Discussion prompts for students
We work hard before each event to identify and frame discussion topics that energize young people. Then beforehand, we can send students a link or two to news articles providing background on the issue referenced in a prompt.
Here are some examples of prompts used in events during the 2022-23 school year:
- Recently, someone used artificial intelligence to mimic the voices of Drake and The Weeknd on a fake song called “Heart on My Sleeve.” They did it so well the song went viral soon after it posted. Soon, it may be impossible to tell whether a song you like was performed by the real person or AI. How do you feel about that? What could or should be done to protect the rights of artists to their voice, likeness, and intellectual property?
- This spring has seen a spate of shootings where young people were either killed or wounded by strangers over simple mistakes: knocking on the wrong door, going up the wrong driveway, mistaking another person’s car for your own. In some of these cases the shooter may offer a defense based on what are known as Stand Your Ground laws, which state that a person can use violence to defend themselves if they have a “reasonable” fear that they are under threat. What’s your take on such laws? Good idea, bad idea, or idea in need of some tweaking or clarification?
- Think about a time someone said or did something that you found offensive. This could be in private conversation, at a meeting, or on social media. Did you respond? If so, how? If not, why? What happened? If you had it to do over, would you change anything?
