Should Students be required to perform "Community Service"?

[declansdad]

I think it's a great idea. Helping improve a community benefits all who live there. For me, I think community involvement is an important component - whether it be the community in which one lives or a community founded due to common interests such as a child's sports team, a church organization, or a town project.

I believe it's important to contribute and volunteer. It's never too early to learn and introducing the expectation in school works for me.

No one has disagreed with the value and importance of community service; it is the forced volunteerism that people have a problem with.

 

[tvguy]

No one has disagreed with the value and importance of community service; it is the forced volunteerism that people have a problem with.

Everything in school is forced. I bet everyone one of us had to do something in school we would not have ever done if it hadn't been required. Math, science, english, PE, History, or community service. That's one of the reasons schools exist.

And to everyone who I disagree with who has posted here, a sincere thank you. While I may not agree with your opinions, your posts have been quite informative and educational.

 

[LBIJim]

Community Service as an elective for credit, sure, why not?

Forced volunteerism as a requirement for graduation, nope.

Jim

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Everything in school is forced. I bet everyone one of us had to do something in school we would not have ever done if it hadn't been required. Math, science, english, PE, History, or community service. That's one of the reasons schools exist.

And to everyone who I disagree with who has posted here, a sincere thank you. While I may not agree with your opinions, your posts have been quite informative and educational.

Except that those subjects are taught during school hours with homework done at home.

States mandate credit hours and subject matter for a diploma. All subjects are taught within the constraints of the schools.

What if the states required students to get a job.

 

[Tinkermommy]

I would not be in favor of required community service for graduation in the public school system. I think in certain circumstances it would put undue hardship on the student.

Here are some examples,
- A kid that has no transportation to the location (and parents unable to unwilling to take them)
- A kid that has to work as well as go to school to help support him/herself or their family
- A kids that has to go home and take care of siblings (make dinner, help them with their homework, etc)

This system would be a hindrance for many kids in lower income areas and an added hurdle to graduation. Some of these kids are just doing their best to get their school work done and to graduate.

Many kids do volunteer work since it looks good on college applications. These kids probably only have to focus on school and have supportive parents. Good for them, but not everyone has those circumstances.

I think you would see the graduation rate drop in lower income areas if this was required.

 

[declansdad]

Everything in school is forced. I bet everyone one of us had to do something in school we would not have ever done if it hadn't been required. Math, science, english, PE, History, or community service. That's one of the reasons schools exist.

And to everyone who I disagree with who has posted here, a sincere thank you. While I may not agree with your opinions, your posts have been quite informative and educational.

Schools do not exist for community service.

 

[gina2000]

No one has disagreed with the value and importance of community service; it is the forced volunteerism that people have a problem with.

To begin with, students learn through experience and example. Hands on learning activities are heralded by educators and parents as a way to help students understand as opposed to listening to lectures. This is another aspect of active learning rather than passive learning. I consider community service a valuable learning activity.

In life we are forced to perform many actions that we do not wish to do. Some we sign on for; many we do not. Learning how to effectively participate in in community service activities is a valuable skill set that can be used throughout a student's life. I have no problem with community service (forced or otherwise) as a graduation requirement.

 

[declansdad]

To begin with, students learn through experience and example. Hands on learning activities are heralded by educators and parents as a way to help students understand as opposed to listening to lectures. This is another aspect of active learning rather than passive learning. I consider community service a valuable learning activity.

In life we are forced to perform many actions that we do not wish to do. Some we sign on for; many we do not. Learning how to effectively participate in in community service activities is a valuable skill set that can be used throughout a student's life. I have no problem with community service (forced or otherwise) as a graduation requirement.

Sure it is a valuable experience but it should never be forced. Volunteers who are forced are:

1. not volunteers
2. not good performers
3. are more bother than they are worth.

 

[dejr_8]

To begin with, students learn through experience and example. Hands on learning activities are heralded by educators and parents as a way to help students understand as opposed to listening to lectures. This is another aspect of active learning rather than passive learning. I consider community service a valuable learning activity.

In life we are forced to perform many actions that we do not wish to do. Some we sign on for; many we do not. Learning how to effectively participate in in community service activities is a valuable skill set that can be used throughout a student's life. I have no problem with community service (forced or otherwise) as a graduation requirement.

OK then. Let the students do the Community Service during school hours. But first, please tell me what my child will learn if they volunteer at the animal shelter and remove poop from cages.

A question for all those that support Community Service under the guise of learning. Would you support making students work a certain number of hours at a part-time job as a requirement for graduation? They would learn many life lessons by having a job: pay rates, taxes, take home pay, showing up on time, savings, etc.

 

[gina2000]

Sure it is a valuable experience but it should never be forced. Volunteers who are forced are:

1. not volunteers
2. not good performers
3. are more bother than they are worth.

I realize you may be speaking from first hand experience (your last comment is all telling) but my experience has been that people's passions have been ignited when they experience something unknown. Community service is a broadening experience. I prefer to expose a student to new hands on experiences with the hope that they may discover something important about the experience, or more importantly, about themselves.

We will never agree on this subject.

 

[FireDancer]

No. Volunteering should never be mandatory, that is kind of an oxymoron.

Of course people should volunteer but I don't think anyone should be forced to unless it is punishment for a crime.

No one I know had to volunteer to graduate. I took an AP Biology class and we got extra credit if we did volunteer for a wetlands project our school district did but to make it a necessity to graduate, no.

Now, if you as a parent want to make your kids volunteer go for it, that is the role of a parent but not of a school. I have friends who make their kids volunteer with them at various causes and think that is great. I will never understand wanting to shift what should be a parent's responsibility onto the schools.

 

[declansdad]

There is an important piece missing from this argument. Yes students would possible learn valuable lessons from performing community services and some would be more than happy to perform these services. However, many students would resent being forced and perform poorly. This, in turn, would have an impact on the group who would be receiving this service. Volunteers who are not able, or choose not to do the job properly do more harm than good to the organization they are suppose to be helping.

 

[Planogirl]

I think that people who volunteer are amazing and deserve thanks from everyone. However forcing people to volunteer totally destroys the spirit of what that is all about. When it becomes mandatory then it is just like an unpaid job.

I'm against it being a requirement. I see nothing wrong with a system where a student could offer to do it in place of some class or other requirement though.

 

[declansdad]

I realize you may be speaking from first hand experience (your last comment is all telling) but my experience has been that people's passions have been ignited when they experience something unknown. Community service is a broadening experience. I prefer to expose a student to new hands on experiences with the hope that they may discover something important about the experience, or more importantly, about themselves.

We will never agree on this subject.

What benefit will come from forcing students to do community service outside of school hours?

 

[gina2000]

OK then. Let the students do the Community Service during school hours. But first, please tell me what my child will learn if they volunteer at the animal shelter and remove poop from cages.

A question for all those that support Community Service under the guise of learning. Would you support making students work a certain number of hours at a part-time job as a requirement for graduation? They would learn many life lessons by having a job: pay rates, taxes, take home pay, showing up on time, savings, etc.

You are making me . All of a sudden, honest labor (such as cleaning poop out of a cage along with cuddling a hurt animal and providing a safe and healthy environment) has no meaning. Your child will learn about kindness, cruelty and hopefully experience compassion and empathy for those who cannot help themselves. You've taken the basest part of the service and ignored the more positive aspects of the situation.

Learning a life lesson is a wonderful experience. In my experience (which is anecdotal, of course), schools requiring community service provide opportunities to serve....giving students the opportunity to pick and choose based on their availability, interests, and capability.

I think having a part time job teachers many valuable life lessons but I think community service teaches similar but not identical skill sets. Personal responsibility taught by holding a part time job is an important aspect of community service but empathy, compassion, and understanding are different skill sets usually not emphasized in an employment situation.

 

[declansdad]

giving students the opportunity to pick and choose based on their availability, interests, and capability.

Give the opportunity not force the opportunity.

 

[kaytieeldr]

What benefit will come from forcing students to do community service outside of school hours?

Well, it would be a detriment to do it during school hours, since there's not enough time to teach/learn everything during the mandatory school day (and at least here, parents refuse to allow an extended school day).

 

[declansdad]

Well, it would be a detriment to do it during school hours, since there's not enough time to teach/learn everything during the mandatory school day (and at least here, parents refuse to allow an extended school day).

I agree with you about school hours but that still doesn't answer the question.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I would not be in favor of required community service for graduation in the public school system. I think in certain circumstances it would put undue hardship on the student.

Here are some examples,
- A kid that has no transportation to the location (and parents unable to unwilling to take them)
- A kid that has to work as well as go to school to help support him/herself or their family
- A kids that has to go home and take care of siblings (make dinner, help them with their homework, etc)

This system would be a hindrance for many kids in lower income areas and an added hurdle to graduation. Some of these kids are just doing their best to get their school work done and to graduate.

Many kids do volunteer work since it looks good on college applications. These kids probably only have to focus on school and have supportive parents. Good for them, but not everyone has those circumstances.

I think you would see the graduation rate drop in lower income areas if this was required.

But those students apply to college too - and likely need to make a well-rounded impression on applications even more than the seemingly privileged (yes, I know that's not what you said) students. If you want or need something bad enough, you find a way to make it happen.

 

[tvguy]

Except that those subjects are taught during school hours with homework done at home.

States mandate credit hours and subject matter for a diploma. All subjects are taught within the constraints of the schools.

What if the states required students to get a job.

Wow, you did bring up an interesting point in support of my position. Community service is just like homework, done on your own time. And as with homework, it isn't always done at home. I've lost track of how many trips to the library, art museum, musical theater performances, etc. I had to shuttle my kids to for homework.

As for jobs, out here in California, the high schools going back to when I graduated back in 1975 had ROP (Regional Occupational Program), IWE (instruction work experience) and internships that are in reality, jobs for credit, not pay. Not sure if that is unique to California.