GOOD DEBATE TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION IN MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS IN 2024

What type of phobia is most prevalent in the US? Snakes? Aircraft? Insects? Speaking in public? Ding, ding, ding! You’re exactly on target if you selected the latter. A Washington Post story states that 28% of respondents are more afraid of public speaking than anything else. Even though it can be frightening, public speaking is an important ability that helps students in high school and beyond. Therefore, engaging in the age-old activity of public forum debate, which tackles contentious debate themes ranging from the use of ChatGPT on academics to whether TikTok should be outlawed, is one way for high school students to hone their public speaking abilities. (Interesting fact: The craft of debate has roots in the teachings of Socrates! How’s that for time-tested?)

All students can practice vital life skills, such conducting research, putting together logical and convincing arguments, and learning how to tackle difficult contemporary issues, through debate. Furthermore, debating can promote peer collaboration, confidence-building, and the development of pupils into knowledgeable members of the community. Who knows? A successful time spent on the debate team in high school may serve as the impetus for a job in law, international relations, or public policy.

What makes a good debate topic?

Excellent query! The perfect debate topic should be relevant to the lives of the students, complicated enough to encourage an active conversation, and full of data and evidence, both pro and con, that students can use to back up their arguments.

You may wish to conduct some preliminary research to see what is available before deciding on a topic. Recall that you can be imaginative! For instance, you could find it difficult to locate research that specifically address the topic of your paper, “Students should be allowed to wear pajamas to class.” However, if you looked into related subjects like “effect of clothing on productivity” or “effect of clothing on mental state,” you would discover a lot of data to start building your argument.

After discussing the fundamentals, let’s move on to some excellent argument subjects for high school students (as well as some themes for middle school students!).

High School Education Debate Topics

Standardized examinations such as the ACT and SAT should not be used by colleges to determine admittance.
Students should be able to use ChatGPT in the classroom to complete homework and write essays.
Every public school ought to implement a pass/fail grading scheme.
School districts ought to permit book bans in their libraries.
Higher education ought to be accessible to all students at no cost.
Pajamas should be permitted for students to wear to class.
A shorter school day might be advantageous for the students.
Requirements for physical education should be dropped in schools.
Before graduating, all students ought to complete a financial literacy course.
Schools ought to permit teachers to carry firearms for self-defense.
Cell phone use in class should be forbidden by teachers.
Classes in high school ought to begin later in the morning.
Health education ought to be discontinued and given to parents instead.
Basic survival skills ought to be taught in schools.
The humanities and arts departments should be reduced in favor of STEM departments in schools.
One type of propaganda is the Pledge of Allegiance.
Period products ought to be offered in school restrooms at no cost.

High School Government Debate Topics

The voting age should be lowered to 16 by the government.
The US ought to implement a national healthcare program.
In democratic societies, censorship is occasionally acceptable.
Freedom of speech legislation ought to protect hate speech.
The government ought to make up for historical bigotry and slavery.
The US ought to enact a carbon price to help combat climate change.
The United States should take steps to disarm its nuclear arsenal.
The US ought to go to a popular vote system and do away with the Electoral College.
Voting by inmates should be permitted by the government.
Our prison system needs to be revised so that rehabilitation takes precedence over punishment.
It should be mandatory for everyone to serve in the armed forces.
There ought to be sanctuary cities in every state.
Death row inmates ought to be limited to a year’s stay.
The sex offender registry should not be accessible to the general public.
Education about parenting ought to be required.
Government-proclaimed holidays based on religion ought to be discontinued.
DNA from genealogical databases shouldn’t be accessible to state and federal investigators.
The government ought to provide remuneration to parents who choose to stay at home.
Amnesty for undocumented immigrants ought to be easily accessible.

High school debate topics related to science and technology

Social media corporations are accountable for controlling hate speech on their networks.
The application of facial recognition technology in public areas needs to be prohibited by law.
Social media corporations should be held accountable by the government for monitoring the dissemination of false information on their platforms.
To safeguard user privacy, social media use should be governed by laws.
Every social media business ought to be open about the kinds of user data they gather and the purposes for which they utilize it.
Social media is making it more difficult for us to build deep relationships with other people.
The age at which users can access social media platforms ought to be limited.
To avoid a significant loss of jobs in the workplace due to AI, the government should develop regulations governing the technology.
The authority to control the content of websites like YouTube and TikTok should belong to the government.
Reddit and Twitter, among other websites, ought to ban anonymous posting.
Social media influencers ought to be compelled to disclose sponsored content.
AI-powered artists ought to be prohibited from participating in art competitions and contests.
Automakers bear liability for collisions involving self-driving vehicles.
It is not sustainable to drive an electric automobile.
It shouldn’t be permitted for parents to share pictures of their kids online without the kids’ permission.
Anytime you want to record someone, you should be able to do it with or without their consent.
High school debate topics on health and bioethics
It is never moral to utilize performance-enhancing substances in sports.
It should be illegal to employ GMOs in any kind of agriculture.
Human cloning is morally acceptable.
All narcotics should be made legal by the government and subject to the same taxes as alcohol and tobacco.
Over-the-counter birth control should be sold by pharmacies.
Animal testing for medical research need to be prohibited.
Governments ought to forbid physicians from writing prescriptions for placebos.
It is time for the US to allow physician assisted suicide.
All babies should be required to undergo genetic testing.
Refusing medical treatments should be a right for patients.
The application of pesticides and other chemicals in agriculture ought to be governed by law.
Vaccinations ought to be required by law.
The US ought to make greater investments in renewable energy sources to combat climate change.
Mail-order abortion pills should be available in every state.
All restaurants should be required to print calorie counts on their menus.
IVF embryos should be considered children.
Embalming bodies should be banned.
We should resurrect extinct species.

High School Pop Culture Debate Topics

A skewed picture of reality is presented on reality TV.
Watching TV on a binge is bad for our mental health.
The content that video games depict ought to be restricted.
One example of cultural appropriation is cosplay.
Actors portraying roles of different racial and cultural backgrounds are immoral.
There should be a diversity quota that award events like the Oscars must adhere to.
Cancel culture is more detrimental than beneficial.
It is appropriate to hold celebrities to a higher standard of conduct than the ordinary public.
Rap music has a beneficial impact on society.
The wellbeing of celebrities is negatively impacted by the paparazzi.
Literature is not what graphic novels are.
Literary literature has greater value than genre writing.

Interesting Topics for Debate

Becoming knowledgeable about several subjects is preferable to becoming an expert on only one.
It is appropriate to allow emojis in official correspondence.
Possessing the ability to teleport is preferable to being invisible.
In emails and texts, exclamation points are being utilized excessively.
Fast food establishments ought to provide a vegan choice by default.
Success depends more on innate skill than on effort.
Technically, cereal is a type of soup.
Pizza should contain pineapples.
The Marvel superhero franchise is superior to the DC one.
Rolling toilet paper over is preferable to rolling it under.
Fashion styles from the past shouldn’t resurface.
Sandwiches are hot dogs.

High school business debate topics

The minimum wage ought to be raised by the government.
A fair society requires a universal basic income.
Unpaid internships should be outlawed by the government.
Like with traditional currencies, cryptocurrencies should be governed by the government.
Companies should be encouraged by the government to hire more women and minorities.
Businesses ought to be compelled to reveal their gender pay disparity.
The United States ought to implement a flat tax.
There should be a formal diversity quota on company boards.
Every business that can, should switch to a work-from-home policy.
Companies that choose to go green should receive financial incentives from the government.
Regardless of gender, employers should be required to offer their staff at least three months of paid parental leave.
Companies ought to be required by law to reveal their carbon footprint.
20% is the standard tip for patrons of food service establishments.
A commensurate amount of paid leave ought to be granted to individuals who opt not to have children.
Millionaires ought to be obligated to make a yearly contribution to charity causes.
It should be illegal to fish for profit.
Clothing made abroad shouldn’t be permitted by fashion corporations.

I’ve chosen my topic; what next?

After deciding on a debate topic, you need to get ready. A few crucial procedures must be followed in order to ensure that your argument is as strong and compelling as possible when preparing for a debate.

1) Start by doing some research.

Read widely and intelligently. As you proceed, make systematic notes and note the sources of each; they will come in handy later on when you’re developing your case and need points of reference. Investigate any counterarguments you come across.

2) Put your ideas into a logical order.

After reviewing the information you’ve gathered, choose your position. First and foremost, your stance must to be clear in a single, concise line. Next, formulate a logically coherent argument. Which arguments do you think are most compelling to support your position? To ensure that your point is still fresh in the memory of your audience, you might choose to arrange your strongest or most thought-provoking arguments last.

Additionally, use signposts to identify the direction of your claim so that your listeners can follow along with you. Consider this as the foundation for your thesis. “I will discuss points A, B, and C in this argument.”

3) Put your thoughts on paper.

Describe the key elements of your position. List the most important pieces of evidence that you have to back up your claims under each section. After that, try to condense the bullet point into a single word or phrase. In this manner, you can quickly look down and utilize that sentence to jog your memory when you’re in a pinch.

4) Prepare yourself for what your opponents may say.

This is necessary to create an argument that is impenetrable. First, attempt to view the discussion from the side of the rival team. Next, consider the following: What arguments would you make if you were on their side of the argument? What is the logical argument against your assertion, and how can you disprove it? You want to eliminate any possibility that your opponent could catch you off guard.

5) Get in motion!

Go over your intended message one more and then again. Take out the recorder and play back a tape that you made of yourself. Does your reasoning make sense? Work on your flow, clarity, and speed. Furthermore, memorizing can assist you eliminate whatever nervousness you may be experiencing at that very moment.

Concluding Remarks

To sum up, debating is a great technique for high school students to improve their communication abilities. Additionally, by putting the strategies outlined here, students will be better prepared to tackle debates with confidence, assured that they’ve put in the work to convey their ideas effectively and with success.