Questions & Answers
Everything families ask about The Question of Justice — the workbook, the 2026-2027 NCFCA Lincoln-Douglas resolution, and how to use it at home or in a co-op.
The Question of Justice is a nearly 500-page student workbook and multi-disciplinary unit study built around the 2026-2027 NCFCA Lincoln-Douglas value resolution. It combines the philosophy of justice, criminal-justice policy, case-building instruction, and write-in practice pages so a student can move from first principles to competition-ready cases.
The 2026-2027 NCFCA Lincoln-Douglas value resolution is: "Resolved: It is just for a criminal justice system to value retribution over rehabilitation." The workbook is built specifically around this resolution.
It is written for high school students, and works well for motivated middle schoolers with a parent alongside them. It is used by homeschool speech and debate families, co-ops, and classrooms, and also serves families who simply want a rigorous unit study on justice and the criminal-justice system.
No. The workbook is designed so a parent with no debate background can lead it. Concepts are introduced from the ground up, the case-building sections are step by step, and the student does the thinking on the page.
No. It deliberately presents the strongest arguments on both sides. The reading list and source material span retributive, rehabilitative, restorative, conservative, and abolitionist perspectives, because Lincoln-Douglas debaters must argue both affirmative and negative.
It engages justice, mercy, and the moral law from a Christian worldview while fairly presenting the full range of secular and philosophical perspectives. Students are asked to reason carefully rather than told what to conclude.
Yes. It is designed as a multi-disciplinary unit study spanning philosophy, history, literature, government, and rhetoric, and it can be used as the backbone of a high school social studies or criminal justice elective.
It is built to carry a full competition season, and it is largely self-paced. Families use it as a semester-long or full-year study, and co-ops often work through it together over a season.
Yes. Many families use it with multiple students. Each student should have their own copy for the write-in pages, and the digital edition includes a household and co-op print license.
Guided study of the philosophy of justice, case and brief construction frameworks, cross-examination strategy, journaling prompts and drills, write-in space, a curated recommended reading list, a recommended film list, and printable appendices including flow templates, case worksheets, a citations reference, and a glossary.
Yes. A print-ready PDF edition is available directly from this site as an instant download, in addition to the printed editions on Amazon.
The content is identical. The full color edition reproduces the design and images in color, while the black and white edition is a lower-cost, print-friendly version.
No. The Question of Justice is an independent resource created by a homeschool parent. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by NCFCA.
The printed workbook is available on Amazon, and the PDF edition can be purchased directly from this website.
Alysia Minor, a homeschool mother of six and an NCFCA debate parent, created the workbook for her own children and then made it available to other families.
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Nearly 500 pages of guided study for the 2026-2027 NCFCA Lincoln-Douglas resolution. Available in print on Amazon, or as an instant PDF download.