Anonymous wrote:It's required for the IB diploma, if you are unlucky enough to be stuck in an IB school. It's pointless and a waste of everyone's time. Community service that is forced doesn't teach the kids anything. They don't even do a good job.

My DS is at an IB school and is doing the IB diploma. The school offers lots of opportunities for "community service" and I agree with another poster who said it's a joke, and I would not define what the kids are doing as community service: being on a panel and talking to freshmen and sophomores about the IB program; staffing their sports/club table during an activity fair during the school day or at an after school activity night; helping out in the concession stand during a sporting event (this one does involve some work.) I don't think my DS did one thing outside of school to satisfy the community service requirement. The only service that he did which might have taught him anything was the school's mulch sale: he spent hours loading and unloading large bags of mulch into vehicles and then dropping them off at homes. When he got home, he was filthy and exhausted and maybe grasped some appreciation for manual labor.

It’s also now required for middle schools. Kids need 15 hours. Ridiculous.

It's required for the IB diploma, if you are unlucky enough to be stuck in an IB school. It's pointless and a waste of everyone's time. Community service that is forced doesn't teach the kids anything. They don't even do a good job.

It’s not required in FCPS

I don't think it is required in FCPS high school. There's no graduation requirement. If you DO volunteer a certain number of hours (50?), you get a seal on your diploma. But I believe that is totally up to you - as it should be.

I don't think community service should be required. Do I think everyone should volunteer/do community service? Absolutely. But requiring it means it's not service, it's servitude. That's meaningless, IMO, and defeats the purpose.

Anonymous wrote:Community service is a waste of time - most kids don't actually do it and just have someone sign off. If you really want kids to have to do community service, it should be mandatory to show up on a day and do work - cleaning a park for example. Otherwise, it's just extra busy work for parents that distracts from the point of school.

Wow - speak for yourself. My kids spent hours and hours doing community service.

A lot of places won't allow volunteers under 18 without a parent chaperone for liability reasons. It's pretty restricted to umc families that have time to drive and chaperone.

I would be happy to see this requirement go away and incorporate service learning during the school day.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher of seniors.

Some of my students are working 40 hours a week on top of school to stash money away to afford college or to help pay rent. They leave school at 3 and work a 6 hour shift after school. Weekends are for work too. When are they supposed to do community service?

I am ALL for encouraging kids to give back in ways they can, but sometimes that looks like going to chick fil an after school and giving your paycheck to your parents.

Can their work count as community service?

In Moco, they can help in the library at lunch or due trash patrol around the school (we have a spotless campus)

Anonymous wrote:Teacher of seniors.

Some of my students are working 40 hours a week on top of school to stash money away to afford college or to help pay rent. They leave school at 3 and work a 6 hour shift after school. Weekends are for work too. When are they supposed to do community service?

I am ALL for encouraging kids to give back in ways they can, but sometimes that looks like going to chick fil an after school and giving your paycheck to your parents.

Can their work count as community service?

Do any schools still require it for a grade or graduation? At my child's school it is for honor society only, and hours can be fulfilled during learning seminar tutoring other students.

Teacher of seniors.

Some of my students are working 40 hours a week on top of school to stash money away to afford college or to help pay rent. They leave school at 3 and work a 6 hour shift after school. Weekends are for work too. When are they supposed to do community service?

I am ALL for encouraging kids to give back in ways they can, but sometimes that looks like going to chick fil a after school and giving your paycheck to your parents.

Anonymous wrote:Community service is a waste of time - most kids don't actually do it and just have someone sign off. If you really want kids to have to do community service, it should be mandatory to show up on a day and do work - cleaning a park for example. Otherwise, it's just extra busy work for parents that distracts from the point of school.

I did it, and so did my friend.

Community service is a waste of time - most kids don't actually do it and just have someone sign off. If you really want kids to have to do community service, it should be mandatory to show up on a day and do work - cleaning a park for example. Otherwise, it's just extra busy work for parents that distracts from the point of school.

people on Tiktok are saying that is no one EVER should be force to do Community service......

COME ON NOW. nothing is wrong with doing community service.

WHY do they want to get rid of it?