McCallie School’s top debate team of John Arnold and Austen Smith (Calhoun, Tenn.), both juniors, are the first McCallie students to ever qualify for the National Debate Tournament.
Arnold and Smith placed second March 6 at the National Forensic League’s National Qualifying State Tournament in Nashville with a 5-1 record in Public Forum. The top two teams from each state advance to the nationals, which will be held June 15-18 in Kansas City, Mo.
The topic for debate at the state tournament was whether or not it is justified to use affirmative action to promote equal opportunity in the United States.
The team of sophomores Daniel Caballero (Lookout Mountain) and Christian Talley (Riverview) was 4-2 in the tournament place third and will serve as an alternate for nationals.
Also competing for McCallie included the teams of Vishnu Chander/Carter Ward and John Giltner/Charlie Wedding.