How un-progressive of you. For one thing, debate would mean there is one right side and one wrong side and someone is dissenting against the right side. All that would mean is that the wrong side can't concentrate and a special camp would need to be made to help them learn that. As for battle bots.. you warmonger!!!!
I was going to add that the debate teams would have to work out a compromise over a 2 hour period, or be replaced with a blue ribbon commission that would only get 30 minutes. The battle-bot idea fulfills the human need for contact sports.