19 Controversial Debate Topics for High School

Finding some fascinating controversial debate topics for high school is important not only for getting good grades in classes, but also for developing critical thinking and engaging in talking and sharing of opinions. A good topic choice is half work done. Here, you will surely find some intriguing propositions.

Debates are usually lively talks in which people defend their attitudes by providing with valid arguments. In this matter, debates can often look like scholar competitions. Which topics for a debate competition in English would be the easiest for this kind of “competition”? The very issue of competition can be a good topic here. An example like “is competition necessary in regards to the learning process?” for example. But, however, let’s not focus on the competition now, but rather on some of the best debate topics from 2018.

To break the ice, we might start with funny debate topics, such as “Is water wet?”, or “Are traps gay?”. But in respect to our today’s topic, we need to take things to a more serious level. Some of the interesting controversial topics we will list today are surely more intriguing and they really engage critical thinking.

Similar to today’s matter, on the issue of the great debate topics from 2017, 17 Controversial Debate Topics for Teenagers might be interesting for you to go through. If, on the other hand, you would like to “cheat”, and ask which debate topics for college students with answers might be the easiest, there is an interesting guide for this question we found on My Homework Help.

In order to make a good list of controversial debate topics for high school, we tried to find out which current debate topics are the most provocative and popular. There were many interesting resources where we got insight into this issue. Some of them included Write a Writing, ThoughtCo, ProCon, Teens Love to Know, Udemy, and BrightHubEducation. They offered a great number of interesting topics for high school, and we picked those which were actually the most recommended as the most thought-provoking and problematic.

Now, let’s see which these controversial topics for high school are:

19. School uniforms

This is maybe a boring issue to some, but it is rather a controversial debate topic for high school since many students wish to express their individuality through their style. But how does this reflect on the relations between the high school students?

18. Drone warfare

Is the use of drones in the modern wars ethical? Find out by creating a controversial debate topic in your high school classroom.

17. Is meat eating ethical?

Animals have feelings, intelligence, social life. Animals are like us. We are predators and eat animals since the beginning of the development of our species. But nowadays, this topic is very controversial, since there are many supplements which can substitute meat in our diet.

16. Is democracy the best government?

In the age of rising extreme left, extreme right, does the democratic system seem the best governmental choice? Time to elaborate it with your classmates!

15. Legalizing marijuana

Marijuana is legal in some countries. In others not. There are many pros and many cons of legalizing this drug, and therefore this could be a good controversial debate topic for high school.

14. Religion in schools

Should religious teachings be taught in state schools? If yes, should religion be limited to one or all religions, and in what ways religious classes should be conducted?

13. Violence in video games

We often hear that adolescent violence is caused by video games. Is there a truth in this? Try debating it and see different opinions.

12. Is euthanasia justified?

Who gets to decide when someone’s life should end?  Is euthanasia, and in what way, different from suicide? Is it legal? Is it justified?  A great moral question that could be a quite a challenging controversial topic for high school students.

11. Censorship in media

Did you ever wonder – how much does the media impact our everyday lives and in what ways? How does the media distort the reality and present it to people? What kind of censorship is needed, if any, to control the media? Isn’t this one a good controversial debate topic for high school?

10. Abortion

Abortion is always a popular issue for debating, especially in the countries where the church has a lot of impact on the lives of the people. Pros and cons of abortion make it one of the most interesting controversial debate topics for high school.

9. Death penalty

The death penalty is a matter of the past in the majority of the countries in the world (not in all). One of the many questions that come to mind is – do some crimes deserve that kind of punishment? Or maybe, other methods of milder punishment are more humane and appropriate? What about those countries where the death penalty still exists, are there any consequences to the crime rates there?

8. Genetic engineering in animals

All kinds of artificial interference in the normal course of living of any species is just fascinating. Therefore, genetic engineering in animals is certainly among the most controversial debate topics for high school.

7. Stem cells research

Should governments fund and get involved in stem cell research? Again, an ethical question that will develop a dynamic talk.

6. Should sex education be taught in school?

Teenage pregnancy is a thing we see more often nowadays. Should sex education be taught in school in order to change this state? As a matter of personal opinion, it is a good choice for a controversial debate topic for high school.

5. Is teasing bullying?

Teasing is part of everybody’s growing up, more or less. A question of whether it is a form of intentional bullying or only a part of innocent human nature can raise an interesting debate, especially among high school students.

4. Climate Change

Even today, when science is more transparent as ever, there are still controversies on the issue of climate change. Is it really happening? What are the causes? What are the impacts on human society and nature? – There are all surely interesting questions that make it for an inspiring and modern controversial debate topic for high school.

3. Born gay

More and more countries are legalizing gay marriages. Others, on the other hand, are not that opened to this question. One interesting and controversial debate topic for high school might be related to this: is being gay something a person is born with or is it more the impact of the society?

2. Animal Testing

Animal rights are becoming a serious matter in society in the recent years, raising up the importance of the issue of animal testing in medicine and science. Even though animal testing has been an important part of various researches, one can’t help but ask – is it this moral?

1. Cloning

Development of science opens up a wide range of interesting debate topics. It is not easy to decide what is the most controversial debate topic for high school in this field, but cloning is certainly up there! What could be the consequences of cloning? What counts more – ethics or scientific development?