On Wednesday, Dec. 5, members of Grand County High School’s Speech and Debate team spoke with Ruth Brown, a representative of Citizens’ Climate Lobby, by video as the team prepared for its mock Congress on a carbon tax.
The event was held at the Moab Arts and Recreation Center on Monday, Dec. 10, and was sponsored by the League of Women Voters. The team’s video-conference with Brown provided an opportunity to speak with an expert on the topic.
Brown helped students to adapt a bill to debate that reflected the legislation that is being introduced in Utah, as well as on a national level. The students then discussed both the pros and cons of a carbon tax. While Citizens’ Climate Lobby may be on the “pro side” of this issue, Brown and the students focused on weighing both advantages and disadvantages.
This preparatory work was reflected during the event as students delivered speeches for and against the bill, followed by questioning. At the end of the debate, students voted ultimately to pass the bill.
The student debate team said it would like to thank the League of Women Voters for sponsoring the event for the third year, as well as the community members who came to support them.
