2023-24 Season Topics

SATURDAY, APRIL 27 Championship Tournament

 

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2nd TOURNAMENT

• Humans should colonize Mars.
• This house would pursue contentment over achievement when the two conflict.
• Cities should ban rideshare apps such as Uber and Lyft (Varsity Only)

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4th  TOURNAMENT

• Abolish admissions preferences for college athletes
• Taylor Swift should make a significant number of concerts on each tour free
• Humans should colonize Mars (Varsity Only)

 

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14th Novice Debaters Workshop & Scrimmage

2022-23 Season Topics

April 29th Championship Tournament

• Ban Hate Speech
• Streaming services are bad for music
• Parents should be able to control the curricular content of their children’s schools.
• Genetically-modified plants are more beneficial than harmful to the environment
• Give the Black Hills back to the Sioux Nation

March 4th Tournament:

• This house prefers a world in which AI is smarter than humans
• Ban Hate Speech
• Earth should be governed by a single-world government. (Varsity only)

January 21st Tournament:

Parents should be able to control the curricular content of their children’s schools.

Streaming services are bad for music.

Varsity Only
The United States should implement a flat tax (varsity only)

 

December 3rd Tournament:

Novice and Varsity

• Eliminate high school football
• This house celebrates the rise of telehealth
• Varsity Only
  Amazon does more harm than good.

 

November 5th Tournament:

Novice and Varsity

• Captive live animal displays (such as zoos and aquariums) do more harm than good.
• Television is a bad influence.
• Varsity Only
  This house believes that America should have a four-day work week.

 

Topics from the April 30th, 2022 Championship Tournament Were:

• Children under 14 should not use smartphones.
• The United States should implement compulsory voting in general elections.
• Sanctions do more harm than good
• Abolish the Olympic Games
• Schools should have cameras in classrooms.

 

Some of the Topics Debated during the 2021-2022 Season Were:

• Ban plea bargains.
• Schools should not give grade
• This house supports the death penalty (Varsity Only)
• This house supports genetic engineering of human embryos
• This house prefers a world in which national secession is widely permitted.
• Ban Plea Bargains (Varsity Only)

 

2021 New York Debate League Championship
We are so proud of all our schools and students for participating in this year’s program! Congratulations to the ESU NYDL Middle School Debate team from The Dalton School in New York City for winning the 2021 Middle School Debate Championship, and to all of this year’s participants. Read more about this year’s season.

 

TOPICS FROM THE MAY 2021 CHAMPIONSHIP

New Topics

• The US should not develop or use lethal autonomous weapons.
• Dysfunctional democracy is better than benevolent dictatorship.
• Overall, private schools do more good than harm.
• Pandemic lockdowns have done more good than harm.

Returning Topics

• US citizens should be required to complete two years of national service
• The two-party system is bad for American democracy
• There should be no required subjects in high school
• Museums and galleries should display works of art anonymously
• The US should implement a UBI
• Abolish the senate
• Countries responsible for the greatest share of greenhouse gas emissions should pay reparations to the countries most threatened by climate change

 

2020-2021 Debate League Topics

 

MSPDP

 

• The United States should implement a Universal Basic Income. (Varsity Only)
• COVID vaccination should be mandatory .
• Social Media does more harm than good

 

HSPDP

 

• End deceptive police interrogation practices
• President Biden should pardon Edward Snowden
• United States military export arms sales do more good than harm.
• Animals should have standing to sue.

 

2018-2019

NEW YORK DEBATE LEAGUE TOPICS

 

• Ban homework.
• Voting in federal elections should be mandatory.
• The United States should retaliate with military force against cyberattacks.
• Industrially developed countries have a responsibility to accept climate refugees.
• John Brown was morally justified.
• Legalize steroids in sports.
• DeBlasio’s specialized high school admittance plan would do more good than harm.
• Websites should be held responsible for user created data that they host.
• New York City should open supervised injection sites.
• The US should substantially increase funding for space exploration.
• Implement open borders.
• Ban animal dissection in schools.
• Art should be considered separately from the artist.
• Expand Social Security to provide an adequate retirement.
• The US President should serve a single 6-year term.
• Facial recognition technology does more harm than good.
• Eliminate farm subsidies!
• The First Amendment should not protect lying in campaigns and elections.

 

JERSEY SHORE DEBATE LEAGUE & GARDEN
STATE DEBATE LEAGUE TOPICS

 

• Supreme Court Justices should be appointed for life.
• Elon Musk’s Underground Tunnel Transit System is good for America.
• The North Bergen Liberty Generating facility causes more harm than good.
• The United States of America should establish a Space Force.
• Police officers should wear body cameras.
• Ban homework.
• Social media is good for democracy.
• Banning plastic straws causes more harm than good.
• Lower the voting age to 16.
• Ban the sale of E-cigarettes.
• The US should not sell weapons to Saudi Arabia.
• College athletes should be paid.
• Tracking apps cause more harm than good.
• Election Day should be a Federal Holiday.
• The United States should not interfere in the domestic affairs of Venezuela.
• Electric cars cause more good than harm.
• New Jersey beaches should not be free to the public.

 

NATIONAL’S CAPITAL DEBATE LEAGUE TOPICS

 

• Social media is good for democracy.
• Make Washington, D.C. the 51st state.
• Banning plastic straws causes more harm than good.
• The U.S. Constitution allows the president to be indicted for an alleged crime.
• Police officers should wear body cameras.
• The Senate should be abolished.
• The DMV metro area should solve traffic primarily through mass transit.
• Homework does more harm than good.

 

2017-2018

EAST COAST CHAMPIONSHIP TOPICS

 

• Ban the practice of requiring job applicants to disclose their criminal history.
• The US should adopt a universal guaranteed annual income.
• Reptiles should not be kept as pets.
• Credit card companies should not process sales of firearms.
• The Olympic Games should include E-sports.
• A nuclear attack on North Korea should be “off the table.”

 

NEW YORK DEBATE LEAGUE TOPICS

 

• Middle school students should wear uniforms.
• Puerto Rico should become an independent and sovereign state.
• Bill de Blasio is good for New York City.
• Talking on the phone is better than texting.
• New York City should ban single-use plastic bags.
• Abolish the penny.
• Americans should be required to provide one year of national service.
• Amazon is good for society.

 

JERSEY SHORE DEBATE LEAGUE & GARDEN
STATE DEBATE LEAGUE TOPICS

 

• Columbus Day should not be a federal holiday.
• Later school start times cause more harm than good.
• Ending net neutrality is good for America.
• School uniforms do more good than harm.
• Catalonia should become an independent country.
• The federal government should NOT withhold funds for sanctuary cities.
• End PARCC testing in New Jersey.
• Amazon is good for society.
• Americans should be required to complete one year of national service.
• Banning Russia from the 2018 Winter Olympics was the wrong decision.
• Virtual reality technology does more harm than good.
• Animal testing is unethical.
• The federal government should not withhold funds for sanctuary cities.

 

NATIONAL’S CAPITAL DEBATE LEAGUE TOPICS

 

• Ending net neutrality is good for America.
• Students should be allowed to film/record their instructors without permission.
• Expansion of section 8 vouchers does more good than harm.
• The federal government should withhold funds for sanctuary cities.
• Urban renewal programs benefit city residents.
• School uniforms benefit students.
• Gerrymandered Congressional districts do more good than harm.
• Cryptocurrencies do more good than ham.
• The current proposal for a mixed-use development should be built on the McMillian Sand Filtration Site in Washington, DC (debate both sides of this topic).

 

2016-2017

JERSEY SHORE DEBATE LEAGUE & GARDEN
STATE DEBATE LEAGUE TOPICS

 

• Build the Dakota Access Pipeline
• The US should not establish a colony on Mars.
• The Trans-Pacific Partnership is good for America
• Self-driving cars do more good than harm.
• Surveillance measures by the US government are warranted.
• Energy drinks cause more HARM than good. 
• The invention of gunpowder did more GOOD than harm.
• Ban killer robots!
• The United States should not abolish the Electoral College.
• Voter ID laws cause more good than harm.
• Hosting the Olympic games is worth the cost.
• Ban big game hunting.
• A free press is more important than national security.
• Zoos do more harm than good. 
• Ban alcohol advertising.
• Public colleges and universities should be tuition-free.

 

NEW YORK DEBATE LEAGUE TOPICS

 

• School uniforms should be mandatory in all K-8 schools.
• Globalization does more harm than good.
• The United States should provide undocumented immigrants a pathway to citizenship.
• Prohibit the privatization of water.
• Public schools should be permitted to hold religiously affiliated celebrations.
• Globalization does more harm than good.
• Pokemon Go does more good than harm.
• US should halt construction of new oil pipelines.
• Native Americans should have sovereign rights over natural resources found on their land.
• Restore Pluto’s planetary status!
• Congress should significantly increase the number of justices on the US Supreme Court.
• New York City should remain a sanctuary city.
• Gentrification does more harm than good.
• Provide free childcare to teenage parents.
• Ban advertisements for alcohol.

 

NATION’S CAPITAL DEBATE LEAGUE TOPICS

 

• The government should regulate prescription drug prices.
• Public colleges and universities should be tuition free.
• The electoral college should be abolished.
• Abolish the penny.
• Western governments have a moral obligation to resettle refugees. 
• US Representatives and Senators should have term limits.
• The Affordable Care Act has done more good than harm.
• Self-driving cars are a public safety hazard.
• Moral obligations precede considerations of consequences.
• Schools should commence later in the day.
• Internet companies should regulate news sources on their sites.
• Labels should be required for GMO foods.
• The President’s executive order on immigration is unconstitutional.
• The Dakota Access Pipeline does more good than harm.
• The Metro should solve its budget shortfall through increased fares for riders.
• It is morally acceptable to experiment on animals for medical purposes.
• Polystyrene products should be banned.
• Activists should focus on policy changes over protests to achieve their goals.
• A Constitutional Convention will do more good than harm.
• NATO is not obsolete.

 

2015-2016

GARDEN STATE DEBATE LEAGUE TOPICS:

 

• The US should adopt stricter gun control laws.
• All U.S. Presidential primaries should be held on the same day.
• Ban organized tackle football leagues for children under the age of 14.
• Sea World causes more harm than good.
• Abolish the penny.
• The Federal government has failed in rebuilding the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina.
• European nations should be required to accept refugees from Africa and the Middle East.
• Cigarettes should be illegal.
• Hamilton should remain on the $10 bill.
• Texting does more harm than good.
• Daily fantasy sports should not be considered illegal gambling.
• No space explorations should be permitted without showing that it will not harm extraterrestrial microbial life. 
• Reality TV shows do more harm than good.
• Homework should be banned.
• The Paris Climate Accord is bad for the developing world.
• The United States should have more than two political parties.

 

JERSEY SHORE DEBATE LEAGUE TOPICS:

 

• The 2nd Amendment should be repealed.
• Reality TV shows do more harm than good.
• All U.S. Presidential primaries should be held on the same day.
• Elite professional athletes are overpaid.
• Abolish the penny.
• The federal government has failed in rebuilding the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina.
• European nations should be required to accept refugees from Syria. 
• New Jersey should end the bear hunt.
• Social media causes more harm than good.
• The voting age in the United States should be lowered to 16 years of age.
• Genetically modified foods cause more good than harm.
• The benefits of interscholastic sports for K-12 students in the U.S. outweigh the harms.
• The Paris Climate Accord is bad for the developing world.
• Alexander Hamilton should remain on the $10 bill.
• Video games cause more harm than good.
• No space explorations should be permitted without showing that it will not harm extraterrestrial microbial life. 

 

NATION’S CAPITAL DEBATE LEAGUE:

 

• US Supreme Court justices should have term limits.
• The discoverer of an abandoned shipwreck should have title to its artifacts.
• Illegal immigrant parents with legal US citizen children should not be deported.
• No space explorations should be permitted without showing that it will not harm extraterrestrial microbial life.
• Affirmative action should factor into admissions decisions for public universities.
• Arts education should be compulsory.
• Texting does more harm than good.
•  Ridesharingservicesshouldberegulated as taxis.

 

NEW YORK DEBATE LEAGUE TOPICS:

 

• The US should establish a no-fly zone in Syria.
• The US should have compulsory voting in general elections.
• Schools should require cameras in classrooms. 
• Justice Antonin Scalia’s Supreme Court career did more good than harm.
• Scientists should use cloning technology to resurrect animals made extinct by humans.
• The US should adopt the metric system.
• Ban homework.
• Ban the public display of Confederate symbols.
• Tablets should replace textbooks in schools.
• Animal testing does more good than harm.
• Developed nations have a moral obligation to accept refugees.
• Legalize the sale of human organs.
• Halt trade with nations that practice child labor.
• No space explorations should be permitted without showing that it will not harm extraterrestrial microbial life.
• Ban Beauty Pageants.
• Developed nations have a moral obligation to accept refugees.
• The 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change is bad for the developing world.
• Repeal the 2nd Amendment.
• Social media does more harm than good.

 

2014-2015

GARDEN STATE DEBATE LEAGUE TOPICS:

 

• New Jersey’s red-light camera program should be extended.
• Lotteries cause more harm than good.
• Torture is justified for National security.
• China should allow Hong Kong to have democratic elections.
• Persons with a felony conviction should not be allowed to vote.
• College athletes should be paid.
• Factory farming does more harm than good.
• Massive online open courses (MOOCs) do more good than harm.
• The Common Core does more good than harm.
• Columbus Day should not be a federal holiday.
• Tablets should replace textbooks in schools.
• Ban single-use shopping bags.
• Disney movies cause more harm than good.
• Police officers should wear body cameras.
• South Jersey Gas should be allowed to build a pipeline through the Pinelands.
• Ban air travel from West Africa

 

NEW YORK DEBATE LEAGUE TOPICS:

 

• Community college should be free.
• The media should show the horrors of war.
• Abolish midterm elections.
• Internet users have a right to be forgotten.
• Uber does more harm than good.
• College athletes should be paid.
• Cultural treasures should be returned to their countries of origin. 
• Restore voting rights to ex-felons.
• Suspend MTA Fare Increases in NYC.
• Factory farming does more harm than good.  
• All middle schools should require uniforms.
• Wikipedia does more harm than good.
• Media Coverage of Ebola does more harm than good.
• Ban the use of digitally enhanced images of women in advertising.
• Police officers should wear body cameras.

 

 

NEW YORK DEBATE LEAGUE TOPICS:

 

• Domestic surveillance by NSA does more good than harm.
• NYC should establish universal pre-K.
• Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs) do more good than harm.
• Colleges and universities should divest their fossil fuel company holdings. 
• The US War on Poverty is a failure. 
• All Middle Schools should require uniforms.
• US Public Schools should be in session year round.
• State mandated administration of childhood vaccines is justified.
• State lotteries do more harm than good.
• The US should have compulsory military service.
• New York should legalize physician assisted suicide.
• All states should adopt the Common Core.
• The United States should establish a living wage for its workers.
• Stand your ground laws do more harm than good.
• Ban tipping.
• Texting does more harm than good.
• The FDA should ban the domestic sale of foods that include GMO’s.
• Violence is a justified response to oppression.
• Youth contact sports do more harm than good.
• Remove smoking regulations on the use of e-cigarettes
• Ban unpaid internships.
• Abolish the penny.

 

BIG APPLE DEBATE LEAGUE TOPICS:

 

• Disney movies do more harm than good.
• NYC should establish universal Pre-K.
• Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs) do more good than harm.
• The US should pardon Edward Snowden.
• US Public Schools should be in session year round.
• State mandated administration of childhood vaccines is justified.
• State lotteries do more harm than good.
• The US should have compulsory military service. 
• New York should legalize physician assisted suicide.
• All states should adopt the Common Core.
• The United States should establish a living wage for its workers.
• Stand your ground laws do more harm than good.
• Ban tipping.
• Texting does more harm than good.
• The FDA should ban the domestic sale of foods that include GMO’s
• Violence is a justified response to oppression.
• Youth contact sports do more harm than good.
• Remove smoking regulations on the use of e-cigarettes
• Ban unpaid internships.
• Abolish the penny.

 

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2012-13

GARDEN STATE DEBATE LEAGUE TOPICS:

 

• The United States should establish a living wage for its workers.
• The US Postal Service should continue Saturday mail deliveries.
• Facebook causes more harm than good.
• Stop-and-frisk does more good than harm.
• Wrestling should not be an Olympic sport.
• The United States should not abolish the Electoral College.
• Voter ID laws cause more good than harm.
• Students should have 30 minutes of exercise every day in school.
• End Daylight Savings time.
• Bottled water causes more harm than good.
• Ban energy drinks.
• FEMA’s responsibilities should be handed over to the states.
• The caste system was good for Indian Society.
• Wikipedia does more good than harm.
• The United States should not expand drilling for oil off the East Coast.
• NJ drivers should be able to pump their own gas.
• Video games cause more harm than good.
• Students should not have to pay to participate in extra-curricular activities.
• The US should guarantee a free college education to all citizens.
• The Olympic Games do more good than harm.

 

NEW YORK DEBATE LEAGUE TOPICS:

 

• Facebook should not allow members under 18
• The Electoral College should be abolished
• New York City should not build sea barriers
• Ban plastic shopping bags
• The U.S. Space Program should be privatized
• Unisex middle schools are superior to co-ed middle schools.  
• Repeal the 16 oz. soda limit in New York City. 
• Handguns should be illegal. 
• US policy should favor stability over democracy in the Middle East.  
• The Obama administration should approve the Keystone pipeline. 
• The student body of the NYC public specialized high schools should reflect the demographics of New York City.
• Ban violent video games.
• Right to Work laws do more good than harm.
• Offshore drilling is good for the United States.
• The use of Predator drones should be subject to greater Congressional oversight.
• Immigration reform should include a path to citizenship.
• NYC should invest in additional bike lanes.
• The international community should ban nuclear-powered spacecraft.
• Stop-and-frisk does more good than harm.
• Wrestling should not be an Olympic sport.
• Human genome sequencing does more harm than good.
• Mayor Bloomberg is good for NYC.
• Ban Energy Drinks.
• The US Senate should abolish the filibuster.
• The FDA should increase the frequency with which they inspect meat.

 

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2011-12

GARDEN STATE DEBATE LEAGUE TOPICS:

 

• Television is a bad influence.
• Homework does more harm than good.
• Chris Christie is good for New Jersey.
• The United States should significantly expand its use of nuclear power.
• NATO should withdraw from Afghanistan.
• Schools should be peanut free.
• New Jersey’s bullying laws do more harm than good.
• The United States should increase its use of solar power.
• The European Union should drop the euro.
• The Occupy Wall Street movement is good for America.
• 16 year olds should be allowed to vote.
• School uniforms do more good than harm.
• New Jersey should end the bear hunt.
• Close the Guantanamo Bay prison.
• Soccer players should be required to wear helmets.
• Tax increases are good for America.
• New Jersey beaches should not be free to the public.
• There should be year-round schooling for students.
• The United States should not send humans into space.
• Abolish the penny.
• Standardized testing causes more harm than good.
• Animal testing is unethical.
• Military service should be mandatory in the United States.
• Eliminate the designated hitter in professional baseball.

 

NEW YORK DEBATE LEAGUE TOPICS:

 

• Television is a bad influence.
• Homework does more harm than good.
• Andrew Cuomo is good for New York.
• The United States should significantly expand its use of nuclear power.
• NATO should withdraw from Afghanistan.
• Occupy Wall Street!
• Schools should be peanut free.
• The European Union should drop the Euro.
• Hydrofracking does more harm than good.
• The US should lower the voting age to 16. 
• School uniforms do more good than harm.
• Soccer players should be required to wear helmets.
• NYC should adopt congestion pricing for vehicles traveling in Manhattan’s central business district.
• The US should substantially restrict corporate campaign contributions.
• Close the Guantanamo Bay prison.
• States should require drug tests to receive welfare benefits.
• Tax increases are good for America.Teacher evaluations should not be made public.
• The US should establish a national DNA database of all residents.
• The Endangered Species Act should no longer include exemptions for subsistence or traditional use.
• The government should restrict free speech during national emergencies. 

Alice Uhl, Director of International Scholarship, Shakespeare & Debate 

auhl@esuus.org

(212) 818-1200, ext. 212