Issues & Controversies: Featured Controversy—Brexit
Featured in Issues & Controversies: BREXIT: Will Leaving the European Union Benefit the United Kingdom? SUPPORTERS ARGUE The European Union is a bloated, undemocratic organization corrosive to national sovereignty. Read More ›
Issues & Controversies: Featured Controversy—Brexit
Featured in Issues & Controversies:
BREXIT: Will Leaving the European Union Benefit the United Kingdom?
SUPPORTERS ARGUE
The European Union is a bloated, undemocratic organization corrosive to national sovereignty. Brexit will allow the United Kingdom to boost its economic competitiveness, reassert control over its borders, and free itself of burdensome regulations.
OPPONENTS ARGUE
Membership in the European Union (E.U.) has been a boon to the United Kingdom, and leaving will damage its economy and diminish its standing on the world stage. The campaign to leave the E.U. was built on xenophobia and lies, and the United Kingdom should hold a second referendum.
Let your students review the facts and decide for themselves: Will leaving the European Union benefit the United Kingdom? Be sure to check out Issues & Controversies’ complete and unbiased coverage of this divisive issue. Enhance the debate with the discussion questions, “By the Numbers” data, primary sources, audio and video content, infographics, editorials, and newsfeed that are linked to the article.
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Issues & Controversies: Featured Controversy—Populism
Featured in Issues & Controversies: POPULISM: Are Populist Movements Good for Liberal Democracy? SUPPORTERS ARGUE Populism stems from the failure of mainstream political parties to address the concerns of average voters, and populist movements are essential for the health of democracy. Read More ›
Issues & Controversies: Featured Controversy—Populism
Featured in Issues & Controversies:
POPULISM: Are Populist Movements Good for Liberal Democracy?
SUPPORTERS ARGUE
Populism stems from the failure of mainstream political parties to address the concerns of average voters, and populist movements are essential for the health of democracy. The people need more, not less, of a voice in government for liberal democracy to survive.
OPPONENTS ARGUE
Populist movements tend to scapegoat vulnerable groups, demonize political opponents, offer overly simplistic solutions, and disrespect the institutions and norms upon which democracies depend. Such demagoguery and divisiveness are inherently hostile to liberal democracy.
Let your students review the facts and decide for themselves: Are populist movements good for liberal democracy? Be sure to check out Issues & Controversies’ complete and unbiased coverage of this divisive issue. Enhance the debate with the discussion questions, “By the Numbers” data, primary sources, audio and video content, infographics, editorials, and newsfeed that are linked to the article.
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Issues & Controversies: Featured Controversy—E-Cigarettes and Vaping
Featured in Issues & Controversies: E-CIGARETTES AND VAPING: Should the Federal Government Strictly Regulate the E-Cigarette Industry? SUPPORTERS ARGUE E-cigarettes and other vaping products are potentially harmful to public health, and the federal government needs to carefully scrutinize them before they are sold to consumers. Read More ›
Issues & Controversies: Featured Controversy—E-Cigarettes and Vaping
Featured in Issues & Controversies:
E-CIGARETTES AND VAPING: Should the Federal Government Strictly Regulate the E-Cigarette Industry?
SUPPORTERS ARGUE
E-cigarettes and other vaping products are potentially harmful to public health, and the federal government needs to carefully scrutinize them before they are sold to consumers. The government currently regulates the industry much too lightly, making it too easy for minors to obtain e-cigarettes and for companies to make potentially false claims about the safety of vaping products.
OPPONENTS ARGUE
E-cigarettes and other vaping products offer a groundbreaking way to quit smoking tobacco cigarettes. Stringent regulations would unnecessarily burden the e-cigarette industry and force many companies out of business. Strict federal control of the vaping industry threatens to undercut a product that is likely safer than traditional tobacco cigarettes and would reduce the massive harm smoking inflicts on public health every year.
Let your students review the facts and decide for themselves: Should the federal government strictly regulate the e-cigarette industry? Be sure to check out Issues & Controversies’ complete and unbiased coverage of this divisive issue. Enhance the debate with the discussion questions, “By the Numbers” data, primary sources, audio and video content, infographics, editorials, and newsfeed that are linked to the article.
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Issues & Controversies: Check Out the New Overview Video
Issues & Controversies’ straightforward, unbiased presentation of the key facts, arguments, history, and current context of today’s most important and timely issues makes the database an ideal resource for research papers, debate preparation, and persuasive writing assignments—but why not see for yourself? Check out the overview video below! Our brand-new overview video gives you an up-close look at the depth and breadth of this award-winning database, including: The easy-to-use Search and Browse options The timely, in-depth pro/con articles covering complex, hot-button issues in politics, government, business, society, education, and popular culture The links to primary sources, court cases, media including videos from the Intelligence Squared U.S. Read More ›
Issues & Controversies: Check Out the New Overview Video
Issues & Controversies’ straightforward, unbiased presentation of the key facts, arguments, history, and current context of today’s most important and timely issues makes the database an ideal resource for research papers, debate preparation, and persuasive writing assignments—but why not see for yourself? Check out the overview video below!
Our brand-new overview video gives you an up-close look at the depth and breadth of this award-winning database, including:
- The easy-to-use Search and Browse options
- The timely, in-depth pro/con articles covering complex, hot-button issues in politics, government, business, society, education, and popular culture
- The links to primary sources, court cases, media including videos from the Intelligence Squared U.S. Debate series and audio recordings from NPR, infographics, editorials, key news stories, and more that can be found in pro/con articles
- The Curriculum Tools section, which features writing and research tips for students and educators
- The Resources tab, with valuable links to videos, court cases, the Bill of Rights in Debate, editorial cartoons, and more.
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Issues & Controversies: Featured Controversy—Universal Basic Income
Featured in Issues & Controversies: UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME: Should the U.S. Government Guarantee Every American a Minimum Income? SUPPORTERS ARGUE A universal basic income (UBI) would lift millions of Americans out of poverty and provide a financial safety net as advances in artificial intelligence make traditional jobs obsolete. Read More ›
Issues & Controversies: Featured Controversy—Universal Basic Income
Featured in Issues & Controversies:
UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME: Should the U.S. Government Guarantee Every American a Minimum Income?
SUPPORTERS ARGUE
A universal basic income (UBI) would lift millions of Americans out of poverty and provide a financial safety net as advances in artificial intelligence make traditional jobs obsolete. A UBI would provide struggling Americans with the dignity and stability that the current welfare system has failed to provide.
OPPONENTS ARGUE
A universal basic income would be prohibitively expensive and would encourage many Americans to leave the workforce. Handing people money for nothing undermines the country’s spirit of industriousness. Other policies—like a government jobs program or a higher minimum wage—would more effectively help the poor.
Let your students review the facts and decide for themselves: Should the U.S. government guarantee every American a minimum income? Be sure to check out Issues & Controversies’ complete and unbiased coverage of this divisive issue. Enhance the debate with the discussion questions, “By the Numbers” data, primary sources, video content, infographics, editorials, and newsfeed that are linked to the article.
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Issues & Controversies: Featured Controversy—De-extinction
Featured in Issues & Controversies: DE-EXTINCTION: Should Scientists Resurrect Extinct Species? SUPPORTERS ARGUE Humans have a moral responsibility to bring back extinct species and use them to revitalize struggling ecosystems. Read More ›
Issues & Controversies: Featured Controversy—De-extinction
Featured in Issues & Controversies:
DE-EXTINCTION: Should Scientists Resurrect Extinct Species?
SUPPORTERS ARGUE
Humans have a moral responsibility to bring back extinct species and use them to revitalize struggling ecosystems. De-extinction will invigorate conservationism by reshaping the relationship between humans and the natural world and developing new genetic tools to protect endangered species.
OPPONENTS ARGUE
De-extinction is morally problematic, expensive, and unrealistic. Resurrection science diverts resources from more pressing conservation needs while inuring the public to the ecological catastrophe of extinction. Experiments in de-extinction will cause animal suffering, and it will be impossible to provide habitat for resurrected species.
Let your students review the facts and decide for themselves: Should scientists resurrect extinct species? Be sure to check out Issues & Controversies’ complete and unbiased coverage of this divisive issue. Enhance the debate with the discussion questions, “By the Numbers” data, primary sources, video content, infographic, editorials, and newsfeed that are linked to the article.
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Issues & Controversies: More Bloomberg QuickTake Videos Added
Seven additional QuickTake videos from Bloomberg, one of the most respected names in the news business, have just been added to the award-winning Issues & Controversies. Read More ›
Issues & Controversies: More Bloomberg QuickTake Videos Added
Seven additional QuickTake videos from Bloomberg, one of the most respected names in the news business, have just been added to the award-winning Issues & Controversies. These short overview videos cover major topics in an engaging and accessible way. Each video features a searchable transcript.
The new QuickTake videos include:
- Taking from the Rich Might Not Help the Poor
- How Women in the Mideast Are Advancing
- The World’s Biggest Cities Are Preparing for More Super Storms
- China Could Soon Become the Detroit of Electric Cars
- It’s Getting Harder to Spot a Deep Fake Video
- These People Want to Save the World and Turn a Profit While They’re at It
- Why Communist China Has So Many Billionaires
Users can access these videos via the “Resources” drop-down menu on the home page or under the “Media” tab for selected articles.
Click on the links below for more information about Issues & Controversies:
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Issues & Controversies: Featured Controversy—Mindfulness in the Classroom
Featured in Issues & Controversies: MINDFULNESS IN THE CLASSROOM: Should Public Schools Teach Meditation and Yoga? SUPPORTERS ARGUE Meditation and yoga can help students learn patience and compassion while relieving stress and improving focus. Read More ›
Issues & Controversies: Featured Controversy—Mindfulness in the Classroom
Featured in Issues & Controversies:
MINDFULNESS IN THE CLASSROOM: Should Public Schools Teach Meditation and Yoga?
SUPPORTERS ARGUE
Meditation and yoga can help students learn patience and compassion while relieving stress and improving focus. Neither practice is inherently religious, and appropriately trained instructors can teach both in an entirely secular fashion. Mindfulness programs can help students develop crucial life skills that traditional educational curricula do not.
OPPONENTS ARGUE
Meditation and yoga both have religious roots, and religion has no place in public school classrooms. Parents who practice Christianity and other faiths have a right to know that their children are not being exposed to Eastern spirituality while at school. Scientists have not adequately studied the effects of meditation on developing brains.
Let your students review the facts and decide for themselves: Should public schools teach meditation and yoga? Be sure to check out Issues & Controversies’ complete and unbiased coverage of this timely issue. Enhance the debate with the discussion questions, “By the Numbers” data, primary sources, court cases, video content, editorials, and newsfeed that are linked to the article.
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Issues & Controversies: Featured Controversy—Self-Driving Cars
Featured in Issues & Controversies: SELF-DRIVING CARS: Should Automated Cars Be the Future of Transportation? SUPPORTERS ARGUE Self-driving cars will reduce accidents, increase productivity for commuters, lower greenhouse gas emissions, decrease traffic congestion, and provide mobility to those unable to drive. Read More ›
Issues & Controversies: Featured Controversy—Self-Driving Cars
Featured in Issues & Controversies:
SELF-DRIVING CARS: Should Automated Cars Be the Future of Transportation?
SUPPORTERS ARGUE
Self-driving cars will reduce accidents, increase productivity for commuters, lower greenhouse gas emissions, decrease traffic congestion, and provide mobility to those unable to drive. Technology companies have already made huge advances in the field, and roadways will be filled with self-driving cars sooner than skeptics think.
OPPONENTS ARGUE
The realization of self-driving technology is not as forthcoming, safe, or simple as its cheerleaders argue. Self-driving cars would pose ethical and privacy concerns, and could actually increase traffic congestion while accelerating the spread of suburban sprawl. Innovators should concentrate on revolutionizing mass transit, which is more energy efficient.
Let your students review the facts and decide for themselves: Should automated cars be the future of transportation? Be sure to check out Issues & Controversies’ complete and unbiased coverage of this timely issue. Enhance the debate with the discussion questions, “By the Numbers” data, primary sources, audio and video content, infographics, editorials, and newsfeed that are linked to the article.
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Issues & Controversies: New QuickTake Videos from Bloomberg
The award-winning Issues & Controversies now has an exciting new resource: QuickTake videos. These 19 short overview videos (with more coming soon!), produced by the global information and technology company Bloomberg, cover major topics such as immigration, climate change, and the opioid crisis. Read More ›
Issues & Controversies: New QuickTake Videos from Bloomberg
The award-winning Issues & Controversies now has an exciting new resource: QuickTake videos. These 19 short overview videos (with more coming soon!), produced by the global information and technology company Bloomberg, cover major topics such as immigration, climate change, and the opioid crisis.
The new QuickTake video titles include:
- Cyberwar Is More Common Than You Think
- Guns in America
- How America’s Opioid Crisis Spiraled Out of Control
- The Global Debate over Asylum
- The Millennial Generation
- And more!
Users can access these videos via the “Resources” drop-down menu on the home page or under the “Media” tab for selected articles.
Click on the links below for more information about Issues & Controversies:
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Issues & Controversies: Featured Controversy—Sanctuary Cities
Featured in Issues & Controversies: SANCTUARY CITIES: Should Local and State Governments Adopt Policies That Protect Undocumented Immigrants from Deportation? SUPPORTERS ARGUE Local governments have a responsibility to protect immigrants by establishing themselves as sanctuaries. Read More ›
Issues & Controversies: Featured Controversy—Sanctuary Cities
Featured in Issues & Controversies:
SANCTUARY CITIES: Should Local and State Governments Adopt Policies That Protect Undocumented Immigrants from Deportation?
SUPPORTERS ARGUE
Local governments have a responsibility to protect immigrants by establishing themselves as sanctuaries. Requiring local law enforcement to serve as immigration agents erodes trust between the police and immigrant communities. The U.S. government cannot commandeer local resources to further its extreme anti-immigrant agenda.
OPPONENTS ARGUE
Sanctuary cities prioritize illegal immigrants over public safety. It is the responsibility of local governments to help immigration agents deport potentially dangerous criminals. The U.S. government—not the states—has the power to craft immigration policy, and it should defund cities that attempt to obstruct immigration law enforcement.
Let your students review the facts and decide for themselves: Should local and state governments adopt policies that protect undocumented immigrants from deportation? Be sure to check out Issues & Controversies’ complete and unbiased coverage of this timely issue. Enhance the debate with the discussion questions, “By the Numbers” data, primary sources, court cases, audio and video content, infographics, editorials, and newsfeed that are linked to the article.
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Issues & Controversies: Featured Controversy—Border Wall
Featured in Issues & Controversies: BORDER WALL: Should the United States Build a Wall Along the U.S.-Mexico Border? SUPPORTERS ARGUE The United States needs to build a wall to prevent illegal immigrants, drugs, and dangerous criminals from secretly crossing into the country. Read More ›
Issues & Controversies: Featured Controversy—Border Wall
Featured in Issues & Controversies:
BORDER WALL: Should the United States Build a Wall Along the U.S.-Mexico Border?
SUPPORTERS ARGUE
The United States needs to build a wall to prevent illegal immigrants, drugs, and dangerous criminals from secretly crossing into the country. A wall is a practical solution that will help secure the nation’s borders, safeguard Americans, and protect U.S. Border Patrol agents.
OPPONENTS ARGUE
A border wall would be an extremely expensive and ineffective solution to an exaggerated problem. Unauthorized crossings into the United States have declined in recent decades, and a wall would do little to stop the most determined immigrants and smugglers from entering the country.
Let your students review the facts and decide for themselves: Should the United States build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border? Be sure to check out Issues & Controversies’ complete and unbiased coverage of this timely issue. Enhance the debate with the discussion questions, “By the Numbers” data, primary sources, court cases, audio and video content, infographics, editorials, and newsfeed that are linked to the article.
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Issues & Controversies: Featured Controversy—Presidential Pardons
Featured in Issues & Controversies: PRESIDENTIAL PARDONS: Does the President Have the Power to Self-Pardon? SUPPORTERS ARGUE The U.S. Constitution grants the president nearly absolute pardoning power. Read More ›
Issues & Controversies: Featured Controversy—Presidential Pardons
Featured in Issues & Controversies:
PRESIDENTIAL PARDONS: Does the President Have the Power to Self-Pardon?
SUPPORTERS ARGUE
The U.S. Constitution grants the president nearly absolute pardoning power. If the framers of the U.S. Constitution had wished to prohibit self-pardoning, they would have done so explicitly. If the president commits a crime, it is Congress’s job to remove him or her from office through impeachment.
OPPONENTS ARGUE
The U.S. Constitution does not grant the president the power to pardon himself or herself. A self-pardon would be just the kind of abuse of power the framers intended to avoid. No one is above the law, and pardoning oneself for a crime would constitute a president’s failure to faithfully execute the nation’s laws.
Let your students review the facts and decide for themselves: Does the president have the right to self-pardon? Be sure to check out Issues & Controversies’ complete and unbiased coverage of this timely issue. Enhance the debate with the discussion questions, “By the Numbers” data, primary sources, audio and video content, editorials, and newsfeed that are linked to the article.
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Issues & Controversies: Featured Controversy—U.S.-Saudi Relations
Featured in Issues & Controversies: U.S.-SAUDI RELATIONS: Does the U.S.-Saudi Alliance Advance U.S. Interests? SUPPORTERS ARGUE A close alliance with Saudi Arabia gives the United States the opportunity to invest in an expanding market while guaranteeing steady oil prices. Read More ›
Issues & Controversies: Featured Controversy—U.S.-Saudi Relations
Featured in Issues & Controversies:
U.S.-SAUDI RELATIONS: Does the U.S.-Saudi Alliance Advance U.S. Interests?
SUPPORTERS ARGUE
A close alliance with Saudi Arabia gives the United States the opportunity to invest in an expanding market while guaranteeing steady oil prices. Saudi Arabia provides the United States with essential intelligence in the fight against terrorism and lends crucial support for U.S. political and military interests in the Middle East.
OPPONENTS ARGUE
The U.S.-Saudi alliance is detrimental to U.S. interests. The United States’ reluctance to condemn Saudi Arabia’s human rights abuses weakens American credibility around the world, and the Arab nation’s use of U.S. weapons to create a humanitarian crisis in Yemen has sabotaged regional stability and undermined U.S. foreign policy.
Let your students review the facts and decide for themselves: Does the U.S.-Saudi alliance advance U.S. interests? Be sure to check out Issues & Controversies’ complete and unbiased coverage of this timely issue. Enhance the debate with the discussion questions, “By the Numbers” data, primary sources, Intelligence Squared U.S. debate videos, editorials, and newsfeed that are linked to the article.
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Issues & Controversies: Featured Controversy—Natural Disaster Response
Featured in Issues & Controversies: NATURAL DISASTER RESPONSE: Should the U.S. Government Play a Leading Role in Natural Disaster Response? SUPPORTERS ARGUE The U.S. Read More ›
Issues & Controversies: Featured Controversy—Natural Disaster Response
Featured in Issues & Controversies:
NATURAL DISASTER RESPONSE: Should the U.S. Government Play a Leading Role in Natural Disaster Response?
SUPPORTERS ARGUE
The U.S. government must help victims of natural disasters. It is unrealistic to expect local and state agencies to handle devastation that crosses state lines. The U.S. government must fix disaster spending to acknowledge the reality that concurrent, severe natural disasters will become more common with climate change.
OPPONENTS ARGUE
The main responsibility for responding to natural disasters lies with local and state agencies, not the federal government. Local responders can handle crises far better than a large bureaucracy like FEMA, and unchecked federal assistance discourages communities from taking necessary precautions before disaster strikes.
Let your students review the facts and decide for themselves: Should the U.S. government play a leading role in natural disaster response? Be sure to check out Issues & Controversies’ complete and unbiased coverage of this timely issue. Enhance the debate with the discussion questions, “By the Numbers” data, primary sources, audio content, infographics, editorials, and newsfeed that are linked to the article.
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Issues & Controversies: 2018 Updates
Issues & Controversies is continuously updated and enhanced, increasing the educational value of this award-winning resource. Here is a recap of some of the content updates made so far this year. Read More ›
Issues & Controversies: 2018 Updates
Issues & Controversies is continuously updated and enhanced, increasing the educational value of this award-winning resource. Here is a recap of some of the content updates made so far this year.
- New articles: Added 10 new and updated articles on high-interest topics such as the opioid crisis, Puerto Rico, women’s rights, marijuana legalization, immigration policy, net neutrality, gun control, health care reform, abortion, and protectionism.
- Primary sources: Added 120 primary sources, including presidential proclamations, congressional testimony, executive agency guidelines, and speeches by senators, representatives, foreign leaders, and others.
- Court cases: Added 115 new Court Case articles on such issues as abortion and reproductive rights, affirmative action, animal rights, capital punishment, drugs, gun control, immigration, Native Americans, and racial profiling.
- Timelines: Added two new timelines.
- Debate videos: Added four new Intelligence Squared debate videos discussing humanitarian interventions, health of democracy worldwide, paying college athletes, and religion.
- Audio: Added 29 National Public Radio (NPR) audio recordings and podcasts.
- Other updates: Added 10 new discussion questions, hundreds of editorials, and hundreds of news stories.
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Issues & Controversies: 2017 Year in Review—Updates and More
Issues & Controversies has been updated and enhanced throughout the past year, increasing the educational value of this award-winning resource. Read More ›
Issues & Controversies: 2017 Year in Review—Updates and More
Issues & Controversies has been updated and enhanced throughout the past year, increasing the educational value of this award-winning resource.
Recent Updates and Additions:
- New articles: Added six new articles on high-interest topics such as fake news, the electoral college, education (National High School Debate Topic), the Obama presidency, Russia investigation, and the recent travel ban.
- Updated articles: Updated 15 articles on such evergreen subjects as climate change, gun control, health care reform, immigration, manufacturing jobs, marijuana, and women’s rights and sexual harassment.
- Primary sources: Added 29 primary sources in areas such as the Iran nuclear deal, North Korea, fake news, Russia investigation, climate change, transgender rights, and travel ban.
- Timelines: Added six new timelines.
- Discussion questions: Added 35 new discussion questions in curriculum topics on fake news, electoral college, education (National High School Debate Topic), the Obama presidency, the Russia investigation, and the recent travel ban.
- Infographics: Added 296 infographics in areas such as abortion, bullying, capital punishment, environmental regulation, disability rights, legalization of marijuana, gun control, terrorism, immigration, manufacturing, police brutality, race relations, smoking, and voting rights.
- Debate videos: Added 14 Intelligence Squared debate videos featuring climate change, Trump’s presidency, charter schools, U.S.-China relations, video games, and health care reform.
- Audio content: Added 238 NPR audios/podcasts.
- Editorials: Added hundreds of editorials.
- News stories: Added hundreds of news stories.
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Issues & Controversies: Plan Your Academic Year
Ideal for getting students to think critically about today’s most important issues, the award-winning Issues & Controversies provides objective, in-depth analysis of hundreds of today’s hot topics in politics, government, business, society, education, and popular culture. Read More ›
Issues & Controversies: Plan Your Academic Year
Ideal for getting students to think critically about today’s most important issues, the award-winning Issues & Controversies provides objective, in-depth analysis of hundreds of today’s hot topics in politics, government, business, society, education, and popular culture. We’ve made it easy for educators to use this tool in classes by highlighting a selection of articles on key topics they may be teaching each month, each tied in with a relevant theme.
Ideas for Using Issues & Controversies:
- Use the overview videos, where available, to introduce a topic
- Use the discussion questions to spark in-class debate
- Use the debate videos to provide fresh perspectives from leading experts
- Use the printable handouts for review and self-assessment
- Read the primary sources for context and background
- Get students thinking with the “What If?” questions in the “Extend the Lesson” section
February:
African American History Month:
- Affirmative Action: Are affirmative action programs necessary to make up for past discrimination?
- Slavery Reparations: Should the government provide reparations to the descendants of slaves?
- Confederate Monuments: Is it appropriate for states to display monuments to the Confederacy?
National Entrepreneurship Week: Manufacturing Jobs: Should the U.S. government bolster the manufacturing sector?
March:
- Women’s History Month: Women’s Rights
- Baseball: Dominican Baseball Academies: Do Dominican baseball academies provide young players a path out of poverty?
April:
- World Health Day (April 7): Health Care Reform: Has the Affordable Care Act improved health care in the United States?
- Earth Day (April 22): Climate Change: Should the U.S. government take aggressive steps to address climate change?
- Autism Awareness Month: Diagnosing Autism: Should autism be diagnosed in children under the age of three?
- School Library Month: Young Adult Literature: Is current young adult literature appropriate for teen readers?
May:
- International Workers’ Day (May 1): Unions and Labor Law: Are labor unions still necessary safeguards against worker exploitation?
- Choose Privacy Week: Social Networking and Privacy: Should the U.S. government mandate privacy rules for social networking sites?
- World No Tobacco Day (May 31): Smoking Bans and the Tobacco Industry: Are smoking bans necessary to protect public health?
June:
- National Safety Month: School Safety: Should schools employ controversial safety measures—such as metal-detector checks and random sweeps with drug-sniffing dogs—in order to combat school violence?
- National Gun Violence Awareness Month: Gun Control Laws: Should the United States adopt stronger gun control laws?
- Flag Day (June 14): Flag Desecration: Should the Constitution be amended to ban flag desecration?
- Effective Communications Month: Teaching “21st-Century Skills”: Should U.S. schools teach more “21st-century skills,” such as teamwork, creativity, and problem solving?
July:
- Independence Day (July 4): U.S. Politics and the Presidency: Should presidents claim strong executive power?
- 93rd Anniversary of Scopes Trial: Religion in Public Schools: Does religion have a place in public schools?
- National Whistleblower Day (July 30): WikiLeaks: Is WikiLeaks justified in publishing classified military and government documents?
August:
- Artist Appreciation Month: Graffiti: Is graffiti art?
- National Inventors Month: Patent Reform: Does the U.S. patent system need reform?
- National Immunization Awareness Month: Mandatory Vaccination: Should vaccination be mandatory?
September:
- September 11 attacks: Travel Ban and Immigration: Should the United States ban travelers from certain countries?
- Banned Books Week: Editing the Classics: Should classic works of literature be edited to make them less offensive?
- National Childhood Obesity Month: Diet and Obesity: Should the U.S. government take measures to fight obesity?
October:
- National Bullying Prevention Month: Bullying: Should states pass laws requiring educational institutions to implement anti-bullying measures?
- National Cybersecurity Awareness Month: Cybercrime: Do cybercrime laws need to be reformed to prevent disproportionate sentences, or should they be strengthened to deter harmful cybercrimes?
- Energy Action Month: Energy Policy: Should the United States increase domestic production of oil and natural gas?
November:
- Election Day: Voting Rights Act: Should the federal government continue to oversee voting practices in some states, as was required by Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act?
- Veterans’ Day: Soldiers’ Mental Health: Are mental health services for U.S. armed forces members sufficient?
- Native American Heritage Month: Native American Policy: Does the Native American reservation system work?
December:
- National Impaired Driving Prevention Month: Drunk Driving: Should the government employ more aggressive means of preventing drunk driving?
- Human Rights Day (December 10): Human Rights: Should the United States and the international community intervene to protect human rights?
- Christmas/Hanukkah: Separation of Church and State: Should there be a strict separation of church and state in the United States?
January:
- National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month: Human Trafficking: Do U.S. sanctions effectively combat human trafficking?
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Protest Movements: Are protest movements effective ways of bringing about social and political change?
- Sugar Awareness Week: Junk Food in Schools: Should schools restrict the sale of junk food?
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