Looking for ways to improve speaking skills in high school?

Debate topics help students develop clear thinking and strong speaking abilities.

Many teachers find it hard to pick good topics that interest their students while fostering useful discussions. The right topic gets students excited to research, speak up, and learn from different views.

This list offers 275 topics perfect for high school debates. We chose subjects that matter to teens and touched on current issues they care about.

Each topic allows students to form clear positions and find solid facts to support their points.

Let’s begin!

Current Events and Social Issues Debate Topics

1. Should social media companies monitor user content more strictly?
2. Does remote learning work as well as in-person classes?
3. Should cell phones be allowed in classrooms?
4. Is a four-day school week better for students?
5. Should school uniforms be required?
6. Do standardized tests help or hurt education?
7. Should the voting age be lowered to 16?
8. Is homework necessary for student success?
9. Should schools provide free lunch to all students?
10. Do dress codes unfairly target certain students?
11. Should students get mental health days off from school?
12. Is year-round schooling better than traditional schedules?
13. Should schools start later in the morning?
14. Do participation trophies help or harm children?
15. Should students pick their own courses in high school?
16. Is social media making us less social?
17. Should teens have limits on screen time?
18. Do online friends count as real friends?
19. Should schools teach financial literacy?
20. Is student debt forgiveness fair?
21. Should climate change education be required?
22. Do schools need more security measures?
23. Should school sports be required?
24. Is community service necessary for graduation?
25. Should students grade their teachers?
26. Is the zero-tolerance policy effective in schools?
27. Should schools ban single-use plastics?
28. Do we need more trade schools?
29. Should students learn coding in school?
30. Is the traditional grading system outdated?
31. Should schools have longer breaks?
32. Do we need more arts education?
33. Should schools teach sign language?
34. Is competitive sports too stressful for teens?
35. Should schools ban energy drinks?
36. Do we need more outdoor education?
37. Should schools teach about social media safety?
38. Is student government effective?
39. Should schools require foreign language classes?

Technology and Science Debate Topics

40. Should robots replace teachers in classrooms?
41. Is artificial intelligence good for society?
42. Should everyone learn to code?
43. Do digital textbooks work better than paper ones?
44. Should internet access be a human right?
45. Are self-driving cars safe enough?
46. Should schools teach cybersecurity?
47. Is space exploration worth the cost?
48. Should genetic testing be required at birth?
49. Do video games help brain development?
50. Should we ban animal testing?
51. Is nuclear power the future?
52. Should we colonize Mars?
53. Do smartphones make us smarter?
54. Should we edit human genes?
55. Is virtual reality good for learning?
56. Should we ban plastic bags?
57. Do we need flying cars?
58. Should everyone use electric vehicles?
59. Is computer privacy a right?
60. Should we build more wind farms?
61. Do we need paper books anymore?
62. Should robots care for the elderly?
63. Is facial recognition safe?
64. Should we ban gas cars?
65. Do we need more solar power?
66. Should teens have smartphones?
67. Is 5G technology safe?
68. Should we limit screen time?
69. Do we need human teachers?
70. Should we use more robots in factories?
71. Is digital money better than cash?
72. Should we track student location in school?
73. Do we need human doctors?
74. Should we ban single-use technology?
75. Is online privacy possible?
76. Should children have social media accounts?
77. Do we need more computer labs in schools?
78. Should we require digital literacy classes?

Educational Debate Topics

79. Should homework be banned?
80. Do grades help students learn?
81. Should recess time be longer?
82. Is summer break too long?
83. Should we teach cursive writing?
84. Do students need math every day?
85. Should PE class be optional?
86. Do we need different school hours?
87. Should every student learn music?
88. Is art class necessary?
89. Do schools need more books?
90. Should tests be open-book?
91. Do we need class rankings?
92. Should students choose their teachers?
93. Is group work effective?
94. Should all schools teach gardening?
95. Do we need school libraries?
96. Should students wear uniforms?
97. Do schools need more counselors?
98. Should teachers give pop quizzes?
99. Do we need final exams?
100. Should students learn typing?
101. Do schools start too early?
102. Should students study two languages?
103. Do we need more science labs?
104. Should schools teach cooking?
105. Do students need study hall?
106. Should schools have class pets?
107. Do we need more field trips?
108. Should students learn first aid?
109. Do schools need music rooms?
110. Should students pick lunch times?
111. Do we need school assemblies?
112. Should students learn public speaking?
113. Do schools need more clubs?
114. Should schools teach meditation?
115. Do we need more student breaks?
116. Should schools teach life skills?
117. Do students need more choices in projects?

Sports and Entertainment Debate Topics

118. Should esports be school sports?
119. Do athletes need good grades to play?
120. Should dance be a sport?
121. Do schools need cheerleading?
122. Should gaming clubs exist in schools?
123. Do sports help academics?
124. Should schools have movie clubs?
125. Do we need sports tryouts?
126. Should teens play contact sports?
127. Do schools need talent shows?
128. Should music be played during study time?
129. Do sports scholarships help education?
130. Should schools have theater class?
131. Do we need gym class daily?
132. Should students run school radio?
133. Do school bands matter?
134. Should yoga replace PE sometimes?
135. Do sports teams need cuts?
136. Should schools show movies in class?
137. Do we need competitive sports?
138. Should schools have dance teams?
139. Do athletes need special treatment?
140. Should schools host game nights?
141. Do we need art shows?
142. Should students make school videos?
143. Do sports teams need tryouts?
144. Should schools have chess clubs?
145. Do we need pep rallies?
146. Should schools teach dance?
147. Do sports teams need grades limits?
148. Should schools have music festivals?
149. Do we need varsity teams?
150. Should schools teach acting?
151. Do sports help college entry?
152. Should schools have drama clubs?
153. Do we need sports awards?
154. Should schools show educational films?
155. Do drama classes help students?
156. Should schools host concerts?

Health and Wellness Debate Topics

157. Should schools serve only healthy food?
158. Do students need stress classes?
159. Should schools have nap time?
160. Do teens need more sleep?
161. Should schools ban sugar drinks?
162. Do students need health class daily?
163. Should schools teach about food?
164. Do we need school nurses?
165. Should schools check student health?
166. Do teens need nutrition class?
167. Should schools have wellness rooms?
168. Do students need regular breaks?
169. Should schools teach breathing methods?
170. Do teens need fitness goals?
171. Should schools check eyes and teeth?
172. Do students need water breaks?
173. Should schools teach about sleep?
174. Do we need more school doctors?
175. Should schools teach self-care?
176. Do students need quiet time?
177. Should schools check mental health?
178. Do teens need health tracking?
179. Should schools ban fast food?
180. Do students need morning exercise?
181. Should schools teach about herbs?
182. Do teens need diet education?
183. Should schools have quiet zones?
184. Do we need health screenings?
185. Should schools teach about vaccines?
186. Do students need sports health checks?
187. Should schools teach first aid?
188. Do teens need stress tests?
189. Should schools check food quality?
190. Do students need health cards?
191. Should schools teach about medicine?
192. Do teens need yearly checkups?
193. Should schools have health clubs?
194. Do students need health education?
195. Should schools teach about germs?

Environment and Sustainability Debate Topics

196. Should schools be paper-free?
197. Do we need school gardens?
198. Should students learn about water use?
199. Do schools need recycling bins?
200. Should we save rain water?
201. Do students need nature class?
202. Should schools use solar power?
203. Do we need clean-up days?
204. Should schools compost food waste?
205. Do students need green clubs?
206. Should schools have plant rooms?
207. Do we need tree planting days?
208. Should schools use less power?
209. Do students need earth science?
210. Should schools save water?
211. Do we need school farms?
212. Should students study local plants?
213. Do schools need green roofs?
214. Should we fix broken items?
215. Do students need nature time?
216. Should schools use green tools?
217. Do we need less food waste?
218. Should schools teach about trash?
219. Do students need plant care skills?
220. Should schools save energy?
221. Do we need less plastic use?
222. Should students study the weather?
223. Do schools need more trees?
224. Should we use cloth bags?
225. Do students need bug studies?
226. Should schools save light?
227. Do we need clean air tests?
228. Should students learn about soil?
229. Do schools need less waste?
230. Should we grow school food?
231. Do students need earth care?
232. Should schools teach about birds?
233. Do we need worm farms?
234. Should students save paper?

Fun and Lighthearted Debate Topics

235. Is pizza the best lunch food?
236. Should dogs visit schools?
237. Do fish make good pets?
238. Should ice cream be served daily?
239. Do cats need school jobs?
240. Should students wear slippers?
241. Do cookies help with studying?
242. Should schools have joke time?
243. Do plants need music?
244. Should students tell jokes in class?
245. Do teachers need funny hats?
246. Should candy help math class?
247. Do books need funny pictures?
248. Should desks have wheels?
249. Do walls need more color?
250. Should chairs bounce?
251. Do pencils need sparkles?
252. Should lunch time be longer?
253. Do classrooms need pets?
254. Should Friday be a fun day?
255. Do tests need silly names?
256. Should math use candy?
257. Do books need funny ends?
258. Should the class have dance breaks?
259. Do stairs need music?
260. Should halls have hopscotch?
261. Do lockers need jokes?
262. Should water be flavored?
263. Do trees need names?
264. Should grass be colored?
265. Do clouds need study?
266. Should rocks have faces?
267. Do bugs need homes?
268. Should leaves make music?
269. Do bells need tunes?
270. Should rain make colors?
271. Do windows need art?
272. Should doors tell jokes?
273. Do floors need games?
274. Should walls talk?
275. Do chairs need songs?

Conclusion

These debate topics give high school students many chances to speak up and share their views. From current events to fun questions about colored grass, each topic can start good talks in class.

These topics help students build speaking skills and learn to think clearly about different ideas. When students pick topics they care about, they want to research more and share what they learn.

Whether talking about school gardens or if chairs should sing, students learn to listen to others and explain their own ideas well.

What’s next?

Pick a topic and start a class discussion. Ask students what they think, and watch them become better speakers and thinkers.