Chapter 35 – The Rebuttal Clash
The judge nodded.
"Opposition, first speaker. You may begin."
Kotarō lifted his pen.
Across from them, Koganei East's first speaker stood—a second-year like Kotarō, but with a straight spine and hands folded precisely at waist height. He adjusted his collar once, then spoke.
"Homework is not a flaw in the system. It is a foundation of academic rigor."
No hesitation. No stumble.
"This motion attempts to address educational inequity by removing structure. But structure is not the enemy. Homework builds habits. Time management. Endurance. It prepares students for the expectations of the real world."
He paced his words.
Point One: Discipline Through Repetition.
He claimed repetition was the source of resilience. Homework, even in small doses, taught scheduling, mental stamina, and personal responsibility.
Point Two: Parental Engagement.
Homework served as a bridge between school and home. Parents who helped reinforced lessons and values.
Point Three: Misinterpretation of Global Models.
He referenced Finland, anticipating the comparison. "We cannot import models wholesale. Finland's system is built on different societal values, teaching standards, and class sizes. It is not a plug-and-play model for Japan."
Finally, his voice dipped with emphasis.
"Fairness isn't about removing struggle. It's about preparing students for it. Homework may not be perfect, but it remains a cornerstone of accountability."
He bowed.
Three minutes. Clean. Professional.
(Kotarō Internal)
"He's polished.
Traditional.
And he didn't miss a beat.
But tradition is only unbreakable until someone asks why it still exists."
The judge called his name.
Kotarō stood slowly. His fingers fumbled slightly on the first fold of his notes.
Then he inhaled. Exhaled. Stepped forward.
Voice quiet. Steady.
"The Opposition has painted struggle as necessary. We agree. But not all struggle is educational."
He let that sit.
"Let me be clear. We are not claiming effort is bad. We are claiming misdirected effort is wasteful. Homework, in its current form, too often rewards repetition, not understanding."
Point One: False Equivalence.
"Discipline from homework is not discipline from purpose. It is mimicry. Rote without reflection. Repetition that becomes habit without evaluation becomes noise."
Point Two: Selective Tradition.
"Yes, homework can encourage parental involvement. But what about when it doesn't? What about students with multiple siblings? Students with absent guardians? We cannot measure effort in a system built on assumed support."
He looked up.
"That's not discipline. That's inherited advantage."
Point Three: Learning From, Not Copying.
"The Opposition tells you Finland is not Japan. We agree. But that doesn't mean their data is invalid. We're not copying a culture. We're learning from evidence.
Data on retention, student well-being, and teacher efficiency shows consistent results when homework is reduced. These are not abstract theories. They are measured, peer-reviewed findings."
He held the podium tighter now. The words had come. The fear hadn't.
"The first speaker argued we are removing rigor. We're not. We're replacing repetition with relevance.
We are not against hard work. We are against unmeasured, unchecked labor that benefits few and burdens many."
Closing tone. Steady.
"We're not abolishing homework to escape effort. We're abolishing it to restore meaning. And there is nothing lazy about that."
He bowed. Stepped back.
(Kotarō Internal)
"I said what I needed to. Even if it cracks. It was mine."_
Chapter End