Should Students be required to perform "Community Service"?

[Planogirl]

After reading some of this, I guess that I wouldn't be bothered as much if this was during school hours which is of course impractical. I feel that the schools should only have control of the kids during certain hours and beyond that should stay out of their business UNLESS the kids themselves get involved in something voluntarily. I see this as the schools stepping beyond their boundaries.

 

[Imagineer7]

But they all won't want to volunteer. Why is this so hard to grasp??

If they don't want to volunteer, then they won't anyway when they're older. You act as though volunteering will be some traumatizing, life-changing ordeal.

 

[Imagineer7]

Taking PE and history are not relevant. PE and history class are done during the school day. Families are not expected to provide transportation to other locations and use family time to do so. PE and history are not an extension of school hours into family time.

When I was in high school, a group of students took the school van to a local grade school and tutored students during our lunch break. It was a great! I loved it, school provided transportation, we didn't miss class, it didn't hurt our other interests, etc. etc.

 

[Imagineer7]

You know this stuff about volunteer work hurting grades and kids not being able to do it is all hog wash.

When I was in high school, I took all honors classes, was in my school's JROTC program, was in various clubs, did my 50 hours of volunteer work, and I still had plenty of time to watch my favorite television shows during the week, watch every single sports program I wanted to on the weekends, and I did very well in school.

My school required 50 hours folks, that's 12.5 hours a school year. 6.25 hours per semester. That's about 1.5 hours per month. You want to tell me that a student can't give up 1.5 hours in a month to help people? You've got to be kidding me.

 

[luvmy3]

You know this stuff about volunteer work hurting grades and kids not being able to do it is all hog wash.

When I was in high school, I took all honors classes, was in my school's JROTC program, was in various clubs, did my 50 hours of volunteer work, and I still had plenty of time to watch my favorite television shows during the week, watch every single sports program I wanted to on the weekends, and I did very well in school.

My school required 50 hours folks, that's 12.5 hours a school year. 6.25 hours per semester. That's about 1.5 hours per month. You want to tell me that a student can't give up 1.5 hours in a month to help people? You've got to be kidding me.

Sure they can, but its not the school's place to make them, its mine as their parent.

 

[declansdad]

If they don't want to volunteer, then they won't anyway when they're older. You act as though volunteering will be some traumatizing, life-changing ordeal.

No I'm speaking from the point of view of someone who works for a non-profit that has used volunteers and as a person that ran events that used students who were only there to get the hours.

There is nothing wrong with volunteering if the people want to volunteer.

 

[declansdad]

If they don't want to volunteer, then they won't anyway when they're older. You act as though volunteering will be some traumatizing, life-changing ordeal.

You know this stuff about volunteer work hurting grades and kids not being able to do it is all hog wash.

When I was in high school, I took all honors classes, was in my school's JROTC program, was in various clubs, did my 50 hours of volunteer work, and I still had plenty of time to watch my favorite television shows during the week, watch every single sports program I wanted to on the weekends, and I did very well in school.

My school required 50 hours folks, that's 12.5 hours a school year. 6.25 hours per semester. That's about 1.5 hours per month. You want to tell me that a student can't give up 1.5 hours in a month to help people? You've got to be kidding me.

It isn't about what they could give up; it is forcing them to do so.

 

[136368]

We got to choose. Army, Air Force, Navy, Community Service etc. I ended up as the Master at Arms for the Marines Cadet Corps. LOVED it. Basically it was the Navy with a load of guns

 

[aprilgail2]

If they don't want to volunteer, then they won't anyway when they're older. You act as though volunteering will be some traumatizing, life-changing ordeal.

well it may not be traumatizing to them but it sure as heck is to those of us that have to work alongside these kids!! Please- keep your kids home if they don't want to volunteer!!!!

 

[Imagineer7]

It isn't about what they could give up; it is forcing them to do so.

What you're not grasping is that everyone is forced to do something in life.

Kids are forced to go to school
Adults are forced to go to work

Most of us turn out okay!

 

[Imagineer7]

well it may not be traumatizing to them but it sure as heck is to those of us that have to work alongside these kids!

You'll be okay

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

What you're not grasping is that everyone is forced to do something in life...

You wouldn't mind coming over to my house to do a little "volunteer" work then, right?

 

[Imagineer7]

You wouldn't mind coming over to my house to do a little "volunteer" work then, right?

I already volunteer at the children's hospital here in Chicago

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

I already volunteer at the children's hospital here in Chicago

Sorry, that's not on the Bama list of "opportunities". Travel to and from my home is at your expense. I'll provide water to drink if it gets too hot.

Really, it is in your best interests. I am only thinking of you.

 

[C.Ann]

DGD - 12 - going into 8th grade in the fall - is doing community service through the month of July this year.. Has something to do with her being in the Honor Society, but I don't have all the details as this came about after I left for the lake.. (I do believe it was "required' though..)

She's working with small kids - preK through 1st grade - and she loves the idea of getting up and "going to work" every day, even though she isn't being paid for it..

I certainly don't see any harm in it..

 

[ebtbmom]

It should absolutely not be a requirement. I don't think it's "service" if you are being forced to do it. Heck, inmates aren't even forced to work without getting some sort of compensation, why should high schoolers?

I genuinely applaud those teens that choose to volunteer. It's amazing that some kids are willing to give up their time to help out others.

 

[Pigeon]

When I was in high school, a group of students took the school van to a local grade school and tutored students during our lunch break. It was a great! I loved it, school provided transportation, we didn't miss class, it didn't hurt our other interests, etc. etc.

My high school kid gets a grand total 20 minutes to wait in line to get her lunch and to eat it. She usually also needs to make time to use the bathroom during that 20 minutes. I don't think making her take a bus to a grade school to tutor elementary school kids is going to happen. She gets no study halls, ever, so that's not going to fly, either.

 

[ebtbmom]

It's social engineering by the government. I have no problem with the schools offering the program for extra credit but it shouldn't be mandated and required to graduate.

I totally agree with this. I feel that very few things in life should be mandated. This is a really political topic, are we going to get shut down?

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

DGD - 12 - going into 8th grade in the fall - is doing community service through the month of July this year.. Has something to do with her being in the Honor Society, but I don't have all the details as this came about after I left for the lake.. (I do believe it was "required' though..)

She's working with small kids - preK through 1st grade - and she loves the idea of getting up and "going to work" every day, even though she isn't being paid for it..

I certainly don't see any harm in it..

When I was in the NHS, way back when, it was required. I didn't mind, because I could opt out. You do not have to be a member of the NHS just because you qualify. Big difference.

 

[Pigeon]

I totally agree with this. I feel that very few things in life should be mandated. This is a really political topic, are we going to get shut down?

You know, I don't think it's political. Early on in the thread, somebody made a comment about how this is clearly a liberal plot to indoctrinate kids. Before I read that, I'd assumed it was those damned conservatives behind it. I'm a die-hard, card-carrying, bleeding heart liberal, and proud of it. I think it's a ludicrous idea.

I think you can find people all over the political spectrum with ideas about this.