Child Development: Controversial Issues

The topics below are controversial issues often seen in the area of child development. They tend to be very complex topics with facts that lend themselves nicely to pro/con organization but also can be framed strategically to support a variety of different conclusions. The best way to settle on a topic is to browse newspaper or news site headlines and/or entries in reference sources about things that interest you and see where that leads you.

• Should vaccinations be mandatory?
• Should there be pets in the classroom?
• Should doctors and psychiatrists prescribe antipsychotic drugs to children?
• Should child services agents and the general public be held more accountable for instances of child abuse?
• Should parents and schools use corporal punishment to discipline children?  
• Should Autism be diagnosed in children under the age of three?
• Should Congress expand the Federal Communications Commission's ability to regulate television violence?
• Should the U.S. government be involved in the fight against childhood obesity?
• Should children avoid caffeine?
• Should special needs students be educated alongside general education students?​
• Should children eat genetically modified food?
• Should teachers be required to get a flu shot? 

• Issues & Controversies - Facts on File

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• Opposing Viewpoints in Context - Gale

  Contains contextual information and opinions on hundreds of today's hottest social issues drawing from full-text magazines, academic journals, news articles, primary source documents, statistics, images, videos, audio files and links to vetted websites.