101 Persuasive Essay and Speech Topics
By: Mr. Morton

Whether you are a student in need of a persuasive essay topic, or a teacher looking to assign a persuasive essay, this list of 101 persuasive essay topics is a great resource. I taxed my brain to create this huge list of persuasive essay topics relevant to today’s society, but I believe it was worth the effort. Additionally, any of these topics could be applied to a persuasive speech project as well. I appreciate any and all comments or feedback. Thank you for visiting!

Download this list in RTF format
Download this list in PDF format

1. Should students be allowed to have phones in elementary and high schools?
2. Should students have to wear uniforms?
3. Should college athletes be paid for playing?
4. Should the elderly receive free bus rides?
5. Should state colleges be free to attend?
6. Should all American citizens have to complete a year of community service?
7. Should students be required to take Spanish classes?
8. Should marijuana be legal for medicinal purposes?
9. Should the voting age be lowered to thirteen?
10. Should the driving age be raised to twenty-one?
11. Should students be paid for having good grades?
12. Should illegal immigrants be allowed to get drivers licenses?
13. Should not wearing a seat-belt be illegal?
14. Should student’s textbooks be replaced by notebook computers or tablets?
15. Should students have to pass a basic skills test to graduate high school?
16. Should schools raise money by selling candy and sugary soft drinks to students?
17. Should schools serve french-fries and fried potato products to students at lunch?
18. Should students’ grades in gym affect their grade point averages?
19. Should girls be allowed to play on boys sports teams?
20. Should teens be able to buy violent video games?
21. Should boys and girls be in separate classes?
22. Should teenage girls be allowed to get birth control without the permission of their parents?
23. Should our country have free health care?
24. Should immigration laws be reformed?
25. Should the federal government recognize civil unions?
26. Should people who download music and movies illegally be punished?
27. Should school athletes have to be on the honor roll to play in games?
28. Should music with curse words be allowed at school dances?
29. Should public schools begin the day with a silent prayer time?
30. Should students be able to listen to music on headphones during study hall?
31. Should schools offer fast food options like McDonald’s or Taco Bell?
32. Should smoking be allowed at parks and other outdoor public venues?
33. Should cities offer free public Wi-Fi?
34. Should the government place a tax on junk food and fatty snacks?
35. Should the 2^nd amendment give citizens the right to own assault weaponry?
36. Should people traveling in airplanes have to undergo intensive security screenings?
37. Should genetically modified foods be sold with a warning label?
38. Should teachers have to pass a basic skills test every ten years to renew their certification?
39. Should people be allowed to keep exotic animals like chimpanzees or tigers?
40. Should people be allowed to keep pit-bull dogs?
41. Should the city offer a bike sharing program?
42. Should there be an ordinance citing people who fail to recycle $50?
43. Should there be an ordinance citing people who play music too loudly $50?
44. Should prostitution be legalized and regulated by the government?
45. Should celebrities who break the law face stricter penalties?
46. Should the government increase spending on the space program?
47. Should larger passengers have to pay for two plane or movie theater tickets?
48. Should children have to use booster seats in cars?
49. Should people have to get a license to become parents?
50. Should there be tougher federal restrictions for content on the internet?
51. Should people be allowed to curse on daytime television?
52. Should owners be legally accountable for clearing snow from sidewalks on their property?
53. Should sexual education be taught in public schools?
54. Should students be able to get free condoms at school?
55. Should students who commit cyber-bullying be suspended from school?
56. Should corporations be allowed to advertise in schools?
57. Should students be allowed to eat during class?
58. Should more be done to protect and preserve endangered animals?
59. Is it appropriate for students and teachers to be friends on Facebook?
60. Should students have open campus lunch periods?
61. Should abortions be legal?
62. Should abortions be legal in cases of rape and incest?
63. Should the death penalty be used to punish violent criminals?
64. Should students learn about world religions in public schools?
65. Should schools start later in the morning?
66. Should the USA end overseas military operations?
67. Should politicians be allowed to accept campaign contributions from corporate lobbyists?
68. Should people with terminal illnesses have the right to doctor assisted suicides?
69. Should Puerto Rico become a state?
70. Should stem cell researchers be able to use stem cells from aborted babies to cure diseases?
71. Should school athletes have to take drug tests?
72. Should professional athletes have to take drug tests?
73. Should America convert to the metric system?
74. Should high school students have to complete community service hours to graduate?
75. Should teens over 13 years of age be allowed into R rated movies?
76. Should state tests be given in other languages for ESL students?
77. Should scientists be allowed to test products intended for human use on animals?
78. Should unhealthy fast food products be sold with a warning label?
79. Should there be a tariff or tax on products manufactured outside of the country?
80. Should students or teachers receive money for scoring well on standardized tests?
81. Should everyone under the age of 17 have a 9:00 PM curfew?
82. Should schools with low scores on standardized tests be closed?
83. Should minors be allowed to drink alcoholic beverages in their homes with their parents’ consent?
84. Should students be allowed to drop out before they turn 18 years old?
85. Should alcohol manufacturers be allowed to advertise on television?
86. Should students as young as fourteen be allowed to hold jobs?
87. Should American families have a two child max rule to limit population growth?
88. Should children younger than thirteen be allowed to watch MTV or music videos?
89. Should people who are caught driving drunk lose their licenses for a year?
90. Should students who fail their classes be retained and have to repeat the grade?
91. Should large businesses and corporations be required to employ a number of minorities proportionate to the population?
92. Should female construction workers earn the same wages as males?
93. Should children in temporary living situations with a 3.0 GPA earn free college tuition?
94. Should gambling and sports-betting be illegal or should the government regulate it?
95. Should children who commit violent crimes be tried as adults?
96. Should the government be allowed to detain suspected terrorists without trial?
97. Should the government censor internet content deemed inappropriate?
98. Should teachers have to wear uniforms or have a dress code?
99. Should teachers be allowed to have cell phones in the classroom?
100. Should the state execute dogs that have bitten someone?
101. Should talking on a phone without a hands-free device while driving be illegal?

These essay topics ought to be enough to get you started.

Looking For Something Else?
How to Write Persuasive Essays
How to Write Narrative Essays
Narrative Essay Topics
Research Paper Topics