UPDATE:

A typo in the debate topic posted Friday has been corrected below:

The Analy High School speech and debate team is taking a stab at the provocative with their debate topic lineup for their annual speech and debate showcase.

The topic for the annual fundraiser on Tuesday, April 30 is “Resolved: The West Sonoma County Union High School District and its surrounding feeder-school district should be dismantled in order to form two new districts based on geography, one featuring Analy H.S. and the other featuring El Molino H.S.”

The long standing rivalry between the two west county high schools has struck a different tone in recent years as El Molino has endured dramatic declining enrollment while Analy has gained students. El Molino’s current enrollment is 672 students compared with Analy’s 1,367.

The situation in west county has come to represent for many the stark problems with the federal No Child Left Behind law. Because El Molino has failed to meet federal benchmarks, the school is dubbed a “Program Improvement” campus and students are free to transfer across district to Analy or elsewhere. Analy, too, has failed to meet benchmarks but because the school receives no Title 1 funds, it is not labeled “Program Improvement.”

District and school officials have begun hosting community meetings to address the ongoing issue.

Showcase coordinator and Analy debate team member Cameron Keegan said the topic was meant to be a bit controversial.

“If it gets people down here, great,” he said.

Other topics will include impromptu speech, spontaneous argumentation on pop culture, an oratory on apologies and a humorous speech based on “Winnie the Pooh,” according to organizers.

The event will run from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Analy auditorium.

The community is invited to attend. Tickets are $5 at the door. Middle school students are admitted free.

For more information, go to www.analyhighschool.org/debate