Should Students be required to perform "Community Service"?

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Yep. Sort of like saying something bad about mom, apple pie or the flag.
It is interesting to read the comments of those opposed, especially those who had not heard of a community service requirement. It was required when I was in High School, and I graduated in 1975, and was required of my kids too. But there are folks around here that even think kids being required to just go to school at all is wrong.

Because of my family's military life--I went to three different high schools in three different states and it was never a requirement.

I have seen it required for scholarship and clubs--but never for the diploma.

I just checked Virginia and I don't see any requirements to volunteer for the right of receiving a diploma.

What state are you in?

 

[kaytieeldr]

Only on the Dis could community service as a graduation requirement be considered a bad thing.

!

 

[kaytieeldr]

Not necessarily. You assume they are...

Education is a basic right in the US. It isn't a privilege. It doesn't have to be earned by some duty elsewhere, off school grounds. In fact, since legitimate groups would not be allowed in some states, it could be argued that it is a violation of civil liberties.

Maybe they should require community service prior to getting a driver's license. Then at least, it is correlated with earning a privilege.

I can't find anything in the Constitution indicating education is a right, basic or otherwise - but even if it were, a diploma (graduation) isn't.

 

[Poohforyou]

Yep. Sort of like saying something bad about mom, apple pie or the flag.
It is interesting to read the comments of those opposed, especially those who had not heard of a community service requirement. It was required when I was in High School, and I graduated in 1975, and was required of my kids too. But there are folks around here that even think kids being required to just go to school at all is wrong.

I graduated from a private school is the early 80s and it was a requirement which isn't surprising for a private school. My brothers went to our public HS and it was also required. However, the program wasn't started for altruistic reasons. It was put in place to deal with understaffing/overcrowding. If 1/5th of the student body was out of the school each week doing community service it freed up a lot of teachers and classroom space.

I don't know whether our HS requires community service or not but it doesn't matter one way or another since my DD does things already and will continue until she graduates.

 

[Pigeon]

Only on the Dis could community service as a graduation requirement be considered a bad thing.

Total BS. I've seen it debated elsewhere. And my sister teaches in a district with this requirement and it is extremely controversial.

 

[Pigeon]

Do teens generate a lifetime of resentment towards their parents because they were forced to do chores?

It certainly doesn't generate a love of doing chores.

 

[Lanshark]

My kids both had to do community service in high school. They went to private high schools. I have no problem with it and feel it's a wonderful thing but do not think a public school has the right to make it a requirement to graduate if the requirement necessitates the service be done during non school hours without transportation or school supervision.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

Total BS. I've seen it debated elsewhere. And my sister teaches in a district with this requirement and it is extremely controversial.

Indeed - it is being debated anew all over the web, but this isn't new. It has been challenged all over the world for decades. A simple google search would prove this to any who are interested in the truth.

This is not a left vs. right thing. I know liberals and conservatives alike who both support and oppose this. It seems to be an ideal with no specific political agenda - just folks doing what they think is right - on both sides.

I never have a problem with folks trying to do what they feel is right, even if I disagree with them. I might try to stop them, but I respect their fervor.

 

[ladypage]

From someone who spent almost every weekend volunteering for something or other, I disagree with mandatory volunteer work.

Let me tell you how it worked at my high school. We were required 50 hours total, 5 as a Freshman, 5 as a Sophomore, 15 as a Junior, and 25 as a Senior. Or, do all of them as a senior, but you couldn't count more for each year.

I spent 3 weekends a month at the soup kitchen and with my mother starting up an animal spay/neuter coalition, as well as working with the local shelter trying to keep the costs down so they could relocate to a larger area. I started this at 12, and kept going until the start of my senior year when I had medical problems and not being able to keep up with school very well. I had to stop with my volunteer work, because I couldn't handle it anymore. At the end of the first semester, I was told I wouldn't be able to graduate because I hadn't finished my mandatory 25 hours as a senior. Never mind that I had finished FAR over the mandatory in my freshman year alone, it wouldn't count. I ended up having to volunteer at a football game to get the extra hours, because, for some reason, selling food is community service.

One of my friends went home the day before the hours were totally due, and had his uncle sign a slip that he had volunteered for something or other. My other friend had to take time out of her very busy athletic and extra curricular activities schedule to squeeze in time at the football games as well. Considering she did two sports each semester, was the president of student counsel, and was working on an internship with UC Davis in the medical field, it was a huge drag that she had to take time away from her other activities.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge advocate for volunteer work, but making it mandatory makes people resent it. And causes problems for multitudes of students with busy schedules. Personally, I would have graduated early had it not been for that.

 

[kaytieeldr]

One of my friends went home the day before the hours were totally due, and had his uncle sign a slip that he had volunteered for something or other. My other friend had to take time out of her very busy athletic and extra curricular activities schedule to squeeze in time at the football games as well. Considering she did two sports each semester, was the president of student counsel, and was working on an internship with UC Davis in the medical field, it was a huge drag that she had to take time away from her other activities.

Okay, understood. But this isn't something that was sprung on anyone at the last minute, and 25 hours in a school year is only an average of about 37.5 minutes per week based on a 40 week school year.

Students who know about the requirement and don't plan for it - whether it's a couple of hours twice a month, or a weekend day periodically, or some other arrangement - can't expect a lot of sympathy. Your classmate cheated, and while everything your friend was doing is admirable, it's surprising she couldn't find an average of two and a half hours each month to fulfill the requirement.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I say no. Like another PP said, it's not volunteering if it's required. If everyone wanted to, I would think that's great, but no, it shouldn't be required.

 

[Imagineer7]

Not necessarily. You assume they are...

Education is a basic right in the US. It isn't a privilege. It doesn't have to be earned by some duty elsewhere, off school grounds. In fact, since legitimate groups would not be allowed in some states, it could be argued that it is a violation of civil liberties.

Maybe they should require community service prior to getting a driver's license. Then at least, it is correlated with earning a privilege.

Who provides transportation when a student needs to go to the library on the weekends to do research for a project/paper?

Who provides transportation when a student needs to meet with a group for a group project either after class or on the weekends?

 

[Imagineer7]

Requiring students to work for their right that is guaranteed by law, isn't right..

They have a right to go to school, not to graduate. Graduation is a privilege, as with most things in life. And also, schools do require students to work for their graduation already. What do you call homework? Also students go to the libraries to do research as well as meet with other students on their own time on weeknights and/or weekends to complete group projects. So work outside of the class is already required.

If it is so important, the schools can provide the transportation and the opportunity during school hours.

Many do, mine did for certain opportunities. But they aren't required to do so just like they aren't required to transport students to the city's public libraries or transport students to other students homes to meet up to complete group projects.

 

[Imagineer7]

It certainly doesn't generate a love of doing chores.

You don't have to love volunteering to do it successfully. Maybe you simply feel a civic duty and go out and fulfill it, doesn't mean you love it.

Chores are good for teaching children responsibility and hard-work. These traits generally carry on for the rest of their lives when they have their own homes. As would volunteering.

 

[tvguy]

I have read the thread, but I must have missed that one.

By "Around here", I mean where I live, not on this thread.

 

[tvguy]

I don't recall anyone on this thread making a comment like that.

Not on the thread, no, around here, where I live.

 

[tvguy]

What state are you in?

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[bicker]

If your intern wants to be there and work to the best of their abilities, you are right. However, that isn't what we are talking about and you know it.

Actually, you haven't been reading what I've been writing. I've mentioned over and over and over that it should be one of two options for satisfying a new Civics requirement in the curriculum.

How about you answer the question instead of trying to turn it into something else.

Now how about you respond to my reply in the context of my comments, rather than just trying to mindlessly object to something that doesn't 100% agree with you.

That doesn't change the basic premise that this is not voluntary.

All schoolwork is "not voluntary". What's next? Banning the requirement to create dioramas?

Do teens generate a lifetime of resentment towards their parents because they were forced to do chores?

Or forced to take gym?

Only on the Dis could community service as a graduation requirement be considered a bad thing.

The scary part is that I don't think it is just on the DIS that that could happen. Perhaps IRL people are much more reticent about projecting their anti-social responsibility stances, but I wouldn't doubt that some would anyway, perhaps spinning it differently.


Overall: I'm really disappointed with how many people object so strongly to instilling social responsibility into children.

 

[hambirg]

Ok. . I'll get in this. I haven't read all 27 pages, but I think I get the gist.

I don't think schools should be able to "require" anything outside of the school day. I know when I worked in HS's if a student couldn't participate in something outside of normal hours, then an alternative had to be offered. That applies to required classes, not electives.

As far as teaching civic duty, how about schools stick to teaching? I don't think they should require community service, but they should be requiring civics class. I think the key word is "requiring". Students of course are free to join clubs or volunteer all they want.

Overall: I'm really disappointed with how many people object so strongly to instilling social responsibility into children.

But who says that's the schools responsibility?

 

[bicker]

I don't think schools should be able to "require" anything outside of the school day.

That's an implementation detail. This community service idea can be fulfilled in compliance with your stated desire.

As far as teaching civic duty, how about schools stick to teaching?

Uh: You do realize that teaching is teaching. I think you meant to ask why don't schools "stick" to teaching the things that you personally want the schools to teach? The schools currently teach home economics - I could wonder why they bother teaching that sort of thing.

The schools used to teach civic responsibility, and should do so again, imho.

I don't think they should require community service, but they should be requiring civics class.

So far, I haven't seen anyone post a cogent objection to having to the students able to choose between those two options for fulfilling the same requirement.

But who says that's the schools responsibility?

The schools are the only aspect of our society that all children go through. It's the only logical touchstone for that to occur.