Should Women Have to Register for the Draft?

1. Set Focus
Frame the inquiry with these essential questions: In what ways does technology improve our lives? What factors should take priority when creating a military?

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 women should be required to register for the draft. The issue is timely because the Supreme Court just declined to hear a case challenging the men-only registration law and suggested that Congress re-evaluate the law.)

• Evaluate why these two authors might be interested in and qualified to comment on this issue. (Rita Tabacco Mar is the director of the Women’s Rights Project at the ACLU. Elaine Donnelly is the head of an organization that analyzes military readiness.)

• Analyze Mar’s view. (Mar argues in favor of requiring women to register for the draft. She says the law limiting registration to men is sexist and harms women by limiting their service careers and harms men by implying that they are unqualified to be caregivers. She says that since women are now allowed to fill combat roles, the last justification for not including women in the draft has evaporated.)

• Analyze Donnelly’s view. (Donnelly argues against requiring women to register for the draft. She says most men are physically qualified to quickly replace troops during wartime, whereas most women are not. She says that  evaluating women for readiness would waste time, which would weaken the military when it is most needed.)
  

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 women have to register for the draft? 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.