Coach Jim Menick has made an interesting observation on his blog, Coachean Life, about the educational value of Public Forum Debate.

Anyhow, PF does keep our minds, if not our souls, fresh, by forcing focused research after focused research. In the end, the Pffffters may graduate high school as our most educated students (along with, arguably, the Extempers).

You should definitely visit Coachean Life to read his complete commentary. The comparison to LD is interesting.