Persuasive Topic Ideas

Remember, you may not choose the same topic and the same side as anyone else. As a junior, you  may not choose the same topic as you used for your persuasive speech.

1

abortion—must be a current angle on the topic (waiting period, etc.)

2

adoption/custody laws

3

age for entering the military/going to war

4

American involvement in foreign countries

5

ammunition tax

6

animal fur industry

7

animals used for testing human products/medical research

8

animals/elephants in captivity/zoos

9

automobile fuel economy standards

10

BCS vs. college football playoff system

11

beauty pageants

12

bioethics or biotechnology

13

biofuels--helping or harming?

14

blood donation age

15

boy/girl, man/woman stereotypes

16

bullying legislation/laws

17

buying pseudoephedrine over-the-counter

18

cell phones/texting while driving laws

19

cell phones in school

20

cheerleading (as a competitive sport in SD)

21

cheerleading (really a sport?)

22

child labor laws

23

circus use of animals

24

contraception use

25

DDN/distance learning classes

26

Deaf education system in SD (closing School for the Deaf)

27

death penalty—again, must choose a current angle

28

deforestation (helpful or harmful)

29

diesel vs. gas

30

downloading “free” music—laws relating to it

31

drug testing in high schools

32

Electoral College vs. popular vote

33

elephant poaching in Africa (ivory)

34

euthanasia

35

evolution (teaching it in public schools)

36

evolution/creation (did humans evolve)

37

existence of Bigfoot/Lock Ness Monster/Santa Claus

38

existence of God

39

four-day school week

40

free college education

41

gambling (money maker or family destroyer?)

42

gay couples (receive "married" benefits as civil union?)

43

gay marriage (legalize it?)

44

gays in the military

45

guns in schools legally

46

gun legislation

47

global climate change

48

graduation requirements

49

health care costs/legislation

50

helmet laws

51

human or animal cloning

52

hunting (ethical? necessary?)

53

hunting laws (age, which animals, etc.)

54

immigration laws/border issues

55

Intelligent Design (taught in public schools?)

56

 ISIS (how should we deal with it?)

57

legal drinking age

58

legalizing marijuana (in the US)

59

local curfew

60

mandatory schooling until age 18

61

media violence/video game effects on behavior

62

minimum age for NBA draft

63

minimum wage

64

napping in school

65

No Child Left Behind legislation

66

North Korea—how should they be handled?

67

Nuclear NonProliferation Treaty

68

one child policy in urban China

69

on-line testing requirements

70

open campus

71

open enrollment rules in SD

72

Opportunity Scholarship in SD

73

performance enhancements in professional sports

74

performance enhancements on street cars

75

Pete Rose or famous substance abusers in Hall of Fame

76

polygamy

77

preventing pregnancy drugs

78

professional athletes in the Olympics

79

racism laws and their punishments

80

salary cap in a pro. baseball

81

school dress code rules

82

school funding—in SD or nationwide

83

school policy changes

84

seatbelt laws

85

sixteen minute halves in high school basketball

86

smoking age

87

smoking in liquor-licensed establishments

88

South Dakota teacher pay

89

spanking

90

statutory rape laws

91

stem cell research/use

92

tanning—legal age/laws concerning it

93

wrestling as an Olympic sport

 94

year-round school