AACC Ethics Team Takes Top Spot in National Debate Competition

The Anne Arundel Community College Ethics Team took first place in the 11th Annual Community College Ethics Bowl.

Cleanly navigating around such touchy subjects as, whether failing to attribute sources is always plagiarism, whether rape jokes are ever ethical, and whether mothers and fathers should be entitled to paid maternity/paternity leave, the AACC team swept the competition, according to a press release.

Representing the Anne Arundel team were:

• William Moynihan of Arnold
• Cameron Smith of Glen Burnie
• Zach Yokel of Greenbelt
• Samuel Edwards of Severna Park

The team was coached by Kevin Murphy, an assistant professor in the Philosophy department.

“I am very proud of all your enthusiasm, hard work and especially courage for taking on tough intellectual challenges,” Murphy told the team after the competition.

The Ethics Bowl event challenges community college students to explore the same cases that are used in national competition by four-year institution teams. Many cases reflect current events.

Assisting in the coaching were Monna Clark, professor of Legal Studies, and Mark Ripka, adjunct faculty of English and World Languages, who volunteered many hours to prepare the team for the competition.