Speech, Debate, and Theatre Committee Points of Emphasis 2023-24

Access

The NFHS believes that all students should be provided equitable access to speech, debate and theatre. Coaches/directors should reasonably provide equal access to electronic resources, supplies, attire, etc. and reasonably provide accommodations for those who lack access. Coaches/judges/directors should not penalize students based on their access to these resources. The focus of the performing arts competition should be the excellence of the student content.

Artificial Intelligence

As AI continues to evolve, it is recommended that practitioners create policies and procedures as needed to continuously facilitate the responsible use of AI to foster transparency and trust. Coaches/advisers/directors should work to balance the opportunities of AI with the need for the preservation of the student’s voice. While further exploration of AI’s role in performing arts can offer exciting new possibilities for exploration, collaboration and innovation, it’s essential for all involved to remain mindful of the boundaries and responsibilities that come with this powerful technology.

Copyright Compliance

Schools should comply with all U.S. Copyright Laws when working with their performing arts programs. Coaches/directors should exercise due diligence to protect programs against costly fines and potential litigation when using copyrighted material. There are many companies that will assist in securing copyright compliance www.copyright.nfhs.org and be sure to take the NFHS Learning Center course on Copyright Compliance at nfhslearn.com.

Excellence

Excellence is a journey, which should be the guiding principle for a student’s experience in the performing arts. Excellence is not limited to only competitive success and should prioritize one’s behavior, hard work, integrity and uplifting spirit toward others. Achieving excellence benefits not only the individual but also the broader community and society. The focus on excellence should be successful when it improves the quality of dialogue, self-confidence and personal relationships of students.

Event Safety and Security

A diverse range of event management and event security challenges confront the operators of speech, debate and theatre events. Prevailing best practices and standards have emerged addressing the reasonable care to protect the safety and well-being of participants, spectators, coaches, judges, event workers and other third parties present at a venue. Event organizers should assess, mitigate, communicate and monitor the risks during all speech, debate and theatre events. Planning and implementation of event security including minimizing the risk and maximizing the security for all can affect the safety and success of any event.