Belonging and Inclusion Station Development and Implementation Guide
ABOUT THE NATIONAL SPEECH & DEBATE ASSOCIATION:
The National Speech & Debate Association was created in 1925 to provide recognition and support for students participating in speech and debate activities. While our organization has evolved over the decades, our mission is more relevant today than ever before. We connect, support, and inspire a diverse community committed to empowering students through competitive speech and debate.
As the national authority on public speaking and debate, the National Speech & Debate Association provides the infrastructure for speech and debate competitions around the world. We create a platform for youth voices to be heard and celebrated, which culminates with an annual National Tournament, the pinnacle of public speaking.
Speech and debate changes lives. NSDA membership builds confidence, boosts classroom performance, improves communication, and increases critical thinking skills to prepare students for college. Our activity provides life skills vital to a young person’s success in the future.
MISSION:
The National Speech & Debate Association connects, supports, and inspires a diverse community committed to empowering students through speech and debate.
VISION:
We envision a world in which every school provides speech and debate programs to foster each student’s communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creative skills.
Learn more at www.speechanddebate.org
AREAS OF FOCUS
DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE
Purpose and Scope: What the BIS Is and Isn’t
WHAT IS THE BELONGING AND INCLUSION STATION (BIS) FOR?
The Belonging and Inclusion Station (BIS) is a tournament resource that offers a supportive space for interpersonal care. It also serves as a safeguard by addressing inappropriate conduct and upholding the NSDA Harassment and Discrimination Policy.
Scope
The BIS is available to any student, coach, judge, or official at a tournament as a resource for interpersonal support or to raise concerns related to harassment or discrimination.
Reasons Someone Might Visit the BIS
f An individual makes inappropriate remarks or offensive jokes.
f A really powerful performance (that violated no rules) triggers emotions in a contestant or judge and they need space to process their feelings.
DID YOU KNOW? You can also visit the BIS to share how you’re feeling about your tournament experience. For example, if you didn’t advance to elimination rounds and your season has ended, the BIS provides a supportive space to process and unpack those emotions.
PHILOSOPHY OF THE BIS
BIS Pillars
TEACHING Belonging and Inclusion Advocates also help visitors understand how exclusion, harassment, and discrimination can negatively impact a person’s tournament experience.
LEARNING The BIS addresses inappropriate behavior by encouraging individuals to take responsibility for their actions, recognize the harm caused, and develop constructive steps for both making amends and preventing future harm.
HEALING The BIS is designed to ease the pain that can come from feelings of exclusion or experiences of harassment or discrimination. Our goal is for visitors to leave the BIS feeling supported, understood, and restored in their tournament experience.
Belonging & Inclusion Station
CARE
The Belonging and Inclusion Station approaches every interaction with CARE.
C IVILITY
A DVOCACY
R ESTORATIVE COMMUNICATION
E DUCATION
WHAT THE BIS IS NOT...
Approaching concerns with respect, professionalism, and care— fostering constructive dialogue rather than conflict.
Ensuring that participants feel heard and supported, especially when raising concerns about equity, a culture of kindness, or belonging.
Focusing on repair and understanding by encouraging open dialogue that prioritizes healing and resolution over punishment.
Helping community members learn from experiences, gain awareness, and build stronger skills for fostering inclusion moving forward.
f A punishment-focused process
f A place to revisit past grievances unrelated to the current tournament
f A space to silence participants
f A tool to empower or disempower individuals based on political or social ideologies
f A loophole around tournament rules or guidelines
NOTE: If a concern seems more like a rules issue than one of interpersonal support, harassment, or discrimination, the Belonging and Inclusion Advocate (BIA) should redirect the individual to the appropriate tournament official. In cases where a rules violation also involves conduct, the BIA and tournament director may work together to address the situation.
DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE
Why Have a BIS?
SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT
FAIR PROCESS FOR CONDUCT
PROCESS IN PLACE IF ISSUES ARISE
BIAs are trained to provide a supportive environment. Even if you just need someone to talk to, the BIS is a great resource!
When addressing improper conduct, the BIS intake process ensures that everyone feels heard and is treated fairly.
The BIS is an effective resource just in case an issue arises. If no issues arise, there’s no harm or loss.
PEACE AND JUSTICE
DECENTRALIZING EQUITY
Every tournament participant deserves to be treated with both fairness and kindness— peace and justice.
EQUITY
A member shares the responsibility to uphold policies and practices that create conditions of fairness and respect in speech and debate—ensuring consistent access, treatment, and opportunity by reducing barriers and encouraging full participation.
COMPETITION
e.g., tournament accessibility and fees, technology, event offerings, parings, ranks
COMPETITION
RULES
e.g., time limits, protests, permitted sources and/or literature, etc.
e.g. judging assignments, judge paradigms, judge training
CONDUCT BIS FOCUS
ENVIRONMENT
e.g., interpersonal support, inclusive practices, anti-harassment and discrimination
Belonging & Inclusion Station
Important Terms and Definitions
Adult Support Person
Belonging and Inclusion Advocate
Concerned Person
Corrective Action
Discrimination
An adult responsible for a student (e.g., coach, parent, guardian, or caretaker)
The primary point of contact for anyone at a tournament who needs support or wishes to report concerns related to harassment, discrimination, or inappropriate conduct.
The individual who is visiting the BIS to raise a concern.
Action (s) designed to improve and/or prevent unwanted or inappropriate behavior.
Treatment of a person (favorably or unfavorably) than another person (s) based on characteristics including (but not limited to) race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, citizenship, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by any applicable federal, state, or local law.
Harassment
Interpersonal Support
Subject of Concern
Unwelcome conduct determined by a reasonable person to be so severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive that it effectively denies a person equal access to the recipient’s participation in speech and debate (e.g., bullying, sexual harassment, hostile environment, retaliation)
Caring and supportive interaction with an individual who feels excluded by an element of the tournament or feels emotionally distraught.
Someone alleged to have been involved in an incident of prohibited behavior.
DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE
BIS Intake Process
It is always our hope that concerns brought to the BIS can be addressed with healing and teaching FIRST. The intake process, specifically the resolution and appeal steps, should be utilized when behavior warrants action beyond education and dialogue.
INTAKE
A concerned person wants to raise a concern and completes the intake form.
INQUIRY
BIA collects information on the concern.
NOTE: When meeting with students, please have their Adult Support Person present at all times RESOLUTION
If necessary, BIA recommends a corrective action. APPEAL
Subject of concern has an option to appeal corrective action.
Belonging & Inclusion Station
Corrective Action
EXAMPLE OF BEHAVIOR
NO
VIOLATION
VERBAL WARNING
• A student feels alone at the tournament and wants to drop
• Comments or jokes considered inappropriate (e.g., of a racist, sexist, homophobic, etc., nature)
CORRECTIVE ACTION
• The BIA provides support and care to the concerned person. No further action required.
• Subject of concern receives a verbal warning and instruction on how to address their behavior and prevent repeated behavior.
WRITTEN WARNING
• Perceived inappropriate contact or communication from a judge or coach to another tournament participant. This contact might be email outreach, private message through social media prior to or during the tournament, etc.
• Repeated actions from previous tournaments.
• Sexual harassment or assault
• Physical violence against another tournament participant
• Repeated actions from previous tournaments
SANCTION
• A judge explicitly cites their social or political bias as the sole basis for a ranking or decision.
• First and final written warning to subject of concern’s guardian and/ or adult support person.
• Consult with tournament director on appropriate sanction
• Letter to subject of concern’s guardian and/or adult support person
• (at NSDA-sponsored event) Recommendation is made to National Office, who will determine if a sanction is warranted. Only the ED or Assistant ED can approve a sanction.
NOTE: If someone reports sexual assault/violence, the BIA, tournament director, or concerned person’s adult support person should contact law enforcement immediately.
DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE
Implementing the BIS
BEFORE THE TOURNAMENT
f Appoint a Belonging and Inclusion Advocate »
f Publish information about the BIS.
f Designate a private space for the BIS. This is where inquiries will take place.
f Post signage about the BIS.
f Create an intake form and determine whether your tournament needs a reporting form (review the BIS Report Form the NSDA uses for district tournaments) .
f Share the BIS guide with your tournament leadership.
f Learn any variables that may influence corrective action.
DURING THE TOURNAMENT
f Hear Concerns. If someone comes to the BIS and needs interpersonal support, has a concern about the NSDA Harassment and Discrimination Policy, and/or inappropriate conduct, have them fill out an intake form.
NOTE: If the concerned person is a student, they should come with their coach or an adult they feel comfortable with.
f Intake Form. The concerned person completes the intake form. The BIA should do their best to make the individual with a concern feel safe and heard.
f Inquiry. The BIA collects information from any persons relevant to the reported concern.
f Action as Needed. The BIA first seeks to address concerns through education and dialogue. If needed, they will recommend appropriate corrective action to the tournament director.
AFTER THE TOURNAMENT
f Consider whether correspondence with the responsible person and their adult support person and/or guardian is necessary. Review the Letter of Closure as a template »
Belonging & Inclusion Station
Expectations of BIAs at Tournaments
• PROFESSIONALISM
• COMMUNICATION
• COMPROMISE
• PATIENCE AND GRACE
• FOLLOW THE PROCESS
• SUPPORT
DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE
Promoting the BIS
f It is important for all attendees to know that the tournament they are attending has a Belonging and Inclusion Station.
f Your tournament invitation is the first place to communicate your intention to offer a Belonging and Inclusion Station at your tournament.
f Create a dedicated email to coaches announcing the tournament will have a Belonging and Inclusion Station.
f Consider creating a dedicated section on Tabroom.com or other online tournament registration systems.
» Include the location of your BIS, the name of your Belonging and Inclusion Advocate, and details on how to access the BIS during the tournament.
(Refer to the BIS Addendum for sample language »)
WHERE IS YOUR BIS?
IF YOUR BIS IS IN PERSON: Belonging and Inclusion Advocates should be given a private space with at least one additional room for conversations in case multiple equity concerns occur simultaneously. Try to avoid rooms with windows or anything located in commonly utilized corridors of the tournament. If possible, this space should be found in close proximity to your tournament office.
IF YOUR BIS IS ONLINE: Make sure you have a private space (in the tournament office, if possible) for online intakes. If your tournament is using Tabroom.com, consider creating a utility room at Paneling» Rooms» Utility for your BIS. Make sure you have a way to move individuals to private rooms so others do not inadvertently join. If you’re using Zoom, breakout rooms are great for private conversations, or you can enable the waiting room function to control when participants are able to enter the main room.
IF YOUR BIS IS ONLINE, BUT YOUR TOURNAMENT IS IN PERSON: Ensure that you have published how attendees get in touch with the BIA. Consider having an in-person intake station where participants can come to share that they plan to report a violation.
Belonging & Inclusion Station
BIS Tips
f Have an Adult Present. All interactions between the BIA and students must include an additional adult support person, so please ask students to bring a coach, parent, or tournament official with them.
f Keep the Space Private. The BIS should be a private room. This means that there will be no other individuals in the room except the BIA, the concerned person, or the subject of concern and adult support persons when necessary.
f Addressing Concerns. It is always our hope that concerns brought to the BIS can be addressed with healing and teaching FIRST. When addressing interpersonal communication issues, it is recommended that the BIA talk to the subject of concern about things like “intent vs. impact” and how subtle changes to messages can cause ill-intended interpretation and response.
f Determining Corrective Action. Before deciding to recommend corrective action, the BIA should ask themselves questions like, “What were the intentions behind the behavior? Was there remorse? What is the concerned person’s desired outcome?”
f Don’t Let the Language Scare You. The intake process helps determine whether a concern requires educational resolution or corrective action. Don’t get too caught up in the terminology—while it may sound like it’s reserved for serious issues, the primary focus of the BIS is on education and care.
f Bullying as Harassment. Bullying is included in the definition of harassment (social, cyber, etc.). For example, if a student purposefully rolls their eyes during a specific contestant’s performance or makes fun of a student’s attire, it could be considered social bullying and can result in corrective action if educating the subject of concern isn’t enough to resolve the concerning behavior.
f Take Notes. Try to take detailed notes during the inquiry and go back through your notes to ensure that you have accurately heard all sides of the story.
f Contacting the NSDA. BIAs at NSDA tournaments should contact the national office when:
» Behavior warrants a written warning or sanction.
» The BIA needs support and/or guidance.
» Using the reporting form after the district tournament.
DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE
Tips for Inquiry and Support
f Work Through Adults to Contact Students. This might seem obvious, but also easy to miss if you’re not careful: do not contact students directly . When you have an intake from a student, make sure that they have a adult support person with them—either their coach, parent, guardian, or a member of the tournament staff they feel comfortable with. Also, be sure to contact their coach first, and have them coordinate getting the student (s) to the BIS.
f Be an Empathic Listener. Coming to the BIS may result in emotions including anger, embarrassment, shock, or even fear. Empathic listeners hear the speaker, understand their perspective, and validate people’s feelings. You can listen empathically by giving verbal and nonverbal cues that you are listening carefully (e.g., nodding your head, making eye contact) , and paraphrasing their words to ensure understanding.
f Be Teacherly Before Punitive. The BIS is an educational resource. While violating the NSDA Harassment and Discrimination Policy carries consequence, the BIA’s top priority is to provide education and care. Try to avoid instant punitive action and begin with supportive measures and/or teacherly moments. When talking with a concerned person, this might mean saying things like, “Thank you for coming to the BIS and bringing this to our attention. If you’re willing to talk more about this, I’m happy to listen and help in any way I can.” With a subject of concern, it could mean explaining to them how their behavior impacts others—e.g., “I know this wasn’t your intent, but some people hear ‘______________,’ and they feel ______________ because ______________.” Even when explaining the corrective course of action, try to sound more like a teacher and less like a lawyer.
Belonging & Inclusion Station
f Be Mindful of Feelings. Be mindful of how your communication is received, and be ready to adjust as needed. Some individuals may not understand why they’ve been called to the BIS, or they may fear they are in serious trouble. Allow them time to process the concern, guide them through the intake process, and emphasize that the primary goal is education and care, not corrective action.
f Take Your Time. There are many instances where people come to the BIS just so that they can be heard. In those moments, give people a chance to talk. Unless someone is reporting sexual assault or sexual violence, don’t feel like you have to rush to action. Sometimes, just sitting and listening can go a long way.
f Intent vs. Impact. Unwelcome conduct does not have to include intent to harm, be directed at a specific target, or involve repeated incidents (e.g., microinsults, microinvalidations) . The “small” instance that leads someone to the BIS might be the 100th instance they’ve experienced that day. It is important that subjects of concern recognize the impact of their communication, regardless of intent.
f Don’t Make Up Answers. If you don’t have the answer to a question, do not try to make one up. It’s acceptable to say, “Let me double check with the tournament director” or “I’m going to consult with the national office.” If necessary, BIAs can always contact the NSDA Director of Belonging and Inclusion for insight. Correct answers are better than fast ones.
f Avoid “You” and “But” Messages. “You” messages (e.g., “You did ________ and it’s bad.”) sound accusatory and may elicit defensiveness rather than understanding. “But” messages (e.g., “I hear that you were insulted, but ________”) sound contradictory and invalidating. Your best bet is to use “I” messages, which put the interpretation on you as the listener, and can give the person in the room freedome to clarify/correct without feeling accused (e.g., “I’m hearing that the behavior experienced was inappropriate because of offensive language. Am I hearing this correctly?”) .
f Maintain Impartiality. It is important that we are aware of potential mental and emotional blind spots that might cloud our judgment. This is especially important when working as a BIA. Please listen with an open mind and try to recognize instances in which you might be hearing a person with bias, rather than giving fair consideration.
f Hear All Sides of the Story. Make sure you work through all steps of the process—especially the inquiry/information gathering piece. You don’t want to recommend a course of action (resolution) until you have a full picture of the concern being discussed.
f Keep Implications in Mind. Coming to the BIS can be stressful. As you engage in an inquiry and determine a resolution, please keep in mind how being in the BIS can affect someone’s tournament experience. Try to be teacherly and avoid causing someone additional stress—especially if it could negatively affect a student’s performance or a coach’s ability to tend to their team or judge.
DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE
f Be in the Moment. Try to keep concerns specific to the tournament you are currently attending. If someone comes to the BIS to raise a concern about something that happened at a tournament last year or three weeks ago, please encourage the concerned person to talk with their coach, parent (if applicable) , or school administration.
f Be Aware. Speech and debate is an activity that welcomes and engages students from all backgrounds. Please keep in mind that some methods of communication may be linked to different social norms (e.g., some people are naturally loud when they speak or get passionate when speaking/performing/debating) . This is something to consider when listening to a subject of concern explain their behavior.
f Treat Indirect Concerns as Concerns. If someone seeks to raise a concern about behavior that wasn’t directed toward them, but still troubling (e.g., someone sees inappropriate behavior or in a round) , this is considered an Indirect Concern. In this instance, the person who witnessed the behavior should be invited to talk about it/fill out the intake form.
f Balance Peace AND Justice. Not all BIS concerns are going to result in corrective action. You will have people who seek you out as a listening ear. You might even have an alleged violator of the NSDA Harassment and Discrimination Policy who simply needs to hear your perspective to understand the impact of their words or actions. In these moments, it’s important to remember that the purpose of the BIS is just as much healing and teaching as it is punitive action. When an inquiry is over, make sure that everyone walks out feeling heard.
f Hear All Ideologies. Regardless of social or political ideology, every visitor to the BIS deserves to be heard and treated with kindness and care.
HELPFUL HINT: It’s always a good idea to end a conversation by asking the people in the room if there’s anything else you can do to help them.
Belonging & Inclusion Station
Resources • Development and Implementation Guide – Addendum
