06/03/2026
In a world filled with division and hate, nurturing a generation of ethical, empathetic and respectful communicators, critical independent-thinkers and leaders is one of the most important roles of our profession.
This June 🌈, ACTAA encourages members to reflect on the significance of our disciplines and the crucial role of providing a safe space for students to learn how to effectively express their ideas, provide criticism and engage with their communities.
“For nearly one hundred years, ACTAA has committed itself to promote educational opportunities for the students of Arkansas to think for themselves, speak their passion, and act to serve others in order to transform their communities through the use of effective ethical communication as an essential discipline, life skill, and art form. It is the nature of debate, forensics, acting, and public speaking to exist in a learning community that provides an environment that promotes the self-expression of student-developed ideas, criticism, and discussion of, and engagement in, the widest range of opinions. Whether the activity is debate, forensics, acting, or public speaking, whether it’s hosting a competition or instruction of communication and theatre arts in the classroom, whether it’s constructing an argument or discovering a piece of literature, or all the above, Arkansas Academic Standards require educators of these disciplines to provide students a platform to learn how to positively and professionally formulate their independent feelings & thoughts and communicate or express said thoughts to others respectfully.”
(ACTAA Professional & Ethical Standards of Conduct, 2024; ACTAA Organizational Handbook pg. 27)
