In 1972, the House of Representatives and the Senate approved the Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution, which stated, “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.” Only 35 of the required 38 states ratified the amendment before the deadline, and it did not become part of the Constitution. Recently, some have begun to press for the amendment to be reconsidered. 

Those who argue that state governments should ratify the Equal Rights Amendment contend that it is an important step towards women achieving true equality. They say that current laws do not sufficiently protect women on topics ranging from workplace discrimination to sexual harassment. Additionally, they claim that in the wake of the Dobbs v. Jackson Supreme Court decision which overturned Roe v. Wade, women need explicit protections for their rights. 

Those who argue that state governments should not ratify the Equal Rights Amendment contend that to do so would actually disadvantage women. They argue that to have women and men treated as true equals would cause a wide variety of issues as it would end protections against domestic abuse and end deferring to grant mothers child custody over fathers. They argue that these laws were explicitly designed to protect women and the Equal Rights Amendment would endanger them. 

So, what do you think? Should State Governments Ratify the Equal Rights Amendment? Students can answer Yes, they should; No, they should not; or a nuanced answer in between! Be sure to submit your answers by March 30th for your answer to be considered for this week’s contest.  

---

Note: Ideal Think the Vote responses include the following:      

• Address the question asked in a thoughtful and meaningful manner     
• Use cited facts and constitutional arguments when appropriate to support their answers      
• Are expressed in cohesive sentences and are free of distracting spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors      
• They address counterarguments and opposing concerns in a respectful manner      
• They organize their answer in a manner that flows logically and reads clearly   

---

JOIN THE DEBATE BELOW FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A $1,000 CASH SCHOLARSHIP! 

For this question, BRI will be giving away two $25 gift cards, one to each person providing the best defense of each side of the debate. Both students will also win BRI swag. Each student winner will also be entered for a chance to win a grand prize of a $1,000 cash scholarship. Additionally, the referring teachers for both students will each win a $25 gift card and BRI swag. 

This question will run from 3/16/23 to 3/29/23, so be sure to submit your answers in time to be considered for our prizes! 

(For rules/regulations click HERE)