Our Latest Updates – Archive

NEW ProCon.org Website! – 2020 Presidential Election: The Candidates and Where They Stand on the Issues
8/29/2019 -

Learn about the presidential candidates’ views on important issues, compare them with a side-by-side chart, find your best match with a fun quiz, track their finances, and so much more on our 2020 Presidential Election website. The New York Times called our previous presidential election site “The most comprehensive tool for researching the candidate’s stance on issues.” Check back monthly for expanded issue coverage.

New ProCon.org Website! – Should Birth Control Pills Be Available Over-the-Counter?
2/21/2019 -

Our new topic explores the pros and cons in the debate over making birth control pills available over-the-counter (OTC). 9.1 million women (12.6% of contraceptive users) use birth control pills, which are the second-most commonly used method of contraception in the United States. Proponents say making the birth control pill available over-the-counter would lower teen pregnancy rates, provide contraceptive access to medically underserved women, and ease access to a health-improving drug with decades of safe use. Opponents say making the Pill over-the-counter would raise the cost of contraception for women, pose a danger to teens’ and women’s health by removing the doctor’s visit requirement, and limit what options are made available.

Our new website presents the top pro & con arguments and quotes, a history of the debate, a video gallery, the prescription status of birth control pills around the world, and a list of drugs switched from prescription to OTC status.

Researcher Wanted at Educational Nonprofit ProCon.org
1/17/2019 -

ProCon.org, a Los Angeles-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity,
seeks an in-house Researcher (full-time with benefits or part-time
without benefits) to develop content for websites devoted to a
nonpartisan in-depth presentation of 70+ controversial issues. Three
items are required for application, as specified in the job notice.

Top Pro and Con Arguments – Should Tablets Replace Textbooks in K-12 Schools?
11/20/2018 -

Textbook publishing in the United States is an $11 billion industry, with five companies – Cengage Learning, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, McGraw-Hill, Pearson Education, and Scholastic – capturing about 80% of this market. Tablets are an $18 billion industry with 53% of US adults, 81% of US children aged eight to 17, and 42% of US children aged under eight, owning a tablet. Explore the tablets vs. textbooks debate with sourced pro and con arguments about student achievement, health, the environment, costs, and the digital divide.

Background of the Tablets vs. Textbooks Issue
11/20/2018 -

Did you know that 81% of US children aged eight to 17 own a tablet? Or that 45% of children aged six to 17 say they prefer print books to e-books while 16% preferred e-books? Or that 75% of K-12 teachers think that printed textbooks will be completely replaced by digital content by 2026? Read the updated background for more facts and history.

50 Lesson Plan Ideas Using ProCon.org
7/16/2018 -

We’re excited to announce 50 free lesson plan ideas for educators! Visit our Teachers’ Corner for inspiration, including lessons plans about distinguishing fact from opinion, how to write a “call-to-action” letter, and content from our partner Credo Reference.