Should Young People Be Allowed to Do Extreme Sports?

1. Set Focus
Frame the inquiry with these essential questions: What is a reasonable risk? When do the risks of an activity outweigh its benefits? Who gets to decide when something is too risky?

2. Read and Discuss
Have students read the debate and then answer the following questions:

• What is the issue being debated? How does it relate to current events? (The issue is whether kids and teens should be allowed to participate in extreme sports. The issue is timely because youth participation in extreme sports is at an all-time high.)

• Evaluate why these two authors might be interested in and qualified to comment on this issue. (Jamie Burr is a professor of human health and nutritional sciences. Vani J. Sabesan is a doctor who also teaches at a university medical school.)

• Analyze Burr’s view. (Burr says that young people should be allowed to participate in extreme sports. He says that risk is a part of life and that barring young people from risky activities would deprive them of the chance to develop risk-management skills. He says adults can help manage the risk for young people by properly ramping them up to the activity.)

• Analyze Sabesan’s view. (Sabesan says that young people should not be allowed to participate in extreme sports. She says the risks, including paralysis and death, related to extreme sports are far greater than with traditional sports and that most protective equipment can’t prevent injuries. She also says that young people’s brains haven’t developed sufficiently for them to make good choices about these activities.)

4. Writing Prompt
In an essay, evaluate one of the debaters’ arguments. Assess whether the reasoning is valid and whether it’s supported with evidence. Point out biases or missing information.

5. Classroom Debate
Should young people be allowed to do extreme sports? Have students use the authors’ ideas, as well as their own, in a debate.

6. Vote
Go online to vote in Upfront’s poll—and see how students across the country voted.