IntroductionThere are cafés all over the country. Some streets have two or three in a row! Many of them are filled with people drinking their beverages, talking with friends, or studying. It is common to see customers buy a beverage, search for a seat near an electric plug, and then open their laptops or books to study. People often go to cafés to study for long periods of time. Should people be allowed to study at cafés? Let’s see what our debaters think.
Henry (Constructive)
People should be able to study at cafés. A café is a community space that people can use any way that they like. Many people focus better when they study at cafés. Some people find it difficult to study in their houses or schools because their family or friends distract them. They study better at cafés because they are surrounded by strangers. Also, cafés are good places to have study groups. Students often meet at cafés to work on projects together.
Ashley (Constructive) People should not be able to study at cafés. cafés cannot make profit when people study there. Think about it! Some people buy one coffee and then occupy a space in the café for hours. New customers cannot come in if people are studying for extended periods of time. Furthermore, we should encourage students to study at their schools. This helps build camaraderie among students. The school library is a particularly great place for students to study.
Henry (Rebuttal)What if there is no more space at the school library? There is not enough space for all students to study at their schools. Also, students already build camaraderie through their school events and classes. Have you ever wondered why there are so many cafés in the areas around schools? It is because café owners know that students need a place to study. They open their cafés in those areas because they want students to study at their cafés.
Ashley (Rebuttal) I know that cafés are community spaces. However, people cannot use cafés any way that they like. They need to have respect for the café owners, too. One idea is that café owners should be allowed to set a time limit for how long customers can stay at the cafés. If customers want to stay longer, then they have to order another item on the menu. That way, the café owners can still make money and people can study at cafés.
Judge’s CommentsThe winner of today’s debate is Henry. In her rebuttal, Ashley proposed that café owners set a time limit for how long customers can stay at cafés. Although this is a good idea, it misses the point of the debate. The debate question was whether people should be able to study at cafés. Ashley basically conceded that people should be able to study at cafés if café owners can set a time limit. Therefore, Henry is the winner of the debate.