Urban Debate League wants to make sure that students at every public high school have a chance to learn debate skills and compete. Mallory Copeland is the interim executive director of the League. Lesly Valdivia-Marquez is a senior at McDaniel High School and a competitive debater. She and Copeland join us to tell us more about what they love about debate, and why they think it should be available at every high school.
