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Debate Topics Side I
Animal testing: Is it morally acceptable to experiment on animals for human
purposes?
Death penalty: Is the death penalty justified?
Higher taxes on the wealthy: Should the wealthy pay higher taxes?
Animal rights: Do non-human animals have rights?
Euthanasia: Should euthanasia or assisted suicide be legalized?
Genetic Screening: Should parents be allowed to perform "genetic
screening", selecting healthier or more desirable embryos to give birth to?
Goat, give at Christmas: Is it a good idea to give as gifts the donation of farm
animals for developing world communities?
Lowering drinking age from 21 to 18 in the USA: Should the United States
lower its drinking age from 21 to 18?
Parental Responsibility: Should parents be held morally and legally
responsible for the actions/needs of their children?
Private schools vs. public schools: Are private schools better than public
schools?
No Child Left Behind Act: Is the No Child Left Behind education law in
America a good policy and worth continuing?
Education vouchers: Are education vouchers good public policy?
School uniforms: Should schools require their students to wear a school
uniform?
Single-sex schools: Are single sex schools a good idea?
Banning cell phones in schools: Is it justified to ban cell phones in schools?
Creationism vs evolution in schools: Should public schools teach creationism
alongside evolution in science classes?
Drug-Testing in Schools: Should school students face mandatory drug-tests?
Home Schooling: Do parents have the right to home school their children?
Parental right to see student grades: Do parents that pay the university
tuition of their children have the right to see their children's grades? Do they
have the right to set performance benchmarks?
Student Lockers, school right to search: Do schools have the right to search
students’ lockers?
Gun Control: Should laws be passed to limit gun ownership further?
Nationalization of banks during economic crisis: Are nations justified in
nationalizing failing banks in the 2009/2009 economic crisis?
Myspace is your space: It is ethical for colleges, parents, or employers to get
information about people from social networking websites
Should illegal immigrants be deported from the United States?
Iraq timetable withdrawal: Is a timetable withdrawal a good approach to
withdrawing from Iraq?
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Debate Topics Side II
Health care, universal: Is single-payer (government-funded) free universal
health care a good idea?
Nuclear energy: Should nuclear energy be a central part of plans to combat
global climate change?
Global warming, chiefly human-caused?: Is global warming chiefly caused
by humans or by natural phenomenon?
Vegetarianism: Should humans stop eating animals and become
vegetarians?
Withdrawing from Iraq: Should troops be withdrawn from Iraq immediately,
and before conditions improve?
Illegal immigrants and drivers licenses in the US: Should illegal immigrants
in the United States be allowed to obtain drivers licenses?
Drugs, legalization of: Should governments legalize all drugs?
Gangsta Rap, Censorship of: Should the government censor lyrics of songs
that are violent or expletive, for example “gangsta” rap?
Capitalism vs Socialism: Which is the superior system – capitalism, or
socialism?
Lifetime ban of athletes using drugs in sports: Should we Impose a lifetime
ban on sports people caught using drugs?
Electric cars: Should electric cars be a priority in plans to fight global
warming?
Child Curfews: Should young people be subjected to night-time curfews as a
way to reduce crime?
Hybrid vehicles: Should hybrid vehicles be a major part of plans to fight
global climate change?
DNA Database for Criminals: Should we create a database of DNA that can
be used by police authorities in order to apprehend criminals?
Video Games: Should we ban or restrict the sale and use of violent video
games?
Internet Censorship: Should governments censor material on the world wide
web?
Sale of human organs: Should the sale of human organs be legal?
Tomato:Fruit or Vegetable?: Is the tomato a fruit?
Working Mothers: Should mothers stay at home to raise their children?
Minimum Voting Age of 16 from 18: Should the minimum voting age be
reduced to 16, or remain at 18?
Discrimination: Should age discrimination be made illegal in the workplace?
Chicken or the egg: Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
Child Performers, Banning: Should children be allowed to work in the
performing arts or professional sports?
Should the Internet be free?: Should access to the Internet be made free for
users?
Working Hours, Maximum Weekly: Should there be a legally mandated
ceiling on weekly working hours?
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Debate Speech Options
Basic – Proficient Level
1. Should your class be permitted to go on a field trip this year?
2. Should students be required to wear uniforms at school?
3. Should you be permitted to choose whatever clothes you want to wear outside of school?
4. Should you be permitted to have a job such as mowing yards or baby-sitting if your grades
are poor?
5. Should you be permitted to purchase or buy whatever you want to with your own money or
allowance?
6. Should you be permitted to get any style of haircut you want?
7. Should you be permitted to have a birthday party and invite friends other than family?
8. Should you be allowed to go anywhere you want to with your friends?
9. Should you be given an allowance or maybe an increase in the amount of your allowance?
10. Should you be permitted to go to a PG-13 or R rated movie?
11. Should you be permitted to have or attend a sleep-over party?
12. Should you be permitted to have a pet?
13. Should you be permitted to join any group you want to--basketball, soccer, girl scouts,
martial arts, or others?
14. Should you be required to do chores around the house? Which jobs?
15. Should you be permitted to have your own bedroom?
16. Should you have to dress up for those special occasions that your parents feel are
important?
17. Should you be allowed to take up any hobby that you want to?
18. Should you be allowed to take lessons to play any musical instrument you like?
19. Should you be allowed to stay home when the family goes to visit someone for the day?
20. Should you be permitted to have a TV in your bedroom?
21. Should you be allowed to have your ears pierced or maybe pierce other body parts?
22. Should you be allowed to get a tattoo?
23. Should you be required to wear mandatory bicycle helmets?
24. Should you have homework assignments every night?
25. Should there be corporal punishment at school?
26. Does society have a right to put someone to death?
27. Should you have a curfew? If so, what time and on what days?
28. Should the cafeteria offer fast food lunches instead of cafeteria food.
29. Should school hours be changed to 12:00 to 6:00 pm.
30. Should students be allowed to bring their pets to school.
31. Why their favorite book is better than one the school makes them read.
32. Why they should have the freedom to choose their own bedtime.
33. Why they should be able to watch a certain program.
34. Why they should raise or lower the age to vote, smoke or drink.
35. Should kids between the ages of ten and thirteen be dropped off at the mall without adult
supervision?
36. Should skateboards be allowed on sidewalks?
37. Should animals be used for scientific experimentation?
38. Should Pokemon cardds be allowed in schools?
Ann, the above Debate Topic
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