[GFCA] The By-Laws

[Sean Hiland]

I have of couple of concerns

1) Allowing students to use the internet during rounds does provide a disadvantage to students w/o computers. It also lends to confusion about when said research would be done. Could it be done after round to justify statements made without evidence? This could be problematic in that it could lead to long delays in finishing rounds as competitors frantically search for evidence they never had. At the last tournament we competed in, students even took a judge back to their teams table in the cafeteria to show him evidence. When is the cutoff for evidence research? This could get out of hand.

2) Am I missing something? Why would the partners need to communicate electronically with each other? texting? How does anyone know whether they're texting each other or a coach, parent, or a team member in another room?

3) As far Jenny's comment about people downloading something they forgot - most debaters come prepared and I have no sympathy for debaters who do not. Consider it a lesson in responsibility. This also comes back to my previous comment. If evidence is produced post-round then your opponent's lose the opportunity to challenge your evidence by requesting to see it in context.

4) This last comment refers to something said previously about to which tournament(s) the bylaws apply. Even if the bylaws are not binding on all tournaments, we need to recognize that they are still looked to as a guiding principles by some tournament directors. My team lost a ruling at the last tournament under the justification that something was not prohibited by the GFCA bylaws.

Sean Hiland
St. Pius X

-----Original Message-----
From: thegfca-bounces at lists.gradyspeaks.org [mailto:thegfca-bounces at lists.gradyspeaks.org] On Behalf Of Berthiaume, Maggie
Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 2010 11:05 AM
To: Spiegel, Jeremy J; thegfca at lists.gradyspeaks.org
Subject: Re: [GFCA] The By-Laws

It seems like that is clearly no - then coaches would be doing work
during the debate.  That's why I think it's best to say no internet but
yes communicating between the two members of the team, at least at this
point.

Maggie

-----Original Message-----
From: thegfca-bounces at lists.gradyspeaks.org
[mailto:thegfca-bounces at lists.gradyspeaks.org] On Behalf Of Spiegel,
Jeremy J
Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 2010 11:00 AM
To: thegfca at lists.gradyspeaks.org
Subject: Re: [GFCA] The By-Laws

I agree with Jenny, but have one question:  What if a coach works on a
file during the 1ac and posts it to the teams' server.  Is it ok to use
it?

-----Original Message-----
From: thegfca-bounces at lists.gradyspeaks.org
[mailto:thegfca-bounces at lists.gradyspeaks.org] On Behalf Of Jenny Heidt
Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 2010 10:56 AM
To: Berthiaume, Maggie; Jeffrey Miller; thegfca at lists.gradyspeaks.org
Subject: Re: [GFCA] The By-Laws

I agree with both of Maggie's suggestions but also think that students
should be allowed to research in debates.  2 important examples re: why
this should be the case:

1) A few years ago where there was some very surprising aff T
evidence--a search during the debate revealed that it was fabricated.

2) A politics DA was read that had passed.  The aff found one card
saying "it passed."  The judge did not know either way so that was
critical and prevented what would have been a fairly dumb debate from
occurring.

If a position is so bad that it can be beaten with a card or two found
during prep time, why not?

Also, we have our files on email and a server.  If someone forgot to
download something, why couldn't they access it?

So, I think that the rule should exclude electronic communication
between anyone besides the partner but not otherwise limit internet
access.

Jenny



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