Should Students be required to perform "Community Service"?

[dejr_8]

Should a student have to perform Community Service in order to graduate?

 

[sunnyday123]

They do here. I see nothing wrong with it, and my DD is looking forward to it when she goes to high school.

 

[nmmom95]

I think so. My DS13 is going into 8th grade, so we have started looking at high schools, and every one we have been to has a service requirement. There are a minimum number of hours that a student must have each semester. This number increases each year. These were all Catholic schools. I love that they do this.

 

[bicker]

One of the big complaints practically everyone has these days is that other people aren't conscientious, other people aren't adequately helpful and benevolently inclined, etc. There have been increasingly louder calls for our schools to go back to teaching civics - teaching young people how to contribute appropriately to society. So there is a lot of good foundation for a public service requirement for graduation.

Of course, it would need to be a state-by-state issue, and would have to comply with federal laws as well, but beyond, that, it sounds like a decent idea.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

I think so, so long as it's done the way the Catholic schools around here do it and not the way some of the others do.

The Catholic schools have "A" opportunities and "B" opportunities. A are hard and sweaty ones, B are fun ones. As you get older, the more A hours you have to earn. In either case, the community service has to be real and verifiable and something that benefits the community.

At least one Baptist school in the Baton Rouge area has community hours, but it's something of a joke, because many of the kids do stupd stuff that doesn't do anyone any good, just gives them something to sign off on their sheets.

In the first case, the kids are learning about the benefits of helping others and how much good they can do in the community and what kind of value it should have in their own internal life.

In the second case, at least some of the kids aren't learning anything more than how to be whited sepulchers.

 

[NHdisneylover]

I like the idea of a public service requirement for graduation.

 

[sookie]

i say no.


i did a year as an americorps vista, and still volunteer regularly. however, making people do it - doesn't sit well with me.


they should want to do it.

 

[marcyinPA]

Our district requires 60 hours between 9 and 12th grade in order to graduate. The hours need to be volunteered at approved organizations. The school has a booklet full of places. My DS16 will be a junior this year, and already has 144 documented hours (and probably a good 100 more undocumented...I've been on his case to get the papers signed). He volunteers a lot at our church and has gone on missions trips...that all counts, as long as you don't talk about religion when you fill out your forms. They also give you 15 hours for being part of any school group (band, sports, etc.).

His goal was to earn the silver cord to wear at graduation...he needed 120 hours for that. It's nice to know that he's already achieved that goal!

I think some kids would NEVER give back to their community if it weren't for this requirement. Maybe they don't have role models who volunteer and therefore wouldn't consider it. I think it's good for teens to do for others, even if it IS forced. Who knows, it may actually change life for THEM. Frankly, 60 hours over four years is NOTHING...it is very easy to do.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I don't think it should be required for an education that Americans are legally entitled to receive. However, compulsory ages often end by age 16 or so. One could argue that all of high school is not compulsory.

But given that students drop out as they don't like their regular requirements, service hours may just be another deterrent.

Private schools are not compulsory, so I could see then requiring it as many do.

I plan on having my kids do community service. I just would not appreciate a government entity making it a condition of completing an education.

I think it is great for private schools, scholarship requirements, and clubs. Just not as a requirement of a basic right.

 

[happygirl]

I don't see anything wrong with it

 

[OceanAnnie]

i say no.


i did a year as an americorps vista, and still volunteer regularly. however, making people do it - doesn't sit well with me.


they should want to do it.

I agree.

 

[TwinsinCA]

A huge, emphatic, NO!

I first heard of such a concept on these very boards. I was absolutely floored they could force such a thing only to find out they do just that here too!!

I view forced "community service" as a punishment and not appropriate for kids in school. If they want to have a community service CLASS where the school arranges everything and it is done during school hours, I could live with that. But to put the onus on already busy kids to find a place to volunteer, get themselves there and back, etc. is way out of line IMNSHO.

If people WANT to volunteer? More power to them. But it should not be forced. That is called work. And students shouldn't have to work for free or not graduate.

 

[jrmasm]

Nope. Requiring 'volunteer' work is dumb.

 

[mamacatnv]

In a public school as a graduation requirement, NO.
I don't agree that one can mandate social conscience and I don't agree with a mandatory requirment. IMO the use of mandatory takes the volunteer spirit out of the service.

 

[dislaney]

Around here there are a few schools that require it for graduation. Our particular high school doesn't require it but if your in most of the clubs -they have an individual requirement.

I think it might expose some kids to volunteering, that might never have done it otherwise, and if one of them continues to volunteer, we all benefit!

 

[englishteacha]

Most schools I know of require something for community service. In the late '90s when I was in high school, I had to do 4 hours over the 4 years in 4 different events. Not a lot, I know, but many kids didn't do it! 1 hour a year wasn't hard for most of us. There were tons of choices, or you could create your own volunteer opportunity. I teach middle school and we do service learning projects with our kids where they need to research a need and figure out a way to help. It's a great opportunity for the kids to make a difference, and they get excited about it. They get a grade for the final product they complete (not for the actual service they perform). For instance, one of the groups planned an activity night to raise money for our garden at school and raise awareness for healthy eating. They were graded on the research they did and a small presentation about healthy food choices.

 

[LisaNJ25]

Nope! My daughters do a lot of volunteering with girl scouts.. To force it on them to graduate high school is ridiculous. I think for those who were against it forcing them to do so will put them off as adults volunteering in the future.

 

[OceanAnnie]

Volunteer = voluntary.

 

[Gigi22]

I am not aware of the details, but my nieces and nephews all had compulsory volunteer work as a part of the requirements to graduate various grades in H.S. I thought it was a very good thing for everyone involved, including my nieces and nephews, especially since universities here in Canada look at how 'well rounded' applicants are. Volunteer work, compulsory or not, is a part of the package.

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

Yes. It gives them so many chances to see what type of opportunities are available throughout the community. Non profit organizations can only survive with the help of volunteers. Hopefully, these students will continue to give back long after their service hour requirements are finished.