On Friday, February 28th, Williston’s Political Awareness Club (PAC) held a debate on the topic of whether college athletes should be paid. The debaters were Mr. Peter Gunn, a History and Global Studies teacher, and Mr. Matt Spearing, Williston’s Director of Student Activities and a Science teacher. Gunn argued that athletes should be paid, while Spearing made the case against that stance.

This was the first PAC debate between two members of Williston’s faculty and it drew a large crowd. Fifty-nine students and faculty attended the event—a record number for a single meeting for the club.

As the club’s President, senior Christian Knapp, said before the debate, “PAC is the largest and most active club on campus.” So far this year, it has held thirteen meetings, including four debates. According to Knapp’s statistics, the club averages over 25 attendees per meeting.

Gunn’s foremost arguments as to why college athletes should be paid is that it would be an incentive for them to stay in school. In addition, because of the revenue Division 1 athletes bring to their schools, they deserve something in return. Spearing argued that paying athletes would completely overshadow the reason they go to college: to get an education.

Before the debate, the club announced that junior Emmett O’Malley will be the club’s President beginning in the third trimester.

This audio file, above, contains the heart of the debate. Listen to the whole debate or reference the times below to find the times when Mr. Gunn and Mr. Spearing make their specific points in support of their arguments.

• 0:00-President      Knapp’s Introduction
• :22-Gunn’s opening      statement
• 1:24-Spearing’s      opening statement
• 2:10-Gunn: Athletes      are employees
• 2:49-Spearing:      Paying athletes diminishes their education
• 3:50-Gunn: Pay is      incentive to stay in school
• 5:00-Gunn: Paying      athletes will be a way for athletes to go to college and earn income
• 6:00-Gunn answers      question about whether athletes at Williston should be paid
• 7:00-Spearing      answers question about whether athletes at Williston should be paid
• 7:42-Gunn’s closing      statement
• 8:38-President Knapp after the debate