Debate Project

Debate Groups: Two v. Two/Three

1. Select a Topic

2. Decide which students will be on which team of two/three.

3. Decide which team will take which side of the topic. 

4. Research your side

5. Research the opposing viewpoint.

💻Technology:

• Should the government implement age verification & time limits on social media to protect the mental health of minors?

• Should "Deepfake" technology be illegal to create, even for entertainment (First Amendment vs. massive risk and consequences of misinformation, harassment)?

🏫School & College:

• Should the SAT/ACT be permanently eliminated as a requirement for college admissions?

• Is a four-year college degree still worth the cost for the majority of high school graduates?

• Should every high school curriculum require students to pass a course on personal finance, budgeting, and tax preparation before graduation?

⚽Sports:

• Should high school athletes be allowed to sign NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) deals? Does it help students prepare for the pros, or does it ruin the "amateur" spirit of high school sports?

• Is the "Professionalization" of youth sports harmful to children (year-round travel/specialization vs. playing for fun)?

• Should sports betting apps be banned from advertising during live broadcasts or is the "gamification" of sports creating a generation of teenage gamblers?

• Should the Olympics permanently host the games in one location (e.g., Greece) to prevent economic and environmental waste? 

🌎Environment & Animals:

• Are the benefits of zoos worth the costs?

• Are single-use plastic bans an unfair burden, or a necessary tool to force a shift away from a "throwaway" culture?

• Should "Fast Fashion" companies (like Shein or Temu) be held legally responsible for their environmental impact? 

🩺Health:

• Should the government guarantee universal access to healthcare for all citizens, or should it maintain a system based primarily on private insurance?

• Should high schools be legally required to implement a later start time to align with adolescent sleep cycles?

• Should schools ban the sale of all sugar-sweetened beverages and snack foods to promote better health?

• Should high school students be required to pass a mandatory physical fitness test to graduate?

💰Business & Finance:

• Should minimum wage be tied to cost of living in each state, rather than a single national standard?

• Would a mandatory four-day, 32-hour work week increase overall worker productivity and well-being?

• Is "Influencer" a legitimate and sustainable career path? 

• Should businesses be allowed to use "AI Hiring Managers" to screen resumes and conduct first-round interviews?