We are all influenced by implicit bias, or the stereotypes that unconsciously affect our decisions. When judging, our implicit biases negatively impact students who are traditionally marginalized and disenfranchised. Before writing comments or making a decision, please take a moment to reflect on any biases that may impact your decision-making process. If you have not already, please take the Implicit Bias Training.
The National Catholic Forensic League (NCFL) is committed to providing participants, judges, coaches, and volunteers the opportunity to pursue excellence in their endeavors. This opportunity can exist only when each member of our community is assured an atmosphere of mutual respect. The NCFL prohibits all forms of harassment and discrimination. Accordingly, all forms of harassment and discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, citizenship, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by any applicable federal, state, or local law are prohibited, whether committed by participants, judges, coaches, volunteers, and/or observers. The NCFL reserves all rights to subject violators to the full range of sanctions, up to and including removal from the tournament premises and referral to appropriate authorities. Any individual or group of individuals who believe they have been a victim of harassment and/or discrimination should report it to an Equity Advocate or appropriate authority immediately.
Any tournament participant, including students, coaches, judges, and observers, who believe they have been the subject of harassment and/or discrimination in violation of the NCFL Harassment and Discrimination policy are encouraged to contact an equity advocate and report the alleged violation.
Please note: Equity Concerns should be brought to the committee if someone feels they have faced discrimination or harassment, while Rules Protests should be filed if someone is in violation of competitive event rules.
The NCFL is committed to providing safe performance spaces for all competitors and judges. We acknowledge the art of advocacy through performance and debate may be a healing process and/or opportunity to speak on important topics. It is impossible to know all the ways in which content or a performance or debate may unintentionally harm or trigger members of the audience. To better serve our competitors, we will be honoring an open door practice during all rounds.
The open door policy means competitors and other audience members may choose to leave or stay in a room when a performance negatively impacts their wellbeing. Competitors may discreetly leave the room (e.g., before, during, or after someone’s performance) without question or penalty. Judges may also take steps to protect their well-being by contacting the Tab Room or Equity Office before or after a performance.
We recognize that putting mental and physical well-being above community norms is imperfect but important work.
Over the last few years, there have been many important and necessary conversations in our activity about the role content warnings (sometimes called "trigger warnings") should play in the speech and debate space. These conversations are still ongoing as the community works toward developing norms, standards, and best practices to make speech and debate the most educational, productive, and safe space it can be for all members of our community.
Please note that at this time, the NCFL does not have any policy mandating content warnings in any of our events.
That said, we recognize that words are powerful and can impact our audience in ways we do, and sometimes do not, intend. If competitors would like to optionally give content warnings, that is permitted and encouraged as a thoughtful good practice.
As a best practice, content warnings should:
Be relatively short in nature (1-2 sentences), and highlight the potentially sensitive content appropriately.
In debate, before the beginning of the speech in any offtime roadmap.
In speech, at the start of the performance. Note, content warnings in speech should count as part of the timed performance. ·
Deployment should be similar to what we are all used to with TV Parental Guidelines prior to the start of a show on network TV.
Example: "Today's presentation involves discussion of gun violence in schools and coarse language."
The intent here is to allow audience members who cannot listen to these types of arguments for their own deeply personal reasons to be able to remove themselves as appropriate prior to the presentation beginning.
· In the event that there is a concern about the content of a speech, please refer to the Open Door Policy or contact an Equity Advocate.
You can contact an Equity Advocate directly by filling out this form: NCFL Equity Concern Reporting Form
You can text (312) 857-8549 and ask to speak to an Equity Advocate.
You can also email ncflequityadvocates@gmail.com and ask to speak to an Equity Advocate.