These are speeches from last year
'Every pupil should have access during the school day to an outside counsellor, who they can speak to with complete confidentiality'.
Proposed by Mark Mitten, Regent House Grammar
Seconder: Robyn Acheson , Regent House Grammar
Opposed by Bronagh McKenna, St. Louise's Comprehensive College
Seconder: Bronagh McCann, St. Louise's Comprehensive College
Proposing - Mark Mitten
- An outside agency with good training can help pupils with a wide range of problems
- Counsellor are needed in every school
- Drugs are a very sensitive matter
- The students need an easy access to counsellors during the school day
- Confidentiality will encourage the pupils to speak to the counsellors
- One should resolve problems at early stages before it gets out of hand
- Counsellors create safe and secure environment
- It is important that the rest of the school does not find out about the pupil's problem
- The only way to keep the students away from drugs through trained and sensitive outside counsellors
- No appointment should be required at any time
Seconding - Robyn Acheson
- Every pupil has sensitive problems
- They have a need to speak to someone
- There is pressure from all sides
- Teenagers are afraid to say 'no', counsellors help with this aspect
- They build the confidence and self-esteem
- Talking to someone makes their awkward years of their life a bit easier
Opposing - Bronagh McKenna
- This confidential approach violates parental rights
- Parents have to be informed
- Parent can seek help themselves
- Young person has a better chance of fighting the drug problem with the support of the family
- Counsellor and parent should work together
- The school should know about pupils taking drugs
- Some pupils taking drugs might be also supplying drugs
- The welfare of all pupils is in danger
- Counsellors yes but not complete confidentiality
Seconding - Bronagh McCann
- This confidential approach violates the rights of teachers
- Drugs destroy people's lives and lead to crime
- The counsellor should pass on the names of drug suppliers to the police
- Not cost-effective way of dealing wit the problem
'Any pupil experimenting with drugs/alcohol in school or when participating in a school activity should be expelled'.
Proposed by Andrew McNeil, Regent House Grammar
Seconder: Adam Henderson, Regent House Grammar
Opposed by Jenny Jackson, Wellington College, Belfast
Seconder: David Bonner, Wellington College, Belfast
Proposer - Andrew Mc Neill
- Many problems in schools are caused by the drugs
- The pupils taking drugs create bad reputation for the schools
- They are bad for good relationships wit the local community
- Gentle dealing with such pupils won't work
- Suspension is pointless
- Such pupils will cause problems if not dealt with severely
- They will hinder the progress of the rest of the students
- They will be disruptive
- They will have a bad influence on the rest of the pupils
Seconder - Adam Henderson
- Would one want his /her child to sit beside a drug addict in school?
- Parents of fellow pupils will withdraw their children from school
- There is a need to set an example - discouraging the rest
Opposer - Jenny Jackson
- Expulsion adds more problems to a life of a pupils who already has many problems
- Counselling provision is necessary
- Expulsion stops the pupil from education
- It pushes a person over the edge and can have terrible consequences
- There won't be any barriers for a pupil if expelled
- School should be addressing the problem instead of passing in on to someone else
Seconder - Daivid Bonner
'Ex-addicts should be included as part of school's drugs education programme'.
Proposed by Alison Quinn , Friends' School, Lisburn- Proposer
Seconder: Ruth Kearney , Friends' School Lisburn
Opposed by Sarah Wilson, Regent House Grammar
Seconder: Ashley McFeeters, Regent House Grammar
Proposer - Alison Quinn
- The ex-addicts know what they talk about
- They can explain how they got into drugs
- Some teachers feel embarrassed talking about drugs-related issues
- Children know that Geography Teacher is not an expert on drugs and alcohol
- The information the teachers give comes from the ex-addicts anyway
Seconding - Ruth Kearney
- Teachers have not sufficient expertise
Opposer - Sarah Wilson
- Different children can receive a mixture of different messages
- Ex-addicts are self promoters capitalising on his drugs experience for admiration or profit
- It makes the pupils believe that it is easy to get off drugs as it is to get addicted
- 'There is a little risk in trying drugs' - potential lesson
- It is confusing for the minds of the children
- It presents drug as cool product
'Drugs Education should be carried out by outside agencies and not by teachers.'
Proposed by Keeva Wilson, St.Louise's Comprehensive College
Seconder: Claire McMahon, St.Louise's Comprehensive College
Opposed by Ciar McAndrew ,Friends'School, Lisburn
Seconder: Niamh McConnell ,Friends' School, Lisburn
Proposer - Keeva Wilson
- Outside agencies have greater experience dealing with all aspects of drugs education
- They have a professional and detailed knowledge
- They speak from their professional experience
- They deliver better explanations
- They have better expertise in delivering drug education
- Teachers have not enough time to deal with the problem
- Pupils do not want to discuss drugs issues with their teachers
- It is too serious issue to be conducted on informal basis by teachers
Seconder - Claire McMahon
- The ex-addicts have the knowledge, experience and expertise
- They deliver coherent drug education
- They speak from first hand experience
- They present case studies
- They deal with families' problems
- Teachers do not have sufficient level of experience
- More realistic advice comes from experts
Opposer - Ciar McAndrew
- The pupils already know their teachers and that's a good factor
- Talking to teachers makes them feel comfortable
- Outside agencies are impersonal
- It is hard for the students to identify themselves with what the speaker is saying
Seconding - Niemh McConnell
- Teacher have authority and respect
- Outside agencies have no control over the pupils
- Things could get out of hand
- With teachers there is a more comfortable atmosphere
- It could be beneficial to the students if teachers pass on relevant information to the parents
- 'One to one session' with the teacher could be appropriate
'Smoking should be made illegal in public places in N.Ireland.'
Proposed by Victoria McMaster, Wellington College, Belfast
Seconder: Trevor Tate, Wellington College, Belfast
Opposed by Gareth Craig, Independen Councillor
Seconder: Martin Larmoer , Independent Councillor
Proposer -Victoria Mc Master
- Many people loose their lives as a result of inhaling other people's cigarette - 7 a day in the UK
- Bar employees are particularly concerned by this issue
- 'Prevention better than cure' - this applies to smoking
- The government supports the ban
- The smokers endanger the lives of non-smokers
- 13 Million smokers in the UK at the moment who are able to smoke in public places
- Everyone of us could be potentially subjected to the passive smoking
- More education should be delivered for young people with regard to smoking
- Parental role in prevention is also crucial
- Schools' role in prevention (effective PSHE classes) should not be underestimated
- Provoking adds against smoking should be applied
- Penalties for smoking in public places should be endorsed
- Norway and Republic of Ireland have already banned smoking in public places
- The ban in the Republic is working effectively
- Smoking puts strain on NHS
- The money spent on dealing with smoking could be spent more effectively on other treatments
Seconder - Trevor Tate
- It will save 100 000 lives a year
- Many other countries will follow the Republic and Norway
Opposer - Gareth Craig
- Everyone has a choice
- Smoking ban reduces the trade and effects profits of the business
- The number of heart disease victims in NI has not been proven to be directly linked to smoking
- Teenagers smoke to escape everyday life e.g. family problems, exam pressure
- Nicotine addictive but it is not a hard drug compared to cannabis
- Smoking makes people feel more confident secure
Seconder - Martin Larmoer
- Banning smoking in a pub will shift the smokers outside
- It is a way to socialise with their peers
- Local bars have already designated places for smokers
- A huge amount of taxes from cigarettes will be lost and NHS will only loose out
- Teenagers smoke off their own free will
