[eDebate] WVU team goes dry at tournaments

[NEIL BERCH]

Clarification:  Some may interpret my earlier post to mean that I'm trying 
to save a group of raging alcoholics from itself.  Quite the opposite:  I 
actually think that our team has less of a problem in this regard than do 
many others.
--Neil Berch
West Virginia University



>From: "NEIL BERCH" <berchnorto at msn.com>

>To: edebate at ndtceda.com

>Subject: [eDebate] WVU team goes dry at tournaments

>Date: Tue, 14 Nov 2006 11:06:11 -0500

>

>Hi, everyone!

>For a long time, we have (of course) had a policy that prohibits illegal

>activity (including underage drinking, supplying alcohol to minors, and

>drunk driving) at tournaments.  Because that policy:

>1.  creates divisions in the team between those who are under and over 21;

>2.  detracts from the reason that the taxpayers of West Virginia subsidize

>our travel to tournaments;

>3.  I believe there is a serious problem with excessive drinking at

>tournaments and with actions that stem from that excessive drinking;

>

>as of now, everyone connected with WVU Debate (debaters, judges, coaches,

>even those of us who are more than twice 21 years old) is prohibited from

>consuming alcohol on debate tournament trips.  I post this to edebate for

>two reasons:

>1.  I want friends of WVU debaters and coaches (regardless of age) to know

>that they will not be drinking at tournaments, and that by encouraging them

>to drink, you will only be endangering their participation in debate;

>2.  I am curious about whether other teams have such a policy.  I'd be

>interested in hearing your thoughts either on the list or via backchannel.

>

>--Neil Berch

>West Virginia University

>

>

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