On-Line Student Debate: Topics

 

Elementary Level Debate Topics:

 
Speech/Press
E1-Resolved: school principals should have greater control over the content of school publications.

E2-Resolved: there should be greater control by government over music (sex and violence).

E3-Resolved: there should be restrictions on what can be seen or heard on the internet.

E4-Resolved: there should be laws that ban media photographs of people without their permission.

E5-Resolved: there should be laws against flag-burning.
 
 

Religion
E6- Resolved: public schools should allow religious groups to use its facilities after school hours.

E7-Resolved: public schools should allow for a moment of silence and/or prayer.

E8-Resolved: religious leaders should be allowed to speak at graduations.

E9-Resolved: students who refuse to salute the U.S. flag should be suspended.

E10- Resolved: the government should prosecute parents who endanger their child’s life by denying the child medical treatment because of the parents’ religious beliefs.
 
 

Middle School Debate Topics:

 
Criminal Due Process
M1-Resolved: the government should provide a free attorney in all criminal cases.

M2-Resolved: the exclusionary rule should be weakened.

M3-Resolved: police officers should have greater leeway in car searches.

M4-Resolved: the death penalty should be abolished.

M5-Resolved: "three strikes" laws (a life sentence after third felony conviction) should be enacted.
 
 

Student/Youth Due Process
M6-Resolved: student speech should be more restricted (regulated) than other speech.

M7-Resolved: school officials should be allowed to conduct routine locker searches for weapons and/or drug.

M8-Resolved: youths who commit crimes should be treated like adults.

M9-Resolved: corporal punishment should be used for discipline in public schools.

M10-Resolved: public schools be able to require all students to wear uniforms.
 
 

High School Topics:

 
Equal Protection-Race
H1-Resolved: there should be affirmative action when laying off an employee (The Piscataway case).

H2-Resolved: there be should affirmative action in school admissions policies (Bakke and Hopwood).

H3-Resolved: laws restricting immigration should be strengthened.

H4-Resolved: electoral districts should be drawn to favor one race or another.

H5-Resolved: standardized tests should be the main criteria for judging candidates for school admission.
 
 

Equal Protection-Gender
H6-Resolved: there should be equal funding for mens and women’s sports in schools.

H7-Resolved: single sex institutions should receive public funding.

H8-Resolved: there should be restrictions on pornography and/or advertising.

H9-Resolved: women in the military should be held to the same standards as men.

H10-Resolved: affirmative action policies should apply to women.