Debates have been a cornerstone of intellectual and rhetorical development since ancient times. As educators, we have a unique opportunity and responsibility to nurture a culture of debate in our classrooms.
Besides sharpen students’ speaking and rhetorical skills, debates also enhance their research abilities and expand their knowledge base. In this era where education discussions and educational debates are increasingly important, the art of debating becomes an essential skill for our students.
Our focus today is on a variety of education debate topics especially suited for high school and college students. These topics are designed to spark deep, meaningful discussions and challenge students to articulate their viewpoints while respecting others’ perspectives.
From the latest in internet and technology debates to thought-provoking education and learning debates, and from culturally significant social debates to the pressing political debates of our time, this post covers it all.
Education Debate Topics for Students
The purpose of this post is to share with you this collection of debate topics that you can use as prompts to deep and meaningful discussions with your students (especially ideal for high school or college students).
For practical reasons, I organized these debate topics into 3 broad categories: Internet and Technology debate topics, Education and Learning debate topics, Social and Cultural debate topics, and Political debate topics.
Internet and Technology Debate Topics
This category explores a range of contemporary issues that students encounter daily. From the impact of social media to the ethical considerations of artificial intelligence, these debate topics encourage students to critically analyze the technological world they are growing up in. They provide a platform for discussing how digital advancements are reshaping society, education, and personal interactions.
1. Should mobile phones be banned in schools?
2. Should parents limit kids’ screen time?
3. To what extent can parents control their kids’ mobile devices?
4. Should schools ban/allow access to social media websites ?
5. Should teens be allowed to play violent video games, why or why not?
6. Which do you prefer: to socialize online or hang out with friends in real life?
7. Are social media websites making people asocial?
8. Spending more time online makes people dumb/smart.
9. The Internet is eliminating more jobs than it provides.
10. Using the Internet for help with homework is cheating.
11. Technology is revolutionizing our life. Yes or no and why.
12. Kids should be allowed to interact with digital technology from an early age.
13. Artificial intelligence technology encourages cheating.
14. Robots will soon take all human jobs.
15. Self-driving cars should be banned.
16. Laws still have not caught up with cyber-crimes.
Related:70 of the most controversial topics of our time
Education and Learning Debate TopicsÂ
This category delves into various aspects of the educational system, questioning its current state and future direction. Topics range from the value of academic degrees to the effectiveness of different teaching methods. These debates challenge students to think about the role of education in shaping individuals and consider how it can be adapted to meet the needs of the 21st century.
17. What is the real value of academic education?
18. Are academic degrees worth the pain and hassle?
19. Should higher education be totally free? Why or why not?
20. Online academic and scholarly literature should be/shouldn’t be free. Why?
21. Post-pandemic classrooms are different from the pre-pandemic ones. Do you agree?
22. 21st century teaching/education/schools/classrooms are different. Do you agree?
23. What skills should every 21st century teacher master?
24. What do you think of school segregation?
25. School staff and teachers should be allowed to carry guns.
26. Which do you prefer studying at home, in class, or in a hybrid (flipped) setting? Why?
27. What do you think about online teaching?
28. Should homework be abolished?
29. Athletics is the least important subject in school.
30. Smart students occupy the front rows in class.
31. Should Teachers have a uniform dress code?
32. Sex education should/shouldn’t be taught in schools.
33. Recess periods should be longer.
34. Standardized tests should be banned.
35. Students should be allowed to eat in class.
36. STEM subjects are more important than other school subjects.
37. Schools should/should not be given the freedom to ban books from their libraries.
38. Which do you prefer, reading a book or watching its movie version? Why?
39. Is reading non-fiction a waste of time?
Social and Cultural Debate Topics
This category includes topics that touch upon important societal themes like racial equality, gender roles, and ethical dilemmas. These debates encourage students to reflect on their values and the societal norms that shape our world. They offer a space for discussing how cultural and social dynamics influence individual and collective behavior.
40. What do you think of defunding the police?
41. Social, racial and linguistic profiling increases crime rate.
42. Should the government control people’s choices of whether to have an abortion or not?
43. Should same sex marriage be legalized?
44. Does bad parenting contribute to teens’ delinquency?
45. Should people be allowed to wear religious symbols in public?
46. Are you with or against euthanasia and assisted suicide?
47. Are you with or against government policing of social media websites?
48. Does social media contribute to the rise of hate crimes and crimes against minorities?
49. Are you with or against social media websites collecting users personal data and selling it to advertising companies?
50. Eating meat unethical?
51. Money does not necessarily bring happiness.
52. Animals should be liberated from zoos.
53. Marijuana should/should not be legalized.
54. Women are paid less than men.
55. Dogs are the best pets.
56. What do you think of interracial marriage?
57. Drinking and smoking should/shouldn’t be banned.
58. What do you think of teen pregnancy?
59. Are you pro or against abortion and why?
60. Should people be free to choose the gender they want to identify with?
61. What’s the role of religion in our life?
62. Why are there different religions?
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Political Debate TopicsÂ
This category addresses a wide array of political topics, from the debate over democracy’s efficacy to the role of governments in regulating personal freedoms. These topics encourage students to dissect political ideologies, policies, and their implications for society. Engaging in these debates helps students understand the complexity of political systems and the importance of informed civic participation.
63. Should democracies continue doing business with dictatorships and autocratic regimes?
64. When it comes to relations with foreign countries, which comes first:national interests or human rights and ethical considerations?
65. ‘Our’ political values are universal values that every nation should embrace. Discuss?
66. Democracy is the only viable political system.
67. The Constitution should/should not include references to religion.
68. Rich countries should/should not encourage immigration.
69. Monarchies are a waste of money and resources and should be abolished.
70. Voting should be compulsory for all citizens.
71. Nationalism and patriotism are harmful to global peace.
72. Politics should not infiltrate into sports.
73. Powerful countries should be allowed to bully their neighboring countries.
74. World peace is currently at stake. Why?
75. Countries should not interfere with the electoral systems of other countries.
76. Lobbying for foreign countries should be abolished.
77. Female politicians are better than their male counterparts.
Final thoughts
By engaging in education debates on topics ranging from internet and technology to education, social issues, and politics, students not only develop their argumentative skills but also learn to approach issues with an open mind and a critical perspective. Remember, the topics we discussed are not just for classroom debates but are also educational debate topics that can lead to broader discussions and understanding.
