This article massively misses the point.

Debate teaches you how to think. Teaches you how to respond to arguments efficiently and concisely and how to organize information.

I regard HS Debate as the best times of my life. The insane amount of stuff you learn is just crazy. What other activities are there that exposes you non stop to political critique, current events, history, energy policy and puts you in contact with some extremely smart people?

And if you really hate it, there is nothing stopping you from running K's and stuff. Most were really stupid, but at the very least it teaches how to argue against irrational/stupid arguments in a practical manner.