William A. Brewer III on What Teen Debaters Can Teach the World

In an article for Equality in Forensics, Brewer Foundation Founder and Chairman William A. Brewer III and Jasmine McClure, program coordinator of the International Public Policy Forum (IPPF), examine what high school debaters can teach adults about advocacy and constructive disagreement.

Founded in 2001 by the Brewer Foundation and now jointly administered with New York University, the IPPF is the world's only international competition that challenges high school students to debate matters of public policy in writing and in person.

The article, "What Teen Debaters Can Teach the World," reflects on the 2026-27 topic for the IPPF, which asks students to consider the rights of women and girls alongside questions of state sovereignty. Brewer draws on his experience with the program to examine how young people approach difficult questions.

Brewer and McClure argue that "debate"- as an academic competition, is about more than learning how to win an argument. It teaches students to listen, engage with opposing views, and build their arguments around evidence and reason. Those skills, they write, have value far beyond the competition itself—particularly at a time when public discourse too often turns disagreement into division.

In the IPPF, Brewer and McClure see firsthand how disagreement can coexist with respect and intellectual curiosity. Their example underscores the overarching purpose of the program: preparing young people to become thoughtful future leaders.

"Debate equips its participants with the tools to lead, to question, and to speak with purpose," Brewer and McClure write. "The IPPF and other programs like it are not just a competition; they are a proving ground for tomorrow's policy thinkers and public voices."

Read more here.