KC Public Schools alumni to debate their district's future
Barb ShellyLaToya Williams-Green and Ryan Wash were competitors in high school. She debated for Lincoln College Prep; he was a standout on Central High’s team.
Both enrolled in Emporia State University and there they teamed up. They are Emporia’s first African-American debate duo, and, as seniors, are regarded as one of the best policy debate teams in the nation.
On Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at UMKC’s Royall Hall, Williams-Green and Wash will join with another standout debater, Marcus Leach, in a public debate about their own school district.
“Competing Futures: a debate over Kansas City Schools” will feature Williams-Green, Wash and Leach debating the pros and cons of three options that have been put forth for the school district: mayoral control, a state takeover and continued oversight by an elected school board.
This event, free and open to the public, is being co-sponsored by The Kansas City Star’s editorial board and Debate-Kansas City. Debate-KC is an urban debate league affiliated with the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Over the years, it has been an invaluable asset to bright high school students and to teachers looking for a way to engage them.
More about the debaters: Williams-Green and Wash are known in collegiate debate circles as “Emporia WW.” Both are seniors coming off of strong performances at marquee debates at Harvard and Wake Forest Universities and are credited with placing Emporia State among the top 16 debate teams in the nation. Here’s a more detailed account from the university.
Leach, also a debate champion at Central High School, graduated last year from Howard University School of Law and is currently attending graduate school at UMKC and volunteering for the campaign team for Democratic Rep. Jason Kander, who is running for Missouri secretary of state. Leach is a lead character in Cross-X, writer Joe Miller’s account of a season with Central High’s debate team.
Williams-Green, Wash and Leach are Kansas City School District graduates who have defied the district’s high dropout rate and chaotic history and become extraordinarily successful. It will be fascinating to listen to what they have to say about the past, present and future of their own school district.
Royall Hall is located at 52nd Street and Rockhill Road. The debate will take place in Room 111.
Google+
Share
Tweet
Chuck Close
3 weeks, 5 days agoThanks, Barb. Community awareness of a function regarding this virtual death bed issue of universal metro importance and interest is helpful….maybe essential.
I genuinely look forward to a recap of the exchanges of ideas, hopes and wishes of vital, articulate, young, fully engaged and concerned citizens.
One would surmise that their conclusions and recommendations would be better followed than the wasteful, misguided efforts of the past quarter century.