It can be tempting to steer away from controversial topics in the classroom. But teaching students to discuss hot topics calmly and rationally is vital. Show them how to think critically about a subject and then use facts to support their point of view. These controversial topics work well for classroom debates, persuasive essays, argumentative essays, or fishbowl discussions.
Note: Each controversial topic includes a link to an article from a reliable source that provides pros and/or cons to help students make their arguments.
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Debate Extension Activity
Debating is a great way for students to hone critical thinking and communication skills, but it doesn’t need to stop at the podium. Encourage your students to turn their debates into action with The Edit, a digital storytelling challenge from NBCU Academy and Adobe. This real-world application encourages students to plan, script, and produce their own 90-second video news reports on important wellness topics. Plus, winning classrooms can score prizes like GoPros and Fandango gift cards!
Free Printable Debate Graphic Organizers
Plus, help your students prep for any kind of debate with our free graphic organizers! You get debate rules and strategies, along with differentiated organizers for elementary and middle/high school students.
Education Controversial Debate Topics
Schools and educational materials have been controversial topics for hundreds of years. And no one is better poised to debate these issues than students! It’s a good opportunity for them to practice swaying an audience without letting their own emotions get in the way.
- Should schools eliminate dress codes?
- Should students be required to wear school uniforms?
- Are private schools better than public schools?
- Should schools be allowed to teach critical race theory?
- Are standardized tests effective?
- Should schools teach abstinence instead of sexual education?
- Should schools make condoms available to students?
- Is year-round school better for students?
- Should schools ban junk food?
- Are single-gender schools better for students?
- Is it ever OK to cheat on homework or a test?
- Should we make college free for everyone?
- Should we allow schools to ban books from their libraries?
- Does religion have a place in public schools?
- Should charter schools receive public school funds?
- Are school voucher systems a good idea?
- Is in-person school better than online school?
- Should schools have surveillance cameras in classrooms and hallways?
- Should schools install safe rooms in case of mass shootings or natural disasters?
- Should all teachers be armed in the classroom to help protect their students?
- Is it important for schools to provide mental health support to students?
- Should schools allow students to use phones during the school day?
- Is recess important at every grade level?
- Should we put equal value on vocational education and academics?
- Is homeschooling good for children?
- How much emphasis should school put on reading from the “canon” versus reading more contemporary voices?
Science and Health Controversial Issues
Many people have strong feelings about their health, bodies, and lifestyles, making controversial ideas like the ones here perfect for sparking vigorous debates.
- Should we completely ban cigarette smoking and vaping?
- Should humans eat animals?
- Is it OK to keep animals in zoos?
- Should we ban plastic bottles and bags?
- Is it worth it to spend money exploring space?
- Should we use stem cells from human embryos for scientific research?
- Is it better to provide drug addicts with treatment instead of punishment?
- Should we ban the use of fossil fuels?
- Should assisted suicide be legal?
- Will expanded use of artificial intelligence be good for humanity?
- Are evolution and intelligent design valid competing theories?
- Should all countries have to give up their nuclear weapons?
- Is universal government-sponsored healthcare a good idea?
- Should we ban testing on animals?
- Should net neutrality be mandatory for internet service providers?
- Is our society too reliant on technology?
- Would taxing unhealthy foods help fight obesity?
- Can alternative energies replace fossil fuels?
- Should developing countries have to meet the same environmental standards as more developed nations?
- Is nurture more important than nature when raising a child?
- Can we truly do anything about human-caused global warming?
- Are electric vehicles better than gas-powered ones?
- Does our society have a harmful “diet culture”?
- Should doctors be allowed to prescribe psychiatric drugs like Ritalin or SSRIs to children?
- Should vaccines be mandatory?
- Are GMOs more helpful than harmful?
- Should governments subsidize technologies like electric cars or solar panels for houses?
- Is animal cloning ethical?
- Should human cloning be legal?
- Should organ donation be mandatory after death?
Civics Controversial Debate Topics
Living with others in a society has both great benefits and serious challenges. Finding common ground is especially difficult with controversial issues like these, but learning to debate things calmly and rationally is an incredibly important skill.
- Should we raise the driving age to 18?
- Should we lower the voting age to 16?
- Should we lower the drinking age to 18?
- Is democracy the best form of government?
- Should all Americans be required to vote?
- Is a progressive income tax better than a flat tax?
- Should parents be punished legally for their children’s crimes?
- Is security more important than freedom?
- Should abortion rights be protected under the law along with other reproductive rights?
- Would it be better to appoint Supreme Court judges for fixed terms?
- Should people have to take a parenting class before having a child?
- Should we legalize marijuana at the federal level?
- Would it be better to legalize, tax, and regulate all drugs (including alcohol) instead of banning them?
- Should the United States implement a universal basic income?
- Should we redirect some or all police force funding to social services?
- Do gun safety laws infringe on the Second Amendment?
- Should we require people of all genders to register for the draft?
- Should anyone over 12 be tried as an adult in court?
- Is it right to require people to take drug tests before receiving government aid like welfare?
- Should we do away with gender-specific public bathrooms?
- Is the local minimum wage truly a living wage?
- Why haven’t we had a female U.S. president yet?
- Should men be allowed to make laws that affect women’s bodies?
- Should the government provide funding for public art programs?
- Are there any reasonable limits to freedom of speech?
Social Justice Controversial Ideas
Awaken your students’ social consciences with controversies like the death penalty, racial equality and equity, immigration, and more. These are likely to be some of the hottest debates you see, so help students keep their objectivity and learn to argue using verifiable facts instead of personal emotion.
- Should we make the path to American citizenship easier?
- Should we abolish the death penalty?
- Is a strong middle class vital to the economy?
- Should transgender athletes be allowed to compete in sports according to their gender identity?
- Is criminal profiling inherently racist?
- Is the American justice system inherently racist?
- Would a “wealth tax” help mitigate income inequality in our country?
- How much of a problem is ageism in our society?
- Should felons be allowed to vote after serving their time in prison?
- Does socioeconomic prejudice affect our society?
- Should we automatically deport undocumented immigrants, regardless of how long they’ve been in the country?
- Should control of ancestral lands be returned to Indigenous communities?
- What is the role of media in fighting systemic racism?
- Should the government pay reparations to descendants of enslaved people?
- Is facial recognition security software an invasion of personal privacy?
- Should workers’ rights provisions be required in all U.S. trade agreements?
- Does segregation still exist in the United States?
- Should the UN require all member countries to accept a minimum number of refugees each year?
- Will stricter gun control laws help stop mass shootings?
- Is it logical to continue building a wall between the United States and Mexico?
More Controversial Issues To Debate
From peace vs. war to whether kids should play contact sports, every student will find something to interest them in these debate topics.
- Are white-collar jobs better than blue-collar jobs?
- Does religion do more harm than good?
- Will we ever achieve world peace?
- Should parents use their kids’ cell phones to track where they are?
- Should we let young children play contact sports like football?
- Are the prices of pharmaceutical drugs reasonable?
- Should we ban all violent video games?
- Are beauty pageants sexist?
- Should kids get participation trophies for sports?
- Should there be a minimum age for owning a smartphone?
- Is it possible to be an ethical hunter?
- What is the best way to deal with homelessness?
- Do people have a responsibility to step in when they see a crime in action?
- Are “stand your ground” laws effective?
- Is there any benefit to teaching proper grammar and spelling, or should we allow language to be descriptive instead of prescriptive?
- What gives people true power in the United States?
- Is conflict necessary for change?
- Is war ever justified?
- Was Russia justified in attacking Ukraine?
- Should media companies work to promote diverse representation, or are talent and popularity more important?
- Should both parents receive equal amounts of paid leave when they have or adopt a child?
- Are stereotypes ever right?
- Who should cover the medical costs of people without insurance?
- Is video gaming a sport?
- Should we allow parents to pierce a baby’s ears?
Grab your free Debate Graphic Organizers for all grade levels!
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