The Milwaukee Debate League (MDL) is an urban education program, which utilizes competitive, policy debate in an effort to promote equity in education in urban areas. The MDL is a program born of the partnership between the National Debate Project  and the Einhorn Family Charitable Trust. As part of the national urban debate league movement, the MDL enables urban schools, which often have not had the necessary resources, to start debate teams and compete on a regular basis so that students can continually sharpen their skills. Debate training has a fundamental impact on the reading level, grade point average and conduct of participating students. Urban Debate Leagues have proven to increase literacy scores by 25%, to improve grade-point averages by 8 to 10%, to achieve high school graduation rates of nearly 100%, and to produce college matriculation rates of 71 to 91%.

Our partners at the National Debate Project established the first urban debate leagues in the 1980s. Since then more than 20 cities have established leagues and the number is growing. The MDL is a member of the National Association of Urban Debate Leagues 

The MDL Mission:

The mission of the Milwaukee Debate League is to foster the use of debate and discussion as powerful educational tools that engage students and teachers in critical thinking and learning. Debate experience develops self-confidence, improves attendance, and reduces disciplinary problems.

Participation in debate raises grade point averages and rates of graduation, putting students on a path to success in college and throughout the rest of their lives. The MDL works to establish and support debate in Milwaukee's urban schools, unlocking its potential to energize education and enrich lives.

LaTonya Starks is an alumna of Chicago Debate League, a member of the National Association for Urban Debate Leagues network. Upon graduation from Morgan Park High School in 2000, LaTonya received a scholarship to debate at Northwestern University, where she was the first African-American woman in the institution’s history to participate in competitive policy debate for four years. She competed successfully at the Cross-Examination Debate Association Nationals and was an All-American Debater. In 2004, after college graduation, LaTonya became an Assistant Director of Debate at Northwestern University, where she successfully coached a team to a championship at the National Debate Tournament. LaTonya also served as Coordinator of the Chicago Debate League, coaching to a championship at the Fuqua Junior Varsity Nationals. LaTonya currently resides in Milwaukee, Wisconsin where she is the Director of the Milwaukee Debate League, Director of the 3-Week Summer Debate Institute at Northwestern University and a part-time Assistant Coach for Northwestern’s Debate Society.