Should Students be Forced to Volunteer? (Editorial)
Should students be forced to volunteer? This writer says no.
The junior-level civics course requires six hours of volunteer service to pass. On the information forms it is explained that the idea behind the Service Learning Project is to “prepare Carlisle students for rights and responsibilities they will face as young adults once they graduate from high school.” Are the students really benefiting from being forced into doing this community service?
Though the thought of having students working at service organizations seems great at first, some parts of the project aren’t being executed as well as they could be. Hours volunteered for another organization at school, such as National Honor Society, can’t be used for the Service Learning Project. If the point of the project is to “teach about community service,” then isn’t that being done any time the student volunteers his or her hours? Students shouldn’t have to use what little free time they have on doing extra community service hours.
One of the reasons for the project is to help students “understand the role that community service plays in effective citizenship.” Forcing students into doing the service hours only teaches them to associate it with homework, which will deter them from wanting to do it willingly in the future. Though the project means to “encourage their adult participation in service-related activities,” it may be doing the opposite.
Failure to complete the Service Learning project results in the student failing the course for the year. This puts a lot of unnecessary pressure on the students to complete the assignment. While volunteering, the students aren’t thinking about how they’re helping the organization. They focus instead on the grade they’re going to get.
Volunteering should be encouraged, but not mandatory. It makes students less likely to want to contribute their time in the future. While some school activities and groups require community service, it seems irrational that those hours don’t count for the civics project as well.
Disclaimer: Articles designated as “Editorial” represent the views and opinions of the author, not the 2065-2017 Periscope staff, CHS Administration, or the CHS student body.
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Kenny Brenizer is a junior and the perspectives editor for the 2016-2017 Periscope staff. She does no sports. She has no hobbies. She just wants cats and...
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connor • Dec 11, 2020 at 11:59 am
What is the point of volunteering? Is it to be nice and do something for the community or is it something younger people should be forced to do? The definition of volunteering is a person who freely offers to do a task. What schools are trying to do is force students to volunteer to graduate. That is not volunteering, that is involuntary, which is the opposite of volunteering.
Chloe • Apr 16, 2018 at 1:43 am
Thanks!
Jessica Burley • Oct 5, 2016 at 8:27 am
I think that giving back to the community should be required because there are things that do need help. Project Share is always looking for volunteers. I know a place for helping kids with disabilities learn to ride a horse and they pretty much run on volunteers. If more people saw the need in volunteers in the community then it would be a much better place.