Thanks for all the emails to suggest topics. This week's winning topic is one I would not have thought of on my own. It's the sort of topic you probably won't see at tournaments, but is related to schooling. Should slow songs be banned at school dances?

Pro/Yes
* Social Event. A synonym for "school dance" is a "school social." Students go to dances primarily to see many people, not just one. If people are looking to have a date, they can do that any evening by going to a restaurant or going to a movie together.
* Awkwardness. It will be less awkward by removing the coupling that happens when a slow song comes over the airwaves. To speak frankly, this policy would get rid of the boring music. That boring music is the slow songs. People want to go to a school dance to have fun, not yawn.
* Promotes Morality. If part of the goal is to promote morality, it's much easier to take away the music that causes bumping and grinding than to have teachers ask students to stop holding one another. Fast songs will not see the sort of groping that may happen with slow dancing.

Con/No
* Out of Touch. This policy is out of touch with reality. While students outside of school are doing more than slow dancing, why hold them to an unrealistic standard that slow dances are immoral? Besides, at the high school level, most students bring dates to school dances.
* Against Tradition. This amoral policy is against tradition. Slow songs have been a staple of school dances since the dawn of school dances. To remove them is to create raves. Is that the environment the proposition wants? Are neon sticks the way of the future for school dances?
* Whose Morality? This is entirely too subjective. Whose morality does this promote, Elmore City?(1) I want those slow songs. People need breaks from the fast music. Slow dancing is a rite of passage that should not be passed up.

I hope you enjoyed this lighter topic. I'll pick a harder topic for next week.

Special Note: If you have a debate event planned at your school or would like to host an event before the end of 2008, please email me the details for an upcoming column to list upcoming events. It's a free ad.

Roger Hatridge coaches debate at Leaders Academy and can be reached at Hatridge@gmail.com.

(1) target=new>http://www.usacitiesonline.com/okcountyelmorecityhev.htm