The U.S. Department of Education should be dismantled and the money given to individual states, according to a five-judge panel at the inaugural Great Gator Debaters policy debate Tuesday night between the Military Law Student Association and Esquire, the Society of Minority Pre-law Students.
About 100 people gathered in the Reitz Union Grand Ballroom to hear the two sides argue about the best way to lessen racial disparity in the public education system.
The Esquire Minority Law Society, represented by Andre Haughton, a political science junior, and Leonard Thompson, a UF freshman, said the U.S. government is making strides in closing the racial gap in schools. Full equality is possible, they said, if federal funding to programs are increased.
The Military Law Student Association, represented by Tara Tedrow and Corey Squires, both first-year law students, said the federal government is incapable of bringing about positive change in education. Local governments are better suited to solve the problem, they said.
After 45 minutes of debate, the panel, which included local attorneys and debate coaches, decided 3 votes to 2 votes to name the Military Law Student Association the winners.
