If a student knows he wants to write an argumentative essay about a topic related to school in some way, here are some potential ideas.
Should School Uniforms be Mandatory?
Communities across America continue to debate this topic. There are plenty of reasons on both sides of the debate, so a student could argue either side and write a successful paper.
Reasons for mandating school uniforms include the following:
Fewer distractions (there will be no distracting clothing – nothing revealing or gang-related, for instance) Less wasted time during morning routines (kids don’t have to decide what to wear) Students approach school in a more professional manner, as they have to dress for the task Cost (purchasing uniforms may actually cost less than buying designer-label clothing) Promotes a sense of unity and equality throughout school (a student’s economic level might not be as apparent when she wears a uniform) Reasons against mandating school uniforms include the following:
Cost factors (do parents have to spend more on uniforms?)
No individual expression for students through clothing
May not actually promote better learning
May promote rebelliousness, as students will alter their uniforms as much as possible to be different (some girls might shorten their skirts, for example) Obviously, students can choose either side of the issue and argue well.
Should Schools Operate Year-Round?
Another good school-related topic for argumentative essays is that of year-round classes.
School districts across the nation debate this topic as well. What are advantages and disadvantages of year-round school? Why were schools set up to operate with summers off to begin with anyway?
Pros for year-round schools include the following:
Some schools operate year-round anyway, due to summer school, sports training, etc.
Working parents wouldn’t have to find summer daycare
Students wouldn’t “forget” information over extended breaks as learning would not be interrupted
School space is wasted throughout the summer, and running schools during summer would utilize that space
Students often become bored during long breaks
Cons of year-round schools include the following:
Many families plan extended vacations during summer months
Students would still be given time off, but it would be equally divided among seasons throughout the year
Students who want to work during the summer months wouldn’t be provided that opportunity
No evidence that year-round schools would improve learning
Older schools without air conditioning would be uncomfortable and likely disrupt learning as well Again, students could easily argue either side of this topic and do well.