Mandatory Community Serice

[Pontiuth Pilate]

One hundred hours here in California.

There are school clubs founded with the sole purpose of getting kids those hundred hours in time for college. They compete with each other for hours. Is it just me or has the service itself become a second priority? Sure, I played with those kids and kept them occupied at the day care center, but the important thing is that I got 4 hours in today!

Oh well, at least it's not as bad as "Fish Club" - which is what they call the Christian Jungen in these parts...

I don't belong to any club, and I have more than the necessary time [somewhere around two hundred hours, actually]. Unfortunately I didn't keep track of too much of it, which means I need to redo it again, this time with mentors breathing down my neck, signing notes and putting little stickers on my timetable.

Something has to be pretty damn for Newfangle, RedWold, and I all to agree on how bad it is.

 

[The Yankee]

My high school actually had this thing where you had to join an after-school program/club and fill it out on a card for verification for a diploma. The big kicker to why people never did it was this: they were selling the cards for $5 each and you had to get one every semester.

 

[PantheraTigris2]

Die, Socialism, DIE!!

sorry, couldn't hold myself back.

 

[RedWolf]

Originally posted by PantheraTigris2

Hmmm, strange. What if you just refuse? What would they do?

Withold your high school diploma.

 

[Pontiuth Pilate]

I hope you realize that Georgie's Faith-Based Initiatives are exactly that - Socialism. any group organized to give charity is socialist -f it gets to rule the country. Hell, Christianity is socialist, if not communist... God gives out according to people's ability to steward, doesn't he? Doesn't the whole parable of the talents prove that? [Matthew I think] And he rewards those who give according to other people's needs.

My high school actually had this thing where you had to join an after-school program/club and fill it out on a card for verification for a diploma. The big kicker to why people never did it was this: they were selling the cards for $5 each and you had to get one every semester.

That's nothing. My school has a society sanctioned by the district that will give you a gold cord to wear on your graduation flatboard hat, IF you get a 3.5+ GPA average for the whole of high school. The catch? It costs 15 dollars - per semester. For 30 a year. For a grand total of 120 bucks - per graduate. And if you don't maintain the average you get a "consolation" silver or bronze cord, etc. Loads of people sign up for it. It's amazing how stupid some people are. You also get a cute seal to put on your college resume. For 120 bucks.

 

[PantheraTigris2]

Originally posted by RedWolf


Withold your high school diploma.

:saiyan:

Unbelievable. This kind of thing really ticks me off. I am completely ideologically opposed to it. These policies need to be thrown out ASAP, before they lead to more...

 

[RedWolf]

Originally posted by PantheraTigris2

Unbelievable. This kind of thing really ticks me off. I am completely ideologically opposed to it. These policies need to be thrown out ASAP, before they lead to more...

I consider myself left wing (a socialist even) yet I strongly oppose this program. I believe fundamentally that I pay taxes to the government so that THEY can redistribute that money to help those that need it - social programs, food banks, hospitals etc. (I suspect this is where I differ from people like newfangle)

It's the slave labour that I have real issues with - a government taking it's responsibilities and dumping it off on a group of people that cannot speak for themselves (high school kids) and at the same time gaining political points with the public by "putting those lazy teenagers to work".

Oh - and THEN to see that these kids aren't even doing COMMUNITY service - that instead a multi-million dollar corporation gets to slither out of PAYING workers by recruiting "forced volunteers". Makes my blood boil.

 

[newfangle]

Originally posted by RedWolf


I consider myself left wing (a socialist even) yet I strongly oppose this program. I believe fundamentally that I pay taxes to the government so that THEY can redistribute that money to help those that need it - social programs, food banks, hospitals etc. (I suspect this is where I differ from people like newfangle)

It's the slave labour that I have real issues with - a government taking it's responsibilities and dumping it off on a group of people that cannot speak for themselves (high school kids) and at the same time gaining political points with the public by "putting those lazy teenagers to work".

Oh - and THEN to see that these kids aren't even doing COMMUNITY service - that instead a multi-million dollar corporation gets to slither out of PAYING workers by recruiting "forced volunteers". Makes my blood boil.

Its the government that is putting you on sale. Don't blame the corporations.

 

[RedWolf]

Originally posted by newfangle


Its the government that is putting you on sale. Don't blame the corporations.

Not me... I'm almost 25 years old and avoided this whole deal.

I WILL blame the corporations because thats where right wing governments draw the majority of their power and support from.

If you noticed in my post I was sure to spread my blame around - there's enough for everyone.

Right wing governments that support the bussiness interests of the corporate elite.. AND the corporate elite which support the right wing governments and then use this free labour AND benefit from the governments chopping corporate taxes... AND the dumb vindictive people that vote for these policies because "all teenagers are lazy and stupid" even though they themselves are probably LESS educated than their children and haven't done a single hour of community service ever.

 

[Pontiuth Pilate]

Its the government that is putting you on sale. Don't blame the corporations.

RedWolf's idea is that the government enacted that policy to gain brownie points [ie, campaign contributions] from corporations. Seems rather farfetched to me, but then it is Canada, anything could happen

 

[RedWolf]

Originally posted by RedWolf


Ooops. Meant to edit not quote. Deleted and moved text to proper place above.

 

[RedWolf]

Originally posted by Pontiuth Pilate
Its the government that is putting you on sale. Don't blame the corporations.

RedWolf's idea is that the government enacted that policy to gain brownie points [ie, campaign contributions] from corporations. Seems rather farfetched to me, but then it is Canada, anything could happen

Well not just brownie points with corporations - but the general public - the government was swept to power on a platform of cutting taxes and reforming education (among other things). This program was introduced in order to "shape the kids up". First they convinced us that the system ws "broken" and then they came up with ideas to "fix" it. People ate it up.

However corporations getiing free labour seems to be a nice by-product. I would be willing to bet that most people in this province were under the impression that "community service" meant just that - helping out at retirement homes, hospitals, town events etc... Not working for free for multi-million dollar corporations...

 

[newfangle]

I agree completely Redwolf. (Just remember that I am the furthest thing from a conservative you could ever find).

However, I'd like to hear Richard III's take on the matter. Get this whole thing into perspective...

 

[Perfection]

Doesn't this defeat the purpose of cummunity service, by forcing people to do this they make them hostile to the idea of public service and think of it more as a punishment then a way to help the community?

 

[The Yankee]

Originally posted by Pontiuth Pilate
I hope you realize that Georgie's Faith-Based Initiatives are exactly that - Socialism. any group organized to give charity is socialist -f it gets to rule the country. Hell, Christianity is socialist, if not communist... God gives out according to people's ability to steward, doesn't he? Doesn't the whole parable of the talents prove that? [Matthew I think] And he rewards those who give according to other people's needs.

My high school actually had this thing where you had to join an after-school program/club and fill it out on a card for verification for a diploma. The big kicker to why people never did it was this: they were selling the cards for $5 each and you had to get one every semester.

That's nothing. My school has a society sanctioned by the district that will give you a gold cord to wear on your graduation flatboard hat, IF you get a 3.5+ GPA average for the whole of high school. The catch? It costs 15 dollars - per semester. For 30 a year. For a grand total of 120 bucks - per graduate. And if you don't maintain the average you get a "consolation" silver or bronze cord, etc. Loads of people sign up for it. It's amazing how stupid some people are. You also get a cute seal to put on your college resume. For 120 bucks.

Yes, but some people paid for the cards, but nobody would sign it saying they did somethng. Also, the school overcharged for the prom way too much and screwed it all up by not having enough plates and forks and the like and had security posted everywhere so no one could go outside (they had theirs in the hall of the Grand Hilton). Glad I didn't go....aside from how crowded it was. The student government tried to get a better and cheaper place in Park Slope in Brooklyn...but I guess the principal had friends elsewhere.

Also, fees for everything. We even had to pay fees to send out our college applications (in addition to the fees by the colleges), then more fees for transcripts for the application and another one for the final transcript (which I had to pay AGAIN because they didn't send mine out over the summer, almost got locked out of spring registration this year....#)R@()$*$(*!!!!). And...well, I won't even get into the fighting I had between myself and the administration...I hint at it sometimes here, but I never spilled out the whole story. Don't think it'd be all too.....happy for this forum.

At least for you, you could always opt out of the paying by failing a class or two. My graduation hat didn't even fit me!

 

[The Yankee]

Yes, community service should be more fun and enlightening...not forced. Now, the whole day wasn't a total wash because I got to be outside in the nice cold, breezy weather without a jacket the whole day and I got to be away from my parents most of the day...not to mention I didn't sleep until 2 PM that day (got up at 4:30 AM). It wasn't bad....but I do see why half my class didn't show up....most of the people there were actual volunteers.

 

[RedWolf]

Originally posted by newfangle
I agree completely Redwolf. (Just remember that I am the furthest thing from a conservative you could ever find).

However, I'd like to hear Richard III's take on the matter. Get this whole thing into perspective...

I actually would as well. I have to sheepishly admit that part of the reason I posted this here was to find out if he knew about any rules restricting coporations from using this "free labour". (thats just part of it - I truly DID want to vent).

 

[bobgote]

Originally posted by newfangle


I just read that you go to a private school. My comments are only aimed at state-sponsered school.

Since you are a private student, they can make you weave baskets underwater for all I care since you are paying for a service of which you are aware.

I took underwater basket weaving in my year 12. It was a valuable learning experience, and should be offered, or made mandatory in a public school system. I encourage everyone to take such a class.

mandatory community service is a stupid idea. it all stems from wackos thinking kids/teenagers need to experience the "real world" as was mentioned earlier in this thread. Let me tell you (anyone younger than i and being assaulted by the "real world" thing), being in the workforce, and living away from home, if it is the "real world" is very much the same as school/university. hardly any difference. so such mandatory work experience or the like is completely unnecessary. if it is mandatory you should be paid appropriately for it. voluntary service must be entirely that - voluntary.

 

[The Yankee]

I had underwater weightlifting in my junior and senior years. Now THAT should be mandatory!

Although...I do wonder....all this mandatory stuff...it would feel odd for a student to walk into college with some choices and wonder how to get through all of it. I do think high schools should start offering choices again (I know my high school used to, tricked me into thinking they still did, but locked me into mandatory classes).

 

[SeleucusNicator]

As a high school student, I am completely opposed to forced labor of any kind by high school students.

I'm not aware of any non-Catholic schools in the Chicago area that have such policies. However, in the past few days, there has been quite an uproar because a late 90's law requiring public housing residents to do a set number of community service hours a week or get evicted is being enforced. While I'm not sure if anybody has been evicted yet, I'm sure there will be a showdown of some kind.