The following discussion is an archived debate of the proposed deletion of the article below. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this page.
The result was Keep. Peacent 02:16, 21 June 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Non-notable marketing organization. Corvus cornix 20:23, 15 June 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Keep DECA is a fairly large student organization that exists in thousands of high schools and colleges throughout the United States (and a limited number in some other countries and US territories). DECA (and other student organizations like FFA, FBLA-PBL, HOSA, etc.) faces the issue that it's hard to prove the notability of the organization because you never really hear about the national organization, but you always hear about the local chapters who are doing things in the community. Metros 20:27, 15 June 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Metros, I respect your opinion, but there are no claims of notability in this article, whatsoever. Corvus cornix 21:07, 15 June 2007 (UTC)[reply]
I've added one. It is one of only ten organizations to be recognized as student organizations by the Department of Education (see http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ovae/pi/cte/vso.html). Granted this is only one reference for now, but I think it shows a pretty strong case for notability. Metros 21:19, 15 June 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Keep, this is a student mentoring organization similar to Junior Achievement. BusinessWeek capsule. It's easy enough to find articles about individual chapters, a bit harder to find an overview. But it's been around for 60 years and operates in every one of the 50 states. --Dhartung | Talk 21:16, 15 June 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Still no claims of notability in the article. Corvus cornix 21:18, 15 June 2007 (UTC)[reply]
AFD is not cleanup. Perhaps you could speak to the question of notability, instead of wikilawyering. --Dhartung | Talk 21:23, 15 June 2007 (UTC)[reply]
In what way am I wikilawyering? By all rights, I should have listed it for speedy deletion as a non-notable organization whose article makes no claims of notability, but I listed it for AfD so that other eyes could see it. WP:AGF. Corvus cornix 22:40, 15 June 2007 (UTC)[reply]
'Keep for now per Metros; I'm inclined to give the article the benefit of the doubt for now. It definitely requires substantial copyediting and referencing, however. --Nonstopdrivel 00:51, 16 June 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Comment I can agree with Corvus's concerns, this article makes a poor show of establishing the notability of the subject. Some third-party coverage would be appropriate to establishing the notability of this organization. FrozenPurpleCube 01:33, 16 June 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Keep. Metros' addition of the Department of Education link asserts the notability of the organization. I agree that it's given short shrift in the article, but that's cause for expanding the article, not deleting it. —C.Fred (talk) 03:18, 16 June 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Keep. I know that numbers aren't everything by any stretch of the imagination, but [1] asserts 172,000 students in 4,500 High Schools, and [2] asserts 13,000 students at 200 college campuses. From WP:CORP, "Organizations are usually notable if the scope of activities are national or international in scale and information can be verified by sources that are reliable and independent of the organization. In other words, they satisfy the primary criterion above." While the above are primary and dependent sources (and so more would be required,) is there really any doubt that DECA/DEX is an organization that is national in scale? I'd say that this is a case for a reasonable exception / strong encouragement to locate secondary sources that would lock notability completely. LaughingVulcan 04:26, 16 June 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Delete. Not a single external source; I wouldnt say it's recognized by the US office, but simply listed--the page simply reprints their blurb. But in order to improve the article so that maybe it will be kept, I removed a good deal of the puffery and excess detail.DGG 08:07, 17 June 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Keep. I'm surprised that this article would be deleted without checking for external sources first. I say we give it some time, because DECA has been an official non-profit organization in the United States for over 60 years. "DECA Inc. is a nonpartisan, non–sectarian 501(c)(3) association of students, teachers, and administrators and is recognized and endorsed by all 50 state departments of education and the U.S. Department of Education." That may be from their website, but I work for one of the state chapters, and we have the photographs and documents that back all of this up. Anyway, I'll locate some press articles and other references and post them here within the next few days. NOTE: DECA is listed on many High School websites such as this: http://www.wayne.k12.in.us/bdecac/info.htm I don't know if this helps prove any validity, but the associated schools certainly are an external source. Here's a book: http://www.amazon.com/DECA-Continuing-Excellence-Robert-Berns/dp/0965180999/ref=sr_1_1/103-1162646-9711822?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1182184064&sr=8-1 by this guy: http://www.bgsu.edu/colleges/edhd/stl/bios/rberns.html
What do you mean, "give it some time"? The article has been here for two and a half years. Corvus cornix 16:43, 18 June 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Why are you so bent on deleting it? It's a fact that it's an organization, and the article simply states that with links to the pages.
The problem with the book you gave the Amazon link to is that it is published by DECA, and thus is not an independent source. (Please keep in mind that I'm on the Keep side of this. While I can see good faith in the nomination, to me deleting this is equivalent to saying that the article on Boy Scouts of America should be deleted, though that article is better sourced. But I had to note the above.) LaughingVulcan 22:16, 18 June 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Keep - This article is definitely about a notable organization, whether it boasts it or not, between the events, teaching, books, recognition, and oppurtunities it offers, I completely agree with LaughingVulcan, it's like putting Boy Scouts of America up for Deletion Redian(Talk) 02:15, 21 June 2007 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the debate. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this page.