government mandated slavery

[fantASTic]

Originally Posted by Nanners52674

Um high school is all about requirements you need certain grades to pass a class and move up and graduate, its not forced you can choose not to go to class or do your homework or take the tests and as a result not graduate. You would also have that option with community service. I can't understand why the idea of having young adults do community service is a bad thing???

Again, comparison with the Patriot Act: You have the option to not do bad things, so why would you possibly be upset that someone is spying on your telephone conversations and seeing what you check out at the library? That can't possibly be a bad thing if you are doing the right things!

The point here is that there is a difference between getting a diploma which states that you have a certain level of knowledge and being forced to do community service. That has nothing to do with book learning, which is what school is for. Also, I agree with people who say that it takes away from the POINT of VOLUNteering. As in, voluntary.

Haha...we should rename it compulsateering!

[ASTalumna06]

I can't see community service as a mandatory requirement for graduation at high schools across the country being a good idea... at least not right now.

I went to a public high school. At the time, it was the only one in a city of close to 100,000 people. We were hovering at around 3,500 students, and that didn't even include the 9th grade (as there was no room for more students in the building).

I started my freshmen year (still in the junior high, but considered my first year of high school) with a class of approximately 1200 students. By the time I was nearing the end of my senior year, we had just under 900 students. On graduation day, there were about 600 students present.

There is already a ridiculously high number of students in this country that don't graduate. Why not focus on encouraging them to do better in school, instead of making it mandatory that everyone do extra work on top of classes and homework?

Personally, I would much rather have my taxes go toward things like new books, more counselors, and programs to assist those who need help in raising their grades.

To start, I think that community service should simply be MENTIONED to middle school and high school students. I know that I never volunteered until one of my teachers in high school talked about a program called Penny Pickers, a locally run community service project. Three of my friends and I signed up and participated. But I probably never would have done it otherwise.

The point is, to make this mandatory when the majority of the schools in this country don't even make it a point to offer any community service ideas or opportunities to students, seems like a pretty big jump.

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

I can't see community service as a mandatory requirement for graduation at high schools across the country being a good idea... at least not right now.

I went to a public high school. At the time, it was the only one in a city of close to 100,000 people. We were hovering at around 3,500 students, and that didn't even include the 9th grade (as there was no room for more students in the building).

I started my freshmen year (still in the junior high, but considered my first year of high school) with a class of approximately 1200 students. By the time I was nearing the end of my senior year, we had just under 900 students. On graduation day, there were about 600 students present.

There is already a ridiculously high number of students in this country that don't graduate. Why not focus on encouraging them to do better in school, instead of making it mandatory that everyone do extra work on top of classes and homework?

Personally, I would much rather have my taxes go toward things like new books, more counselors, and programs to assist those who need help in raising their grades.

To start, I think that community service should simply be MENTIONED to middle school and high school students. I know that I never volunteered until one of my teachers in high school talked about a program called Penny Pickers, a locally run community service project. Three of my friends and I signed up and participated. But I probably never would have done it otherwise.

The point is, to make this mandatory when the majority of the schools in this country don't even make it a point to offer any community service ideas or opportunities to students, seems like a pretty big jump.

Did you hear about programs that are paying students to get better grades....?

http://www.cbs46.com/news/15116950/d...=lnta&psp=news

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

Did you hear about programs that are paying students to get better grades....?

www.cbs46.com/news/15116950/detail.html?rss=lnta&psp=news

Um.. yea.. I don't know about all that.

But take my brother, for instance. Growing up, he hated school. HATED it. He would lie any which way he could so that he wouldn't have to go. When he was there, he wouldn't pay attention. Homework was rarely done, and to see him study would be a very rare occurrence (if it happened at all).

But he's not a dumb kid by any means.

In his junior year of high school, he looked into joining the military. He requested information and took the basic entrance exam. He told my parents that's what he wanted to do, and he dropped out of school. He also never joined the military. He worked as a front-end manager at a grocery store, and then he worked at Wendy's. After two years, he kind of realized that there wasn't much else he could do beyond that with the limited education that he had. Basically, it was a huge wake up call for him.

He eventually got his GED, and he enrolled in community college. He's been there for two years now, and he's been on the Dean's List every semester. He studies all the time, and asks his girlfriend for help when he needs it. This January, he's starting at UMass.

There are a ridiculous amount of students that fall through the cracks because nobody takes the time to talk with them and make them realize how important school truly is. Paying them doesn't help the cause, but making them understand their potential does. Also, with the way some schools in this country are falling apart, I'd rather put money into those communities so that the basic education that is happening everywhere else, can be provided to everyone.

[AOII_LB93]

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

I can't see community service as a mandatory requirement for graduation at high schools across the country being a good idea... at least not right now.

I went to a public high school. At the time, it was the only one in a city of close to 100,000 people. We were hovering at around 3,500 students, and that didn't even include the 9th grade (as there was no room for more students in the building).

I started my freshmen year (still in the junior high, but considered my first year of high school) with a class of approximately 1200 students. By the time I was nearing the end of my senior year, we had just under 900 students. On graduation day, there were about 600 students present.

There is already a ridiculously high number of students in this country that don't graduate. Why not focus on encouraging them to do better in school, instead of making it mandatory that everyone do extra work on top of classes and homework?

Personally, I would much rather have my taxes go toward things like new books, more counselors, and programs to assist those who need help in raising their grades.

To start, I think that community service should simply be MENTIONED to middle school and high school students. I know that I never volunteered until one of my teachers in high school talked about a program called Penny Pickers, a locally run community service project. Three of my friends and I signed up and participated. But I probably never would have done it otherwise.

The point is, to make this mandatory when the majority of the schools in this country don't even make it a point to offer any community service ideas or opportunities to students, seems like a pretty big jump.

Thank you. Your post speaks volumes when students in this country are now less likely to graduate than their parents. Shouldn't we worry about closing the educational gaps in our system, stop promoting those who don't deserve to go to the next grade, and ensure that students actually receive a viable education so that when they graduate they can do more than work the fry machine at the local burger joint?

I really would like it if politicians would actually collaborate and listen to educators and couselors instead of making new crap up when we still haven't gotten everyone up to snuff.

[PhiGam]

I thought that it was only $4000 for poor kids? I do well over 100 hours/year anyway, this would make me very happy.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by PhiGam

I thought that it was only $4000 for poor kids? I do well over 100 hours/year anyway, this would make me very happy.

Well, who knows how it will turn out? Personally, I have a hard time imagining that what this country needs is a program to give 4,000 dollar tax credit to the parents of upper class college kids who are willing to turn in forms logging their Dance Marathon hours.

Honestly, I don't really see this going anywhere until the economy improves a lot, unless it's simply a requirement for documented community service added to existing tax credits for higher ed.

[rho4life]

didn't y'all know, effective Jan 21, 2009, all white people will have to do 40 years of slavery. Enjoy the cotton fields.....

[Senusret I]

Originally Posted by rho4life

didn't y'all know, effective Jan 21, 2009, all white people will have to do 40 years of slavery. Enjoy the cotton fields.....

Will you hush!?!?!!

They haven't finalized the press release yet!

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by rho4life

didn't y'all know, effective Jan 21, 2009, all white people will have to do 40 years of slavery. Enjoy the cotton fields.....

Can we just have our ancestors do it?

Maybe something about potato famines or coal mines and company stores?

[AKA_Monet]

Originally Posted by rho4life

didn't y'all know, effective Jan 21, 2009, all white people will have to do 40 years of slavery. Enjoy the cotton fields.....

Enjoy those greens... LOL...

[Scandia]

I still can only think about the logistical nightmare it would be. Especially if there are few community organizations where you live and they slam the door on your face unless you have nepotism-like connections.

[RedefinedDiva]

I also agree with Soror AKA_Monet. Some folks in here are making it seem as though community service is the worst thing in the world!

I think that community service should be mandatory and I think that there is a great need for it in almost every community. I'm not sure where most of you grew up, but I know that there is a need for a lot of help within the community where I'm from. As long as there are people in need in this country, there will always be room for volunteers. Soup kitchens, Habitat for Humanity, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, etc. They could even spend an extra hour at school twice a week and plant flowers, scrape gum off of desks, clean graffiti off lockers, and other things that can help beautify. There is ALWAYS something to be done.

Yes, teens lie, but that's why there should be (and probably will be) a system of checks and balances. It's very simple to contact the org. that the student alleges he/she spent time with and find out. Hell, I'd sign up for that job in the Obama administration! (I'm sure there was at least one person that's asking "Who's really going to do that?") I'd be a phone-calling, fact-checking chica! If our (MINE included) tax dollars are going toward funding something and it would take me volunteering my time to check up on some other folks, I'd do it.

Lastly, while I understand that someone stated more time should be dedicated to helping students improve grades (and I agree with the sentiment), I also think that community service will serve to help with the problem also. Students may have to opportunity to volunteer with people and orgs. that will help them see life from a different perspective. For me, volunteering on campaigns helped me to gain focus in pursuing a career in law and (eventually) politics. Students can volunteer at vets, reading academies, libraries, hospitals, etc. and gain more insight into what it takes to pursue their dream careers. They may be around positive role models that they might not otherwise have the opportunity to see.

[AKA_Monet]

^^^Veterans alone need help. I was told by a worker at the VA saying they are severely understaffed and other veterans from previous wars are aging and need more assistance... And let us not forget about the mental health debilitation these vets face.

Personally, if they serve this country and fight for it, they DESERVE to get all the healthcare they need!!!

[AGDee]

I just remembered another program that our schools do. The marching band students who choose to can do kindergarten mentoring. They are trained in how to handle the kids, how to read to them, how to do crafts with them, etc. and meet with their kindergarteners once a week after school to serve as their mentors. It's fun for the high school kids and fun for the 5 year olds. My daughter is doing that this year too.