Tuff Topics?

Hi
I get to do a paper on TUFF TOPICS. These are topics that are particularly difficult for our youth and have to do with health.

I am looking for ideas to further research.
I am aware that things like illness or death of a loved one, diabetes, cancer, suicide, depression, smoking, AIDS, alcoholism, and abuse are a few of my available topics. But I was hoping for something different - something that really sticks with my intended readers (Public School Teachers grades K-12)

Thank you

I am a teacher and am always shaken by the wide range of difficult issues that kids must negotiate. During the last school year some of my student dealt with the following issues and experiences. I teach Grade 8 in a middle school. Think about some of these. I hope they are useful suggestions. Good luck.

1. First sexual experience. I had a female student last year who was in foster care. She ran wild every weekend - over the course of the year she began having sex and on two occasions had pregnancy tests done. She was so scared and very messed up.
2. House burning down and the family lost everything. They were like refugees in our town. It took months to find decent housing and replacement furniture, clothing etc. (A family of six). It was really difficult for the 13 year old girl especially. I saw her go from a confident and high achieving student to a depressed and anxious one. Near the end of the year she rebounded and finished strong.
3. Poverty. I had several students whose families were in dire straits.
4. Personal hygiene. I had one student this year and several over the years whose smelling bodies and breath are nearly unbearable. Often it is a family issue but not always. What do you do with a 13 year old boy who smells moldy and dank and whose hands are filthy? This year the poor kid was a total outcast. We had him wash up before class and I had a toothbrush and toothpaste for him at school but it only helped some of the time.
5. Electronic addictions. There is a small but significant group of kids in the early teen age group who are addicted to the internet and cell phones. I taught a remedial class with 24 kids (20 boys - 4 girls). In our self assessments prior to beginning the program nearly all admited that the main problem in their lives was that MSN, Facebook and their cell phones regularly got in the way of doing homework. They could not take themselves away from the gadgets in order to get their homework done. Hence all were failing Grade 8 and needed to demonstrate a basic competency in reading, writing and math in order to pass to Grade 9. Of the 24 who went through the program with me 18 went on to Grade 9. In my opinion the problem with technology is one of the most pressing problems in youth culture today. The cost of being "connected" to friends is causing disconnection with family and school.

What about organ donation?

ADHD, children with special needs

Talk about Abortion and whether or not a woman has the right of choice. If you ask me, anything that tends to be highly debateable is a good choice. Plus it's in the media all the time.