“2018-19 FLAG CBYX High School Re-Entry Event” by Bureau of Educational & Cultural Affairs is licensed under CC0 1.0
Inclusive and productive dialogue within our community has become increasingly necessary as of late, and so too have civics and debate skills become increasingly necessary for our youth.
Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran have announced that 60 schools in 28 districts across the state will launch the Florida Civics and Debate Initiative (FCDI). The program’s $5 million in funding came back in January from the Marcus Foundation. Gov. DeSantis said the initiative would be undertaken in order to “to elevate civic knowledge, civic skills and civic disposition for middle and high school students through speech and debate.”
The FCDI aims to give thousands of Florida students access to fundamental knowledge about our U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights while also instilling confidence in our students’ academic successes. Using debate simulation will allow students to learn important real-world constitutional, legal and societal issues and conduct critical analyses of both sides. It is hoped that the program will be available to all Florida schools by 2023, and if successful, help foster generations of community members who have been equipped with the civics, speech, and debate skills essential for effective communication in our society.
If you’d like to view the list of 60 schools participating in the preliminary phase of the FCDI, you can click here.
See you on the trail,
Lisa
LMA Newsletter of 6-22-20
