CASE Library

Explore The Issues that Matter.

We excitedly invite you to browse, search, and explore our newly redesigned library of over 300 case studies which render some of the most complex and controversial moral and political issues of our time. These cases were formerly used for official NHSEB competitions at the Regional, Divisional, and National Championship levels. They are freely available for public use under Creative Commons licenses.

The NHSEB Case Library is an excellent tool for competitive preparation, internal or intramural competition, or beyond the context of the Ethics Bowl activity completely—as a classroom resource for Grades 9-12 and beyond.

Featured Cases

NAVIGATING THE LIBRARY

NHSEB’s Case Library is now fully browsable by individual case, or by Case Set—using the filters below. Or, if you already know a bit about what you’re looking for, the entire library of over 300 Ethics Bowl cases is newly indexed, referenced, and searchable by title, topic, keyword, year, and category. Each individual case entry contains the full text of the case and discussion questions as they originally appeared for competitive use, all references assembled in hyperlinked footnotes, and additional contextual resources curated by NHSEB HQ.

CASE SET COLLECTION

FIND AN ETHICS BOWL CASE

ATTRIBUTION AND CITATION

All National High School Ethics Bowl cases are the intellectual property of the Parr Center for Ethics, and all are freely available for public use under Creative Commons licenses once retired from use in NHSEB competitions. This library represents thousands of hours of work from our Contributing Authors, Editors, and others. Please do not reproduce NHSEB cases or sets—in part or in whole—without attribution, or modify the text of individual cases or sets. If you reproduce or make reference to NHSEB cases from this library (e.g., in classroom materials, academic papers, etc.), please attribute and/or cite those materials:

National High School Ethics Bowl (Ed.), <YEAR>. “<Case Title>.” National High School Ethics Bowl Case Library. UNC Parr Center for Ethics: Chapel Hill, NC. http://nhseb.org/case-library

Browse The Library

2013-2014 Regional Case Set Katie Leonard 2013-2014 Regional Case Set Katie Leonard

Conscientious Objection

All male US residents must register for the draft, but exemptions exist for "conscientious objectors." People can object if their religion prohibits participation in combat or they have strongly held moral objections to war. Under what circumstances, if any, should someone be able to object to military service?

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2013-2014 Regional Case Set Katie Leonard 2013-2014 Regional Case Set Katie Leonard

Physician-Assisted Suicide

Terminally ill patients in some states can choose to die with physician-assisted suicide (PAS). Supporters argue PAS gives patients the right to die with dignity, while opponents call it a corruption of the ethical code of doctors. Under what conditions should physicians have the right to assist patients with suicide?

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2013-2014 Regional Case Set Katie Leonard 2013-2014 Regional Case Set Katie Leonard

The After Party

Tom's dad was supposed to give Christine and Tom (who are dating) a ride home from a post-prom party. They cannot yet drive and are the only sober party-goers. When he picks them up, Christine notices that Tom's dad has been drinking. Christine doesn't want to disrespect an adult, but wants everyone to get home safely. What should she do?

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2013-2014 Regional Case Set Katie Leonard 2013-2014 Regional Case Set Katie Leonard

Indian Child Welfare Act

In a 2013 child custody case, the Supreme Court ruled that Veronica, a native American girl, should not have been taken away from her adoptive parents. Her biological father had previously sued for custody and won by invoking the Indian Child Welfare Act. Should Veronica be returned to her adoptive parents or remain with her biological father?

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2013-2014 Regional Case Set Katie Leonard 2013-2014 Regional Case Set Katie Leonard

Security Versus Privacy

Edward Snowden was called a hero by some and a traitor by others for revealing that the NSA was collecting private communications from unsuspecting US citizens. Is it ethical for the government to collect private communication records between U.S. citizens? Is it ethical for government employees to reveal classified information entrusted to them?

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2013-2014 Regional Case Set Katie Leonard 2013-2014 Regional Case Set Katie Leonard

Forced Fatherhood

Some men feel that they should not have to pay child support for unwanted children. Is it ethical for men to be held financially responsible for children they did not want while women have the ability to get an abortion? How should gender inequalities affect the issue of forced fatherhood?

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2013-2014 Regional Case Set Katie Leonard 2013-2014 Regional Case Set Katie Leonard

Legalization of Marijuana

The legalization of marijuana is gaining traction in some states. Supporters claim legalization will help the economy and that it is an issue of racial justice because African-Americans are disproportionately arrested for drug use. Opponents claim that legalization is a "slippery slope" that could lead to the legalization of more dangerous drugs.

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2013-2014 Regional Case Set Katie Leonard 2013-2014 Regional Case Set Katie Leonard

Compensation for Non-Profits

State-subsidized non-profits have been criticized for executives having annual salaries of $100,000 or more. Should non-profit executives be paid competitive salaries? Critics argue that the money should be spent on helping people, while supporters argue that for non-profits to be successful, they must be able to recruit talented workers with competitive salaries.

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