While high schools should encourage students to participate in community service, it should not be made a graduation requirement. If students are forced to do community service they will develop a cynical attitude towards it. Requiring community service in high school will discourage future involvement. Cartoon number 11 points out that community service cannot make up for bad test scores and grades.
If students were required to do community service they will want to do so for personal gain. In the Dalton School Mission Statement, it is stated that community service is done to help others and to help the community. However, in the summary of “In the Good Name of Community Service,” they say that their club started as a “big joke” and that they use made up positions to add to their college applications to look good. This is not what community service is meant for according to the Dalton School Mission Statement, but this is what will happen if community service becomes a graduation requirement. Community service should not be exploited for personal gain. If community service remains voluntary it is less likely to be exploited for personal gain and better identify with the Dalton School Mission Statement.
Requiring community service in high school will discourage students form doing it later in life. This is based on the graph from “Youth Attitudes toward Civic Education and Community Service Requirements” and the “Mandatory Volunteerism” article. The graph shows that community service is most unfavorable to 15-17 years olds, which is that same age group that would be affected by a community service graduation requirement. It also points out that by age 23-25 more people find community service favorable than unfavorable. The article states that requiring community service on those who are not ready or feel that it is too controlling will be less likely to participate in the future. It would be more effective to leave community service to fess choice until students are ready to participate. This more people will participate in the future.
While community service does look good on college applications, nothing looks better than a good SAT score and a high G.P.A. The comic shows a student asking a teacher the question “Is there any way I can make up for my SAT scores by doing community service!?” The teacher’s reaction to the question indicates that the answer will most likely be “no.” This cartoon shows that schools and students should focus more on school work and studying than doing community service. In most cases no amount of community service will be able to make up for bad test scores and bad grades. Instead of schools requiring community service they should let students focus on their school work.
Mandatory community service should not be made a requirement for graduation, but should still be encouraged. Forcing students into community service will develop an attitude of self-gain and not the community’s gain in the students. This requirement, if implemented would decrease future involvement in community service than if it was left to free choice. Even though community service is a good thing it cannot make up for poor academic performance. High schools should leave community service up to free choice. Having a free choice will increase future involvement, eliminate misuse for personal gain and allow students to focus on their studies.
