WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Education

Some people believe that school uniforms encourage fairness and contribute to a safer environment, allowing students to focus more on learning. Others argue that uniforms restrict students' freedom of expression, a right that is guaranteed by the First Amendment. Learn more here!

Do you think that students in school should be required to wear uniforms?

Arizona has a law that requires schools to have policies on bullying, harassment and intimidation, with the message that bullying is not tolerated. Arizona is also one of the 8 states in the nation that do not require schools to implement a bullying prevention program. Read more

Do you believe Arizona should require schools to implement bullying prevention programs or strategies?

Arizona law (A.R.S. 15-506) requires that schools display a legible copy of the Constitution in classrooms grades 7-12. Those who support the law say that displaying the Constitution promotes civic education and patriotism and is useful for reference. Critics argue that the Constitution is already widely available in print and online and decisions such as these should be left up to individual teachers and schools. 

Do you think it should be a legal requirement to display the Constitution in every middle and high school classroom?

Some states are concerned about student behavior and school violence at school. To address those issues, some states are in favor of suspending students as young as kindergarten. Read more. In Arizona, students in kindergarten through 4th grade may be suspended or expelled if they meet certain criteria. Read more

Should students as young as kindergarten be suspended or expelled for violent behavior at school?

In Arizona, students between the ages of six and sixteen are required by law to attend school. Students are considered truants when they miss school without a valid excuse. According to Axios Phoenix their data has shown that student absences have increased from 14% in 2019 to 22% in 2021. Read more!

Do you believe covid was the reason truancy cases increased?
 

Arizona Native language and culture teachers believe a student is more engaged at school when connections to a student’s culture, language, and community are included in the curriculum. Students are able to embrace diversity which creates a positive learning environment. Some schools include cultural studies during specific times of the year but not everyday.  

Do you think that cultural studies should be included as part of the daily curriculum?

Arizona law states students must obey the rules and submit to the authority of the teachers, the administrators, and the governing board. Students may receive appropriate discipline such as suspension or expulsion if unable to do so. See Arizona Revised statut15-481

Do you think students should receive suspensions for disruptive behavior?
 

In April 2021, Governor Doug Ducey approved House Bill 2705 that prohibits school district governing boards, charter school governing bodies, and public schools from creating a dress code policy that prohibits students from wearing tribal regalia at their graduation ceremony. Read more here! Also read HB2705.

Should other states join Arizona in passing laws allowing students to wear their tribal regalia at graduation ceremonies?

Arizona Law requires students between 6 and 16 to attend school.  5 unexcused absences during the school year is considered “Habitually Truant”.  If a student is absent 10% of the required school days, it is considered “Excessive Absence”.  Parents can be charged with a Class 3 Misdemeanor with a possible max. 30 days jail sentence or max. $300 fine.  See Arizona Revised statute 15-803.

Do you think parents should be responsible for their student’s truancy?

In Arizona, kindergarten is not required for children under the age of six. It is optional for parents to enroll their children in kindergarten classes. Read more here!

Do you think students should be required to enroll in kindergarten before attending first grade?

Some schools will offer online learning and some will offer in-person learning. Arizonans have protested both options. On one side, the public wants to have the choice to send their students to school and feel that the risks of students staying home are worse than the risks associated with students getting exposed to COVID-19 at school. Read more here. On the other side, the public wants to take extra precautions when it comes to their students’ health and feel that all benchmarks must be met in order for students to return to school. Read more here.

Do you think that schools should offer both in-person learning and online learning right away from the first day of school?

In April 2019, the Arizona Governor signed the Financial Literacy Bill, S.B. 1184, into law creating a new requirement for high school students to pass a financial literacy class in order to graduate. The law requires at least one-half of a course credit in economics and that class must include financial literacy and personal financial management. Read more here!

Do you think that a personal finance class should be required to graduate high school?

House Bill 2119 passed in May 2019, requiring schools to create policies and procedures for reporting crimes and threatening conduct. Specifically, the schools are required to alert parents of students involved in this behavior. Read more here!

Do you think this requirement will help prevent school violence?

In January 2018 several students from an Arizona Junior High School posted a video to SnapChat that showed them chanting racist comments. The school chose not to discipline the students at school since the incident did not occur on school campus. Many of the school community members are angry about the school’s decision. Read more here!

Do you think schools should be able to discipline students for online posts to social media made off of school campus?

A high school student in Alabama invited his grandmother to his school prom as his date. The school will not allow the student to bring his grandmother to the dance due to maximum age restrictions. The school has stated that the restrictions are in place to protect the students at the dance. Read more here!

Do you support the school's decision to deny the student's grandmother entry to the prom?

On April 5, 2018, Governor Ducey signed a bill that requires schools to provide at least 2 recess periods for students in grades kindergarten through 5th. Additionally, schools could not remove recess as a consequence for behavior unless the student's parent pre-approved the consequence. Read more here! Also read SB1083.

Starting in the Fall semester of 2018, Arizona elementary schools will be required to teach cursive handwriting through the 5th grade. Read more here! 

Do you think students should be required to learn cursive?


Conflict Resolution

Teen Court provides an alternative means of dispensing justice to juveniles who have committed a selected misdemeanor crime, status offense, or traffic violation. In Teen Court, a restorative consequence is determined by a jury of peers. Juveniles accepted into Teen Court are typically first time offenders. Read more here.

Do you think that juveniles who have committed more than one offense should have the option to be tried in Teen Court?

Mediation is a process that involves bringing in a third-party mediator to help two sides resolve a disagreement. Under Arizona law (ARS 12-2238), mediation can be ordered by a court or pursued by the parties themselves. Mediation tends to be less expensive and less time consuming than litigation (going to court and having a judge or jury settle the dispute). Read more here!

Do you think mediation is an effective way of settling disputes?


 State or Federal

Currently, there is no restriction on the number of times someone can be elected to Congress. Some people think that Congressional term limits would foster new ideas and prevent corruption. Others argue that experienced lawmakers, who have served multiple terms, contribute valuable expertise and stability to Congress. Read more here!

Do you think there should be a limit on how many terms a member of Congress can serve?

In June 2022, President Biden signed into law the Keep Kids Fed Act, which extends funding for the National School Lunch Program. While the new law extends funding, it ends the practice put in place at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic that provided free meals for all students. Some argue that free meals should be continued to help students, while others disagree and argue that it is expensive and wasteful. Read more here 

Do you think that the government should continue to provide free school lunches for all students?

Zoos enable people to visit all kinds of animals. Some feel that it isn’t right to keep certain animals in captivity, while others feel it is a way to preserve wild animals. Canada has a proposed law making it illegal to keep elephants and great apes in zoos. Read more here and here!

Do you think the U.S. should continue to keep elephants and apes in zoos?

In May 2016, the Obama Administration enacted a policy that was intended to prohibit the discrimination of transgender students in public schools. The nationwide policy allowed transgender students to use bathrooms on campus that aligned with their gender identity. In February 2017, the Trump Administration cancelled this policy and has determined that each state should enact their own policies regarding transgender bathrooms.

Should each state be responsible for protecting a student's rights?
 


 Finance

The Patriot Act, passed in response to national security concerns after 9/11, requires individuals to provide ID when setting up a bank account. Advocates argue that it enhances security and helps track illegal activities. Opponents raise concerns about privacy and potential government overreach. Read more here!

Do you think people should be required to present an ID when setting up a bank account?

In 2022, the tax filing threshold was $12,950 for people aged 18-65. This means that anyone who made more than $12,950 in 2022 is required to pay taxes for that year. Advocates of lower tax filing thresholds argue they ensure everyone contributes to public services, while advocates of higher thresholds argue that they help take the burden off lower-income individuals. Read more here!

Do you think the tax filing threshold should be raised to help lower-income individuals?


Vandalism

Actress Vanessa Hudgens (High School Musical, Grease Live) may have to pay a fine and pay restitution or appear in court for carving her name and the name of her boyfriend into red rock in Sedona. The incident occurred in February 2016 around Valentine’s Day. Damaging a natural feature on U.S. Forest Service land is a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail and a maximum $5,000 fine.

Do you think Vanessa Hudgens should be held responsible?


Technology

Cyberbullying has become more common with text messaging and social media. In Arizona, if convicted and found guilty of cyberbullying the individual may suffer legal consequences, criminal penalties, or prison time. Read more!

Do you believe a person who engages in cyberbullying should face criminal charges?

Many Arizona schools now have social media accounts such as Facebook. Photos of school events, highlights of student success, student names and locations are posted. There are concerns that photos posted by public school may increase risks for student’s privacy and safety. Read more!

Do you think schools should be allowed to post photos of students?
 

Artificial intelligence is being developed for the education system. Technology apps are tools that can monitor student learning and predict outcomes. AIF can learn what students are interested in and formulate math problems or reading examples on the topics of interest. Protecting student privacy is a concern as well as maintaining human interaction. Read more!

Should Arizona schools use artificial intelligence apps in their schools?
 

Schools in Arizona are required to have policies for bullying, intimidation, and harassment on school property or school sponsored events. Arizona does not require schools to have anti-bullying policies for cyberbullying that occurs off school campus. Read more here and here!

Do you think Arizona schools should give consequences for cyberbullying that occurs off school campus?
 

The Kids Online Safety Act is being proposed in federal legislation. (Read More) By providing more control options for both users under 16 and parents of minors who are using platforms, this bill expands upon the existing Child Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) that protects minors under 13 from having personal data collected. The Kids Online Safety Act would prevent platforms from promoting harmful behaviors, ban certain harmful content, provide more parent control options such as limiting screen time and require platforms to make public reports on potential risks to minors from the content on their website.

Do you think schools should be allowed to post photos of students?

Instagram has a new flagging feature to report false posts, inappropriate content and false information. To reduce the amount of misinformation around Covid-19, major social media platforms have taken steps to remove conspiracy theories, inaccurate health advice, cures and myths relating to the pandemic. Read more here.

Do you feel this monitoring helps people be better informed?

In 1994, The Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) was formed by a coalition of the major video game publishers with the goal of creating a ratings system. The initial system created had 5 categories.  The categories later expanded to seven. Read More!

Do you think the ESRB rating system should be required on all video games and apps?
 

Social media sites, such as Facebook, are facing the issue of fake profiles, fake news, and other harmful actions. Some people believe it is the responsibility of the social media site to take action to prevent the controversial acts and others think that the user posting the material should be held responsible.

Do you think social media sites should be responsible for monitoring and preventing harmful actions on their site?
   


Civil Responsibility

During the 2020 presidential election, 3.4 million votes were cast across Arizona. Low-income Arizonans who earned less than $50,000 a year, cast more than 1.4 million votesLearn more here!  

Do you think that there will be an increase in voter turnout in Arizona by the 2024 presidential election?

The majority of Arizona tax revenue is generated through income taxes, sales, and excise taxes. The implementation of a flat tax would allow everyone to pay the same tax rate, regardless of income. Read more here!

Do you think Arizona should have a flat tax?

Arizona Senate Bill 2494 prevents people from being arrested or sued if they use reasonable force to remove an animal or child left in a hot car. The bill states that people would need to first believe in good faith that the animal or child was in a harmful situation, notify the proper authorities before entering the vehicle, and stay with the victim until the authorities arrive. Governor Ducey signed the bill on May 11, 2017. Read more here! Also read SB2494

Do you support the bill that would allow people to intervene to remove children and animals from hot cars?
 


Voting Laws

Currently, citizens must be 18 to vote. Advocates for lowering the voting age to 16 state that youth should have the ability to help decide how their country should be shaped since they will be directly affected when they become adults. Opponents state that youth will not have the knowledge they need to make an informed vote. 

Do you think the voting age should be lowered to 16?

In November 2016, singer/Actor Justin Timberlake took a selfie while voting early using a voting booth in Tennessee. He then posted the picture on social media with a message encouraging others to get out and vote. Taking pictures inside a voting booth is illegal in Tennessee and Justin Timberlake may face legal consequences. In Tennessee, the crime is a misdemeanor and consequences could include up to 30 days in jail and a $50 fine.  

Do you think voting booth selfies should be illegal?


Arizona

Under Arizona law A.R.S 4-101 the legal drinking age is 21 years old. Individuals become adults and can join the military at the age of 18 but brain development isn’t complete until a person is in their mid-twenties. Read more

In Arizona, should the legal drinking age change from 21 to 18?

A proposed amendment to the Arizona Constitution (HCR2004) could change the requirements to be a member of the Arizona state legislature. If passed, it would lower the age to serve as a representative of their community from 25 to 18 years of age. Read about the proposal here! 

Do you think the minimum age to serve on the Arizona state legislature should be lowered to 18?

Trial by jury is a vital part of democracy and is secured by both the United States and Arizona Constitutions. In January 2022, the Arizona Supreme Court eliminated peremptory challenges. Peremptory challenges allow lawyers to dismiss jurors without stating the cause for dismissal. Read more here!

Do you think that lawyers should be allowed to dismiss jurors without stating a cause?

After a near 30-year drought, Arizona is facing issues with its long-term water supply. One proposal from the Arizona Department of Water Resources would be to require reductions in the amount of water that golf courses can use. Read more here!  

Do you think the state should set greater limits on the amount of water used by golf courses?

In March 2022 a law was passed that states cities may prohibit the use of legal fireworks from 11 pm to 8 am. during allowed seasons (New Years, Cinco de Mayo, and Independence Day). However, on New Year’s Eve and Independence Day the time restriction was extended to 1am. Consumer fireworks are not permitted on other days of the year. Read more here!  

Do you think fireworks should be banned during specific times of the night/morning?

On January 1, 2024, Arizona’s minimum wage increased from $13.85 to $14.35 an hour. Flagstaff’s minimum wage increased to $17.40 an hour. Read more about Flagstaff’s minimum wage here. Those who support the increase say that it is essential for workers to make a living wage. Those who oppose the increase argue that some small business owners cannot afford to pay workers more. Read more about the minimum wage here!

Do you support the increase in Arizona’s minimum wage?

Arizona does not allow 14 and 15 year olds to work in jobs that require cooking or baking. Learn more here. Other states, such as Oregon, are allowing this age group to work in the fast-food industry to compensate for the shortage of workers. Read more here! 

Do you think 14 and 15 year olds should be allowed to work in the fast-food industry?

There is a resolution in the Arizona House of Representatives to proclaim April 5, “Golden Rule Day” starting in 2022. The proclamation encourages Arizonans to treat others the way they would like to be treated. Currently there are 8 Golden Rule Cities in Arizona that celebrate April 5. Read more here!

Do you think this proclamation will help people treat each other with kindness?

On April 10, 2018, Governor Doug Ducey approved Senate Bill 1517 that made Sonorasaurus the State Dinosaur. The bill was inspired by an 11 year old boy who wrote a letter to Governor Ducey advocating for the state symbol. 42 states have state dinosaurs or fossils. Read more here! Also read SB1517.

Do you think Arizona should have a state dinosaur?


College

In May 2021, the former Governor of Arizona, Governor Ducey, signed a bill into law that allows local community colleges the opportunity to offer four-year degrees in certain programs. This expanded opportunities for all students by providing them with more skills and preparing them to join the workforce. Read more here! 

Do you think that more students will take classes at local Arizona community colleges as a result of this law?

In 2021, the Arizona Legislature approved the Promise Program to help low-income students who are Arizona residents and graduates of an Arizona high school, pay for college. The program will provide eligible students with guaranteed scholarships to cover tuition and fees at Arizona public universities. Read more here!

Do you think more students will graduate from college in Arizona as a result of the Promise Program?

In April 2017, the state of New York approved free tuition for students whose families make less than $100,000 a year. New York is the first state to offer free tuition for public colleges and universities in their state. To qualify for free tuition, students must make good grades, be enrolled full time and average at least 30 credits a year. 

Do you think Arizona should offer free tuition for public colleges and universities for Arizona residents?


1st Amendment

In June 2021, the United States Supreme Court ruled that a former cheerleader who wrote a Snapchat post that included profanity about her school, is protected by the First Amendment. The Court decided that schools have the power to punish student speech that occurs online if it disrupts classroom study but did not find the former cheerleader’s post to be disruptive. Read more here!

Do you think students have the right to use social media off campus to post their opinions about school without consequences from school administrators?

In August 2016, Colin Kaepernick, who at the time was a quarterback for the 49ers football team, decided to kneel during the National Anthem that is played prior to the start of the game. Mr. Kaepernick has stated that he has chosen to kneel as a protest against oppression and police brutality.

Do you think that kneeling during the National Anthem is an appropriate way to protest?

In recent events, high school students have staged ‘walk-outs’ and protests in an effort to show their displeasure with political events and/or candidates.

Do you support the students’ right to peaceful protest?


Status Offenses

The National Youth Rights Association is advocating for opposition of curfew laws. They site reasons such as violation of youth rights, curfews not effective in reducing juvenile crime, and curfews punish non-criminal youth behavior. Read more here! Currently, Arizona allows for each city or town to enact their own curfew ordinances. The intent is to prevent juveniles from being victims of crime. Learn more about Arizona curfews here!

Do you think having a curfew keeps youth safe?
 


Juvenile Justice

In Arizona, youth can be adjudicated (receive a judgement in court) in juvenile court between the ages of 8-17. Read more here!

Do you think age 8 is the appropriate age to charge someone with a crime?

Did you know that a juvenile’s right to an attorney originated from an Arizona case that made it all the way to the Supreme Court? In In re Gault (1967), the Supreme Court ruled that juveniles have the right to due process which includes the right to an attorney. However, this ruling did not require states to create a public defender’s office specifically for juveniles. Learn more here. 

If a family can’t afford to hire an attorney, should the state provide legal services to juveniles in need of an attorney?

In May 2018 Governor Ducey signed a bill that allowed youth who are 17 and accused of a crime to remain in the juvenile justice system until the age of 19. Previously, a youth could be transferred to adult court if they were 17 at the time of the alleged criminal action. Read more here! 

Should youth be allowed to remain in juvenile justice system until they are 19?
 


Drug Use

Lawsuits are being filed from Arizona School Districts and an Arizona teen against the company Juul. The claims are that Juul’s advertisements are directed at youth and are contributing to teen nicotine addiction. Read more here!

Do you feel Juul advertisements contribute to teen nicotine addiction?

After a national outbreak in vaping-related illnesses and deaths, Goodyear has become the first city in Arizona to raise the legal vaping age to 21 years old. As of September 23rd 2019, there is a prohibition on sales of tobacco smoking and vaping materials to anyone under 21 years, as well as a ban on smoking and vaping at public parks/trails and at school/school events. Read more here!

Do you think Arizona should make this a statewide law?

 In July 2017, New Jersey raised the minimum age to buy tobacco to 21. Arizona's current law states that you must be 18 to purchase tobacco products. 

Do you think Arizona should raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco products to 21?

 In May, 2016, the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) announced a regulation that would prohibit the sale of e-cigarettes to anyone under the age of 18 and require a photo I.D. to purchase them. This regulation went into effect on August 08, 2016. 

Do you agree with the FDA to ban the sale of e-cigarettes to minors?
 


Traffic Laws

Limos are hired during prom season to transport couples to the celebration. New York’s governor signed new bills into law regulating limousine safety features, such as seatbelts, due to a fatal limousine crash involving 20 people. Arizona passengers are not required to wear seat belts in the backseat of any vehicle, if over 16. Read more here!

Do you think Arizona should have a law requiring all passengers to wear seat belts?

In January 2019, the Arizona Legislative branch passed a bill banning wireless communication devices while driving. The fees for civil penalties start at $100 and could have a maximum penalty of $10,000. Read about HB 2069. Read more about distracted driving bills here!

Do you think the ban on cell phone use while driving will help drivers stay focused on the road?
 

An amendment to the Arizona Revised Statute on reckless driving was introduced in the House in 2019. The added words will include anyone who participates in distracting the safe operation of the vehicle. Read about HB 2165.

Do you think passengers should be held accountable for distracted driving?

Some cities in Arizona allow companies to rent bikes and motorized scooters for people to use as they move about the city. Patrons can rent the item through an app and then leave it in any legal parking area when finished. Supporters enjoy the ease of renting environmentally friendly transportation to get to their destination but opponents claim that riders are not complying with city ordinances and creating a hazard. 

Do you support allowing scooter rental and bike sharing programs?

Senate Bill 1080 states that teenage drivers cannot utilize their cell phone while driving within the first 6 months of getting their driver's license. The bill does allow the use of audible GPS however, the GPS destination cannot be entered or adjusted while the vehicle is in motion. Read more here! Also read SB1080

Do you agree that new teenage drivers should not be able to use their cell phone?
 

In November 2016, five students in Tennessee were fatally injured when their school bus was involved in an accident. Currently, Arizona laws do not require school buses to use seat belts.

Do you think students on school buses should be required to use seat belts?
 


4th Amendment

In November 2017, Facebook announced that they are utilizing an artificial intelligence program to monitor the social media site for patterns. For example, patterns that signal a suicidal user will result in an alert to first responders. Users cannot opt out of the program. Facebook plans on expanding their program outside of the United States; however, they cannot implement the program in the European Union due to privacy laws. Read more here!

Do you think the United States should allow Facebook to monitor their site for patterns?
 


Marriage

In January 2017, the Senate Committee in New Jersey approved a bill that would prohibit anyone under the age of 18 to get married. In Arizona, the law states that anyone aged 16 & 17 can get married with their parent's permission. If under the age of 16, marriage is allowed if they have their parent's permission AND the approval of a superior court judge.

Do you think Arizona should allow youth under the age of 18 to get married?


Discrimination

A high school student in Casa Grande was taking pictures as a finalist for his school’s all male beauty contest. The student wore 8 inch high heeled platform shoes and short shorts for the photos. However, when the picture was featured in the school promotions, his photo was altered to picture the student wearing pants and dress shoes. The student feels he is facing discrimination.

Do you agree with the student that the altered picture is an act of discrimination?
 


Trespass

In December 2016, a man with a natural beard similar to Santa Claus, wearing a Santa hat and Christmas vest, was visiting an amusement park in California. When asked by a parent to take a photo with their children, the Santa look-alike posed for the picture and handed the young children candy canes. The amusement park employees asked the Santa look-alike to leave for breaking a park rule. For security reasons, the amusement park does not allow non employees to dress in costume while at the park. **In Arizona, a person must leave if asked by the property owner or they can be in violation of trespass laws.

Do you support the amusement park's decision to ask the Santa look-alike to leave?


School Athletics

Two schools in Arizona were scheduled to compete in a soccer game. Both teams have mostly male players however, one of the teams had 2 girls on it. The opposing team refused to play unless the two girls were removed from the game. 

Do you support the school's decision to request that the 2 girls be excluded from the game?


Travel

Effective October 1, 2021, individuals who are 18 and older must have an Arizona Travel ID or a U.S. passport for domestic airline travel or to enter restricted federal buildings and military bases. Simply having a standard Arizona driver’s license will not work. Read more here. The Arizona Travel ID was created to comply with the REAL ID Act of 2005. The purpose is to increase security and make identification documents more consistent and secure across the country. Learn more here!

Do you think that having an Arizona Travel ID or U.S. Passport should be a requirement for domestic travel?

Arizona is one of the first states to offer a Mobile ID, which is a digitized version of your driver's license or ID card. This could help streamline the process of keeping personal identification organized. It has been stated that this will help prevent identity theft. Read more about the Mobile ID here!    

Do you think that the Arizona youth who are eligible for a driver’s license and ID card, will download the “Arizona Mobile ID” app?