Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All ranting and joking aside I do question how a for-profit after school program can offer SSL hours. I thought only non profits could offer ssl?

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Saw a SSL posting from a law firm also

You realize law firms do pro Bono work, I hope.

Nah. Lawyers are just soul sucking leeches on society! What do you have when you have a lawyer up to her neck in cement? Not enough cement!

(My SO is a lawyer.)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I remember when student service learning was about community service but it’s evolved into unpaid child labor. I just saw an ad for an after school program looking for teachers assistant for ssl hours.

This is just a rant.

Can you forward that ad...I’d like to sign my child up for free labor please. But in all honestly please forward the ad. My child is in search of ssl hours, you would be doing us a favor.

This is where I usually find my child’s SSL opportunities. There are some really good community service opportunities. -OP

https://montgomerycountymd.galaxydigital.com/need/index?age=&agency_id=&onDate=&distance=&zip=&need_impact_area=&need_init_id=144&cat_id=&meta%5B%5D=&meta%5B%5D=&meta%5B%5D=&q=&allowTeams=&s=1

I also read your comment last night and your lighthearted take on my ridiculous rant was what I needed to get a chuckle out of this. So, thank you.

It's 60 or 70 hours over seven years. Volunteering for 10 hours a year is not unpaid child labor. In MS, my kids both volunteered at their ES and loved being the bigger kids helping little kids. They also each did a sports camp in their sport every summer, again, older kids helping younger kids, and each ended up with well over 270 (or whatever the number was) and got an extra tassle at graduation.

It's about teaching kids to help others, so they can grow up caring about something other than themselves. If some organizations (or families) are abusing the system, so be it. But so many families do nothing to help others, either because they are barely getting by themselves, or are so self-centered they don't care about anyone but themselves. How else are kids going to learn this?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All ranting and joking aside I do question how a for-profit after school program can offer SSL hours. I thought only non profits could offer ssl?

+
Saw a SSL posting from a law firm also

You realize law firms do pro Bono work, I hope.

Anonymous wrote:All ranting and joking aside I do question how a for-profit after school program can offer SSL hours. I thought only non profits could offer ssl?

There are only certain tasks that can be done in a for profit industry. My wife ran a for profit nursing home. Kids needing SSL hours could assist with activities directly with residents. But they could not assist with office tasks or cleaning and get credit. In her not for profit nursing homes kids could get hours for any activity.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids got their SSL out of the way in MS early on. They loved the things they did - making food for people in homeless shelters, giving provisions to families setting up new homes, taking meals to terminal patients. They saw parts of DC they'd never otherwise visit and met a lot of people. It wasn't remotely "labor" - its not like they were shoveling coal or cleaning chimneys. It was really educational. Also I paid for most of it, so that's the complete opposite of labor.

How do you figure that fits in with the goal of ‘Equity’? We’ve done lots of SSL hours where my kid bakes or buys gift cards for families. We’re fortunate enough to afford it. Might not be as easy for some families.

I have no idea. Equity wasn't my goal.

Anonymous wrote:I remember when student service learning was about community service but it’s evolved into unpaid child labor. I just saw an ad for an after school program looking for teachers assistant for ssl hours.

This is just a rant.

Haha! I saw this and thought the same thing! I agree that this isn’t even close to community service.

Anonymous wrote:My 7th grader has nearly half the hours done. They’ve made food and crafts for different organizations, stuffed backpacks for needy kids and volunteered at their elementary school. All things they’ve enjoyed and hardly count as labor.
Mcps has much to improve, but I think this is low on the list.

My SO has organized some stream cleanings and cooking for a homeless shelters for SSL credit. There is some good coming out of the program.

My 7th grader has nearly half the hours done. They’ve made food and crafts for different organizations, stuffed backpacks for needy kids and volunteered at their elementary school. All things they’ve enjoyed and hardly count as labor.
Mcps has much to improve, but I think this is low on the list.

Anonymous wrote:Over half the required hours are built into the MCPS curriculum. If the kids pay attention to the in school opportunities, they can get the rest during the school day or after school over the course of a few school years.

MCPS also made many virtual opportunities available during the school from home year. It was more like student learning hours...no service involved!

Yeah, my kid got these last year. So, what’s the point of them?

It’s a silly program and needs to be eliminated. Maybe the kids can take a day to clean up the school/neighborhood as a team instead.