Question

Nate is writing an essay arguing that the football program at his school should be canceled for safety reasons. Which is the most effective claim for his argument?

Our school should not have a football team because research shows that twenty percent of students will suffer at least one concussion during their high school playing career, which can have dangerous and permanent effects.
Many people are very proud of our school’s football team, and they came close to winning the district title last year, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that our high school should not field a football team.
Football can be a dangerous and risky sport at any level, and other sports, such as basketball and field hockey, are much better choices for students.
Football is fun and provides students with a sense of unity, but it can also be a dangerous game for many reasons, including the fact that many students suffer concussions while they are playing.

Answer 1

The first claim. It states a clear, debatable position focused on safety and includes a specific statistic and consequence to support the argument. The others are either vague, hedged, or off-topic (appealing to pride or suggesting alternatives) and therefore less effective as the central claim.