Constitutional Debate
PRO Speech Writing 101
How to write your speech.
Voice
► Don’t
forget: The voice needs to be
appropriate for the topic and audience.
► The speech needs a persuasive effect.
► How do we do that?




That means formal writing style
No “I think” or “I feel” statements
Always support ideas with evidence
Do not use I, you, me, we, us (except in quotes
or at the call to action)
Introduction Paragraph
The Bread
I.A. Hook
► See
page 37 of the Writer’s Guide for
attention getters.
Examples:
New York Times journalist Mary Pilon quoted a Missouri
superintendent saying “the school board conducted a survey of
parents, and 72% said that a drug-testing program was
necessary.”
► New York Times journalist Mary Pilon’s research states, “As a 12year-old seventh grader, Glenn and Kathy Kiederer’s older daughter
wanted to play sports at Delaware Valley Middle School.She also
wanted to join the scrapbooking club. One day she took home a
permission slip. It said that to participate in the club or sport, she
would have to consent to drug testing.”
► More and more students are becoming attracted to substances that
are threatening their life, safety and future.
►
I.B. Background Info
► Does
your section on background
information cover the following:
 What is the issue?
 Who is involved in the issue
(stakeholders)?
 Why is this issue important?
I.B. Background Info
Example:
► In the last twenty years, there has been growing dispute
over the issue of student drug testing. There are school
administrators, teachers and parents supporting both
sides of the issue. Some believe that schools conducting
random drug testing will reduce the number of students
who abuse drugs. Opponents to random drug testing say
that drug testing violates fourth amendment privacy
rights of students. The outcome of this debate impacts all
schools in America.
I. C & D. Thesis and Subtopics
► This
is the focus of you paper, the main idea that
you are trying to persuade!
► See Position Statements (Pg. 3 of Debate
Guidelines)
► Your subtopics are #2 – 4 on your Research Web
I. C & D. Subtopics and
Yes
►
►
Thesis
Option 1: It is necessary for the
government to make laws on
gun ownership because it is
supported by the Second
Amendment of the Constitution,
America’s democratic ideals, and
a balance of stakeholders’
common good and individual
interests.
Option 2: Gun control is
supported by the Constitution.
Democratic ideals are upheld by
these laws. Also, stakeholders
value gun regulations because
they balance between common
good and individual rights. Gun
control restrictions are
constitutional and protect the
safety of this country.
►
►
No
Should the government have
the ability to control who owns
a gun?
Gun control is good.
Remember your two options:
• combining your subtopics
into the thesis
• stating the subtopics
individually and then ending
with a concise position
statement on the issue.
Conclusion Paragraph
The Bread
III A. Conclusion Restatement
of Thesis
Yes
►
►
Restated Thesis: It is essential
and beneficial for the
government to make laws on
gun ownership because it is
bolstered by the Second
Amendment of the
Constitution, America’s
democratic ideals, and
stakeholder interests.
Original: It is necessary for the
government to make laws on
gun ownership because it is
supported by the Second
Amendment of the
Constitution, America’s
democratic ideals, and
stakeholder interests.
►
►
No
Should the government be able
to decide who owns a gun?
Individual gun ownership is bad.
Remember that the ideas need to
be the same but the way you say
them different.
III C. Purpose of the Call to
Action
► Step
1: Decide if this needs to change or stay
the same (status quo)
► Change: Laws or school rules need to be more
strict in requiring drug testing.
 Action step that the audience can take to make this
change.
► Status
Quo: The laws or school rules are good
the way they are.
 Action step that the audience can take to make sure
the laws/ rules are protected and don’t get changed.
III C. Call to Action
Yes
►
As citizens, we have a
right to feel safe in our
communities knowing
that laws keep guns out
the hands of dangerous
people. You can protect
these gun control laws by
writing your congressmen
to show your support for
his work in keeping laws
like mandatory
background checks.
No
►
►
Vote to keep gun control.
Tell your friends the benefits
of gun control.
 Do you call people to act by
demanding change of the law
or do you encourage
authorities to maintain status
quo?
 Does this “call to action” give
specific action steps the
audience can do for change or
maintaining status quo?
 This is the only place it is ok to
address the audience as “we” or
“you” in your speech.
Check the type of quotes
► Look
at your quotes throughout your notes
sheets, because in your speech you will need:
 At least one court case (you’ll need to identify the
title of the court case)
 At least one statistic (a number based quote)
 At least one example (a situation that identifies the
impact/benefit of drug testing or whatever you’re
persuading)
► Mark
each box as CC, S, or E for the type of
info you have.
Body Paragraph 1
Constitutional Citations
The purpose of Constitutions
Citations
► The
whole point of this paragraph is to prove
that experts (judges, lawyers, scholars) believe
your position on the issue. Possible evidence:
 Quotes from an expert (university professor)
 Quotes from a judge from majority or dissent
statement
 Court decision in favor of your position
Yes
►
A. Constitution Topic
Sentence
To begin, the Fourth
Amendment of the Constitution
allows the right of schools to
conduct student drug tests.
►
►
►
No
The nation was founded on the
Constitution and it should be
followed today.
Drug testing is supported by the
Fourth Amendment. (Not
specific enough. Who is being
tested?)
In this paragraph you will learn
about how the fourth
amendment supports school
drug testing. (Avoid addressing
the audience, keep the focus on
the topic.)
• Does this clearly connect the subtopic (constitutional support) to
the thesis/position of the paper (school right to conduct student drug
testing)?
• Transitional phrase?
A. Constitution Quote
Set-Up
Yes
No
►
The language of the Fourth
Amendment says "The right of
the people to be secure in their
persons, houses, papers, and
effects, against unreasonable
searches and seizures, shall not
be violated…” An Oklahoma
teenager, Lindsey Earls believed
this right was being violated by
her school’s drug testing policy
and brought the issue to trial.
However the Supreme Court
ultimately ruled in favor of the
school district in the case Board
of Education v. Earls.
►
Nothing between topic sentence
and the quote.
►
Don’t you think preventing drug
teenager drug use is important?
(Doesn’t introduce the
amendment in dispute or give
context on the court case)
• Do I identify the specific part of the
constitution that my expert will
reference in the quote?
•Do I give context about the situation
that resulted in the court case or
judge’s response?
B. Constitution Quote
Yes
►
►
No
A direct quote of the 4th
Amendment. (You need an expert
saying what the 4th Amendment
means legally)
Donna Leinwand quotes Principal
Chris Steffner saying, ‘It works in
the workplace and in the miltary.
Why wouldn’t it work in schools?’”
(Quote not from a legal expert)
Linda Greenhouse states, “In
his [majority] opinion, Justice
Thomas said the Tecumseh
program was ‘entirely
►
reasonable’ in light of the
‘nationwide epidemic of drug
use’ among school-age
children. While the Tecumseh
district did not now appear to
have a serious problem, he
said, ‘it would make little sense
to require a school district to
wait for a substantial portion of
• Is my quote from a court case or an expert (judge,
its students to begin using
drugs before it was allowed to lawyer, law professor) who is interpreting the meaning
institute a drug testing program of the amendment?
• Did I use a quote verb phrase?
designed to deter drug use.’”
C. Constitution Analysis
Yes
►
This proves that the fourth
amendment’s right to be
protected from an unreasonable
search was not being violated
because the Supreme Court
decided the nationwide drug
epidemic was a probable cause
to use drug tests in preventing
and deterring drug use. The
court made this decision because
schools have a responsibility to
keep the students safe and
shouldn’t have to wait until a
drug problem gets too out of
control before they try to deter
drug use.
►
►
No
This proves that drug testing is
good.
This proves that the drug
testing was found constitutional
because the Supreme Court said
it was.
 Does this explain the
connection between my quote
and thesis and more
specifically, the meaning of the
constitution?
 Did I use an analysis verb
phrase?
Yes
► In
2 G. Constitution
Conclusion
summary, schools
using random drug
testing in order to
reduce drug use in the
school population is
not an unreasonable
search as defined by
the fourth amendment.
No
► Don’t you see how
important drug testing
is?
 Does this conclusion clearly
state how the subtopic
(constitutional
interpretation) supports your
thesis?
 Did I use a summarizing
transition?
Body Paragraph 2
Democratic Ideals
A. Democratic Ideal Topic
Sentence
Yes
►
Equally important, the right for
schools to use random drug
testing programs is supported
by the democratic ideal of
liberty.
OR
►
In addition, the democratic ideal
of liberty supports schools
having the right to give students
random drug tests.
►
►
No
Don’t you like to have freedom?
(No questions. Also too vague)
You will now learn why our
democratic ideals support drug
testing. (Too vague--which
democratic ideal? Also too
informal)
•Does this establish a position or restate your thesis? (Pro= schools
should have the right to give students drug tests randomly or for
extracurricular activities)
•Does this tell you that democratic ideals support your position on
drug testing?
•Is there a transitional phrase to emphasize new point?
Yes
►
A. Democratic Ideal
Quote Set-Up
No
Liberty is the freedom to
make decisions and
choices. Some people say
testing students for drugs
limits their ability to make
their own choices.
However, this is untrue.
►
►
Nothing between topic
sentence and the quote.
Democratic ideals are
important and I’m going to
tell you why they support
schools having drug tests.
(This is too vague and
informal)
• Do I identify a democratic ideal?
• Do I define the meaning/value of
the democratic ideal in the context of
the topic?
B. Democratic Ideal Quote
Yes
►
Amy Moore states, “The
Institute of Education Sciences’
student drug testing study
found that drug-testing policies
have not reduced the number of
students participating in
extracurricular activities as a
means to avoid testing.”
No
According to Tamara Roleff,
“District officials held a parent ‘input
night’ to discuss the proposed
student athlete drug policy, and the
parents in attendance gave their
unanimous approval.” (Yes,
parents had the liberty to decide,
but there are better examples of
liberty out there)
► Donna Leinwand claims “The Bush
Administration was a key player in
expanding drug testing. The White
House asked Congress to boost
federal grants for testing programs
by 45%.” (Off topic for “liberty”)
►
• Will my selected quote connect the identified democratic ideal (life)?
• Did I use a quote verb phrase?
C. Democratic Ideal
Analysis
Yes
This illustrates that students’ liberty
hasn’t been limited because
students are still making the choice
to participate in sports and
activities that they enjoy. If
anything, the drug test gives
students the freedom to say no to
drugs in order to be a part of
healthy activities.
OR:
► This illustrates that if students are
still making the choice to
participate in sports and activities
they enjoy, then they are
experiencing liberty because they
aren’t discouraged from the activity
due to the fear of a drug test.
►
►
►
No
This illustrates that students
have liberty. (Doesn’t analyze
anything)
This illustrates that students
have liberty because the
number of students participating
isn’t reduced. (Too vague)
• Does my analysis mention the
specific democratic ideal (liberty)
and explain the meaning of the
democratic ideal in the context
of the quote?
• Did I use an analysis verb
phrase?
Yes
►
G. Democratic Ideal
Conclusion
In short, the democratic
ideal of liberty is not
violated by schools when
they require mandatory
student drug testing, in
contrast, drug testing
expands students liberty
to make positive and
healthy choices.
►
No
Now, don’t you think
students should be tested
for drugs? (Don’t end the
conclusion with a
question.)
 Does this conclusion clearly
bring it back to position
supported by the democratic
ideal? (Pro= schools should
have the right to give
students drug tests randomly
or for extracurricular
activities)
 Does it include a concluding
transitional phrase?
Body Paragraph 3
Individual Right v. Common Good
A. Ind. Rt./Common Good
Topic Sentence
Yes
Furthermore, mandatory
►
student drug testing is
valued because they
benefit both the common
good and the individual.
OR (if you only express common
good)
►
Furthermore, most people
believe in schools’
mandatory drug testing
programs because the
common good outweighs
the individual rights of a
student.
►
No
Drug testing is acceptable
because people are safer
with them. (Doesn’t
mention common good or
individual right)
•Does this establish a
position/restate your thesis? (Pro=
schools should have the right to
give students drug tests randomly
or for extracurricular activities)
• Does this explain if you are
proving the common good or
individual right or a balance of
both?
•Transitional phrase to emphasize
new point?
B. Ind. Rt./Common Good
Quote
Set-Up
Yes
►
Within this conflict between
individuals and the common good,
administrators and school district
leaders have decided they need to
do what is best for their student
body. This requires limiting
individual student right to refuse
drug testing in order to do what’s
best for the common good of the
student population as a whole.
There is plenty of data to prove the
common good benefits of these
student drug tests.
►
No
Drug testing helps students.
(Too vague, no definitions of
common good or individual
right)
•Do I communicate the stakeholders
reason (either it benefits the common
good or promotes individual right or
balances both)?
•Do I define the common good and/or
individual right?
•Do I give context for the quote?
C. Ind. Rt./Common Good
Quote
Yes
►
John Walters claims, “Since
2002, when the Supreme Court
ruled random school drug
testing constitutional, more
schools have adopted the
practice which has resulted in
23% fewer students using illegal
drugs, that’s 840,000 fewer
than 2001.”
• Did I use a quote that shows
how the common good and
individual right is balanced by
student drug tests?
• Did I use a quote verb phrase?
No
Mary Pilon claims, “Olympic athletes
must submit urine samples to prove
they are not doping. The same is
true for Tour de France cyclists,
N.F.L. players, college athletes and
even some high school athletes.”
(Too neutral)
► “It is difficult to gauge how many
middle schools conduct drug tests
on students.” (Too vague)
► “Some coaches, teachers, and
school administrators said drugtesting programs served as a
deterrent for middle school students
encountering drugs of all kinds.”
(Too vague, find a court case,
statistic, or anecdote)
►
D. Ind. Rt./Common Good
Analysis
Yes
►
This demonstrates that if
students are given random
drug tests, then they are less
likely to use drugs. Because of
this very small limitation on
students’ individual right to
privacy, the common good
benefits as a result of the 23%
fewer students using illegal
drugs. The student body
benefits because all students
get a learning environment
that is more safe, happy and
productive when there are
fewer students on drugs.
►
No
This proves drug testing is a
common good because fewer
students use drugs. (Doesn’t
explain benefit to the common
good.)
• Does my analysis mention the
specific stakeholder and explain
the benefit that is identified in the
quote?
• Did I use an analysis verb
phrase?
E. Ind. Rt./Common Good
Conclusion
Yes
►
Consequently, student drug
testing benefits the common
good and individuals alike.
No
►
Now, don’t you think we
should have student drug
testing? (No questions)
►
In conclusion, drug testing is
good. (Too vague)
OR (Common Good only)
►
Consequently, student drug
testing creates a common good
for school student bodies by
establishing a healthy place to
learn.
 Does this conclusion clearly
restate how the common
good and/or individual right
supports your position?
 Does it include a
summarizing transitional
phrase?