Chapter 34 – Opening Statement
The classroom had been rearranged.
Three desks on each side. Judges seated at the far end, facing both teams. A single observer from the student committee sat in the corner with a clipboard. A quiet documentary crew of two students filmed from the side. No audience. Just the rules, the teams, and the silence before the clash.
One of the judges stood to announce the structure:
"This sparring match will be conducted in best-of-three format. Each round will follow WSDC structure—three speakers per side. Speeches are limited to three minutes. No reply speech. POIs are disabled for this match."
A pause.
"After each round, feedback will be given, but the winner will not be declared until the final round is complete."
Kotarō nodded slightly. It meant the pressure wouldn't let up. Even if they won the first round, they couldn't ease up.
_"Three battles.
We need two wins.
She leads the first."
Haruka stepped forward.
She adjusted her sleeves, stood behind the podium, and gave a polite nod to the judge before beginning.
Motion: "This House Would Abolish Homework in High Schools."
Her voice was calm. Steady. Not loud, but weighted.
"This isn't a debate about laziness. It's a debate about fairness."
She let that line breathe.
"As the first speaker for Government, I will explain why abolishing homework is a necessary reform in modern education. Our team presents three contentions: structural inequality, effectiveness of learning, and global precedence."
She raised one finger.
"First, structural inequality. Homework assumes all students return to equal environments. That assumption is false. Some students go home to silence, support, and structure. Others go home to chaos, responsibility, or part-time jobs.
When a school assigns work, it doesn't just test knowledge. It tests stability. And we cannot allow academic performance to hinge on socioeconomic conditions outside a student's control."
(Kotarō Internal)
"She didn't just say 'inequality.'
She showed it."
She raised a second finger.
"Second, the effectiveness of learning. Studies across multiple countries show that excessive homework does not equate to better outcomes. In fact, it leads to diminishing returns, higher stress levels, and burnout.
Homework teaches time management, yes. But at what cost? When a student spends five hours after school repeating drills, they are not learning—they are surviving."
She made brief eye contact with each judge.
"We do not question the value of review. But review should not dominate a student's life. It should enhance it. Abolishing homework pushes schools to maximize in-class efficiency, and to respect students' need for recovery and development outside academics."
(Kotarō Internal)
"She's pulling tempo now.
Clarity, followed by punch."
She raised her third finger.
"Third, global precedence. Countries like Finland, known for high educational standards, have already minimized or eliminated homework. Their focus on in-class engagement and student autonomy has yielded high literacy, graduation rates, and student satisfaction.
This isn't theory. It's practice. We have models. We have outcomes."
She paused.
"We anticipate that the Opposition will argue homework teaches discipline. We acknowledge that discipline is vital. But discipline is not tied to worksheets. It is tied to engagement. Self-direction. Quality over quantity."
Her voice dropped slightly for her closing.
"This isn't about removing rigor. It's about redefining it. Homework, as it exists, is an outdated measure of control. We call for its removal not to weaken education, but to strengthen it—through equity, efficiency, and evidence."
She stepped back. Bowed.
Three minutes.
Kotarō looked at his notes. His page had barely been touched.
"She didn't waste a second.
Structure. Impact. Control.
That was a first speaker. That was... a damn good one."
Chapter End