Photo: Dr, Kevin Kuswa explaining the finer points of the Milliken decision to students in a small group meeting

 

Posted by: Alfred Snider

 

Students for two college debate programs, the National College Policy Debate Workshop and the NFA-LD Debate Workshop. Students arrived on Friday and moved into their dormitory. On Saturday morning there was a welcome, an introduction of faculty, an assessment test, informal assessment meetings, and then a lunch break.

 

After the lunch break the Policy students saw two topic background lectures, one delivered on the subject of the procedure through which the Supreme Court overrules decisions (the topic is that the Supreme Court should overrule one or more decisions: Milliken [school desgregation], Casey [abortion], Quirin [national security detention] or Morrison [federalism doctrine]) by John Meany of Claremont and the other on the specific Milliken case, delivered by Kevin Kuswa of Richmond.  

 

After dinner students met for an hour in small groups to discuss the lectures for an hour before they moved off on  their own with some hefty background reading assignments to do.

 

Sunday morning was free, and the day was beautiful, so people were out and about. At 1:30 PM Policy students met once again in small groups to begin mapping out arguments for and against Milliken. At 2:30 PM Sarah Snider of Kansas State University gave her lecture on the Casey decision that concerns abortion rights. This will be followed by Chris Langone giving back-to-back lectures on the Morrison and Quirin decisions.

 

Sunday after dinner is free time, and they should probably use it because the schedule for the week looks strenuous to say the least. However, the tough job of introducing many complex legal issues and explaining four major cases has been accomplished.

 

Monday is topicality day.