Debating final lineup complete

Four schools through to Donald Dewar Tournament final in Scottish Parliament

News, 17 March 2008

The four school teams who will contest the national final of the Donald Dewar Memorial Debating Tournament have now been announced, with confirmation of the final two to qualify.

Lauren Pringle and Scott Ralston, of The High School of Dundee, and Paul Livingston and Sally McKeeve, representing Mearns Castle High in Newton Mearns, will battle it out with the teams from Douglas Academy, Milngavie, and Robert Gordon's College, Aberdeen at the Scottish Parliament on 12 June.

Sponsored by the Law Society of Scotland, the competition, now the biggest schools’ debating tournament in Scotland and celebrating its 10th anniversary, is this year being partnered by the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Collette Paterson, New Lawyers’ Coordinator at the Law Society of Scotland, said: "We are delighted to be partnered by the Commission this year. They have helped us devise motions which have encouraged the teams to learn more about the country we live in today and to debate highly topical and important issues based on equality, diversity, discrimination, and human rights.

"Topics from this year’s regional finals included banning worship in schools, bullying, removing benefits from those who refuse to work, and curtailing individual rights in the interest of national security."

Ms Paterson said there had been some very impressive performances during the tournament, and each of the 16 teams who made it to the regional finals was to be congratulated.

"There are some difficult decisions to be made at this stage of the tournament, but the winning teams showed their true debating colours. They were given the motion just an hour before the competition and all four are very deserving finalists."