130+ Interesting Debate Topics for High School Students

If debating was an Olympic sport, these debate topics for teens would condition you to win gold.

Jennifer L. Betts

Jennifer is a prolific writer with over 10 years of experience in online writing. She enjoys creating quotes and poems.

Updated August 22, 2024

A multicultural group of students engaging in an educational discussion at a university.

Whether joining the high school debate team or participating in topical discussions in class, debating current or controversial topics is an excellent way to develop speaking skills and build confidence. Debating helps you think on your feet and learn how to argue like the best lawyers in the field. Practice formulating an ironclad argument with these debate topics for high school teens.

Social Debate Topics for Teens to Ponder

Whether it's the welfare system, sex education, or gay marriage, you can find different debate topics to relay your social consciousness.

Should welfare recipients be required to take drug tests?
Should there be a time limit on SNAP food benefits offered by the federal government?
Should SNAP benefits be available at a broader range of healthy stores?
Should the SNAP program limit the availability of "bad foods" like soda and candy?
Is Black Lives Matter highlighting the need for more civil rights enforcement or creating more of a social divide?
Historically, adoption is a very difficult process. Should the government or private agencies be allowed to turn away capable parents when so many children need permanent homes?
Should parents allow teens to fill their calendars with activities, or is it their job to impose limits on time spent outside school and home? Which activities should take precedence, and is society expecting too much of adolescents?
Is the modern teen's attitude toward sex reflected in current sex education? Should it be?
Do schools have a responsibility and right to encourage specific attitudes, such as abstinence, toward sexual encounters, or should this be a family issue?

Controversial Debate Topics for Teens About Ethics

You can't think about social topics without thinking about ethics. Tackle one of these ethical topics in your next debate.

Is peer pressure different for girls and boys?
Should animals be kept in a zoo?
Does the government have the right to regulate abortion?
Do violent video games lead to violence in real life?
Is the death penalty a form of cruel and unusual punishment? Should it be banned?
Is it ethical to allow human euthanization?
Should we be allowed to use animals for food?
Is plastic surgery creating unattainable ideals and hurting society?
Do humans have a right to housing, no matter their past behavior or beliefs?

Health and Health Care Related Topics for Teen Debates

Health is a universal aspect of the human experience, and these are just some of the debates that encapsulate it on a global scale.

Should marijuana be legal for medical and recreational use in all states?
Do quarantine and social distance help limit the spread of viruses like COVID-19?
Should alternative medicine be used alongside mainstream medicine for severe diseases like cancer?
Should the government offer healthcare paid for with tax dollars?
Is medical research on animals justified?
Should vaccines be mandated?
Has COVID-19 highlighted a flaw in the global response to pandemics?
Should cosmetic surgery be covered by insurance?
Should the government legalize and regulate recreational drug use?
Should pharmaceutical companies be allowed to own exclusive manufacturing rights to any drug?

Controversial Government and Civic Debate Topics

Controversial political topics are great choices if you are looking for hard-hitting and impactful debate topics. Delve into current events and see what stances stick out to you.

Should private citizens be able to own and carry guns in modern society?
Should gun ownership be highly regulated?
To help gain information from terrorists, the U.S. government uses various forms of torture, including waterboarding. Are these methods justified?
Should the United States increase off-shore drilling to help ease the rise in gas prices?
Should the United States implement more policies to prevent and punish people who enter illegally, or should the immigration policies be more lenient? Furthermore, who is considered an illegal immigrant?
Should the practice of fracking be banned?
Research suggests that a large percentage of Americans get their news online from social media outlets. Given their wide influence, should social apps and websites have a responsibility to thwart fake news?
Websites like Google and Facebook have taken actions to help consumers spot fake news and remove sites or users peddling misinformation. Are they doing enough, and is it their job to 'police' the information shared on their sites?
Should transgender individuals be forced to use the bathrooms for their birth-assigned gender?
Should transgender people be allowed to participate in sports that align with their gender identity?
Should felons be given the right to vote?
Should people be required to show ID in order to vote in any election?
Are historically (& lawfully) discriminated groups entitled to reparations?

Exciting Topics About Rules and Laws for Teens

Legislation affects everyone, and teens can use these debate topics to dip their toes in the controversial space.

Should the voting age be lowered?
Should the draft be required for everyone?
Should the drinking age be lowered to the legal age of maturity?
Should the adult age be increased to the drinking age?
Is detention an acceptable form of punishment for breaking the rules?
Should underage teens be allowed to go to nightclubs to dance?
Is drone fighting the new age of warfare?
Should minors get a harsher penalty for committing a serious crime?
Should the driving age be raised or lowered?
Should all officers be made to wear cameras when out on patrol?
How can mass shootings be avoided? Should the government provide stricter gun control and/or more support for mental illness?
Should companies be allowed to outlaw unions?

Science Debate Topics for High Schoolers

Science is changing the world. Get in on the debate by looking at one of these science debate topics.

Is stem cell research ethical? Does the greater good outweigh the taking of a future life?
Scientists have cloned sheep, mice, dogs, and other life forms, but they have yet to clone humans. Should humans be cloned?
Should smoking cigarettes be banned in public places? Is secondhand smoke as big a risk as we have been led to believe?
Should vaping be treated like smoking? Is vaping equal to smoking?
Does climate change exist, and how does it affect the world?
While SIRI and self-driving cars are helpful, is having too much reliance on artificial intelligence a bad thing? Does the benefit outweigh the risk?
Are the concerns Elon Musk and Bill Gates have voiced about AI risks valid?
What, if any, are the health and environmental benefits of eating organic foods? Do the nutrition and safety benefits outweigh the extra cost?
Is eating organic just a fad that has been capitalized upon, or does it offer a real solution to problems like obesity and contaminated food products?
Does technology make people lazy? Is technology doing more harm than good or the other way around?
Should caffeine be treated as a drug? Does the government have a responsibility to limit the ability of children to buy products containing caffeine, or is this a parental decision?
Should renewable and reusable energy replace all non-renewable sources?
How should people go about limiting their carbon footprint? Is it essential to limit your carbon footprint?
Will global climate change and pollution destroy the earth in the future? Is there still time to correct for this?

Educational Debate Topics for Teens to Dive Into

Want an impactful debate topic that's relevant to your current experience? Take a crack at these trending educational debate topics.

Schools typically block inappropriate websites and websites that are not educational. Should schools limit what students are allowed to access?
Do school uniforms help student performance?
Should cell phones be banned in schools?
If cell phone use is to be limited in schools, what measures are appropriate for schools to take in enforcing these rules?
Can one test or a series of standardized tests determine how bright a student is or how well a school is doing?
Is year-round school a good option? Furthermore, do year-round programs work better than a standard school year?
Is free college tuition for all plausible and helpful to society?
Is homework doing more harm than good for students? Is there enough evidence to show that homework is harmful to students?
Have school vouchers been proven successful, and how do they affect the rest of society?
Should parents be able to decide where to send their students to school using school vouchers?
Should state education funding be used at each parent's discretion, or should parents choosing private schools have to pay for their choice?
Should school start later in the day?
Should sports teams be based on talent? Should everyone who tries out make a sports team?
Is the current grading system used in America outdated?
Is online learning more effective than in-person instruction?

Entertainment Debate Topics for Teens to Try

From beauty pageants to violent video games, the entertainment industry is rife with various controversial and hard-hitting topics that will surely resonate with high schoolers.

teacher facilitate classroom brainstorm debate

How much influence do television and music have on teens? Are there specific types of shows and songs that are more impactful than others?
Was the Will Smith slapping incident handled correctly? Are Hollywood actors held to the same standards as other individuals?
Should video game creators be required to follow specific regulations regarding what can or can't be seen in a game?
Whose job is it to regulate video games? Parents or game-makers?
Should beauty pageants be legal?
Are there specific types of pageants that do more harm than others?
Should little kids participate in beauty pageants?
Should cell phones be used when driving?
Do laws against cell phone use while driving infringe on personal rights?
Professional athletes and A-list celebrities get paid millions of dollars. Do they deserve to get paid as much as they do?
Thanks to social media platforms like YouTube, anyone and everyone can become famous for almost anything imaginable. Should video-sharing apps and sites include boundaries for the sake of society's greater good?
How does social media affect relationships with people? Is it helpful or harmful?
Are Mac computers better than PC or vice versa?
Should cryptocurrency replace other forms of currency?
Should children be allowed to act or perform professionally?
Are superhero movies destroying the film industry?

Debate Topics About Parenting and Family for High Schoolers

Nothing's more fun than looking at parenting from the other side. Break down parenting styles and family dynamics with these debate topics.

Should parents assign all siblings the same chores?
Are parents responsible if a child causes injury to someone else?
Should all teenagers be required to have a job and contribute to the family?
Should teenagers be able to go on vacation without parental supervision?
Should parents regulate a child/teen's social media?
Should a parent be allowed to make a child attend church?
Is it essential for every home to have a pet?
Is it a violation of privacy for a parent to enter a child's room without permission?
Should parents have to attend parenting classes before having children?
Should the parents or children be held responsible for child bullying?

Pop Culture Debate Topics for Teens to Argue

From reality television exploitation to social media bans, we've got a handful of the hot-ticket debate topics that have been circulating in pop culture.

Should social media companies be held liable for their user's criminal actions on their platforms?
Should TikTok be banned in the United States?
Has the pandemic had negative long-lasting effects on Gen Z & Generation Alpha?
Do celebrities revoke their right to privacy when they become public figures?
Are people who watch reality TV complicit in the cast members' exploitation?
Should there be national legislation criminalizing the creation and distribution of deepfake images?
Should non-electric vehicle production be banned?
Should the government intervene in Ticketmaster's monopoly of the market?
Does AI generation/Chat-GPT engage in theft?
Should family vlogging be criminalized?

Interesting Debate Topics to Make Teens Think

These challenging debate topics will make teens really wrack their brains.

As academic institutions, should universities fund university sports?
Should cognizant robots exist, is robot 'ownership' considered a form of slavery?
Should companies be able to extend their copyrights in perpetuity?
Should vaping be outlawed?
Is expulsion an effective way to correct poor behavior in school?
Should book bans be allowed?
Is cancel-culture a real thing, and if so, how did we get here?
Should employers be able to fire an employee based on their social media activity?

Fun Debate Topics for High Schoolers to Let Loose

Not all debate topics need to be serious and weighty! Have a bit of fun with your debate by trying out some of these lighter topics.

What came first, the chicken or the egg?
Which season is the best? Why?
Would it be a good thing to be immortal?
Would it be better to be able to fly or read minds?
Is pizza the best food?
Should people have a cat or a dog?
Would it be more exciting to travel to the future or the past?
Do aliens exist?
Should teens be allowed to get tattoos?
On a first date, should the person who asked the other one out pay for the date, or should the tab be split?

These Topics Prove Teens Love to Debate

If you've ever parented a teen, then you know they'll try to weasel their way out of (or into) something with the hard-hitting logic of a lawyer triple their years. Thanks to these debate topics, teens can embrace and develop their love for arguing in a productive setting.