The Senior House Debating final took place in the Lecture Theatre at King’s College, with Taylor and Middlemore House emerging as finalists.
Both with strong teams, the dispute was: “This House believes the possession of drugs for personal use should not be a crime”.
Taylor put on a strong case based on the notion that drug abusers need help and treatment, not punishment. They used Portugal as an example, where the possession of drugs has been decriminalised and the outcome from it has been positive.
Middlemore countered by asserting that hard drug users are a danger to themselves and to society, with punishment being needed as a deterrent and a means of protection for society.
External adjudicator Lucy Harrison from Auckland Schools of Debating came along to help judge. It was neck and neck, but by the end, Harrison was more convinced that the status quo was a more effective way of protecting society and drug abusers, and awarded the debate to Middlemore, who retain the title they won in 2015.
Murray Bean Teacher in Charge of Debating, said both teams did extremely well.
“It was a close debate, very enjoyable, and conducted in an excellent spirit.”
Taylor House team: Emily Danesh-Meyer, Juliette Danesh-Meyer, Geneva Roy.
Middlemore House team: Kate Prebble, Kate Gatfield-Jeffries, Rita Shasha.
