UDHS Ethics Team takes 7th in regional bowl at WCU

You’ve probably heard of a debate team. Typically held in high schools across the country, such teams compete debating on a variety of topics, scoring to see who was best able to establish a clear and well-researched argument.

But have you ever heard of an “ethics team?” Think of it as debating with more pizazz.They’re not only growing in the region, but the specialized art of ethical debating even takes to a national stage with its own “bowl.” The students at Upper Darby High School are lucky enough to have the Ethics Team as one of many high school club and activity offerings.

This past week, the team headed to the Delaware River Valley Regional Ethics Bowl where they landed in seventh place overall out of sixteen competing regional teams. During the bowl, high school teams compete in a “debate-style event that promotes ethical awareness, critical thinking, civil discourse, civic engagement, and an appreciation for multiple points of view,” explained a release from the UDSD posted on social media. This 13th annual bowl was hosted at West Chester University. It was the first time WCU hosted, as the event was typically held at Villanova University.

“Students researched the facts of the cases and studied the philosophies of Aristotle (Virtue Theory), Bentham (Utilitarianism), Kant (Deontology), and Hobbes (Rights-Based) to formulate and support their stances in cases,” said the district. “[Students debated] about such topics as AI Psycho Therapy, AI use in the courtroom, transactional activism, and incarcerated individuals donating organs for sentence reduction.”

Congratulations to the team!