Service or disservice? Student requirement debated
By Michael Hartwell
mhartwell@keepmecurrent.com
WINDHAM (April 7, 2008): Windham students may be required to complete
40 hours of community service to graduate, although feelings around
town are mixed if it's appropriate to enforce good deeds.
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"I'm
in favor of it, if it's done right," said school committee member Mike
Duffy. There was a public hearing on the matter Wednesday, but Duffy
said the adaption of the proposal will be decided in a vote in a few
weeks and a date has not yet been decided. If
approved, the more than 200 students who graduate in 2009 would need to
perform 10 hours of community service and turn in worksheets signed by
an adult for proof. The 2010 class would have an additional 10 hours
required and this would repeat until members of the class of 2012 need
40 hours of community service performed to graduate. Duffy said he wants students to get involved in causes they believe in, like community sports or helping younger students. "I
don't just want someone to say, I picked up three sticks," said Duffy.
"I want them to find something that they're interested in." Most Windham High School students asked said they oppose the requirement. "I think it's stupid," said Kristie Hansen, 14, of Windham. "It's not volunteer work if they're forcing people to do it." "It
should be an option," said Alyssa Doyle, 14. She said the high school
already has clubs for people who want to do community service work and
it would not be sincere if the students are forced to do it. "It's pointless and a waste of time," said Brittany Rogers, 15. Some students said they think the requirement will bring unintended consequences. "I
don't think many people are going to graduate because of it," said
Tyler Sibley, 15. He said he thinks a lot of student will forge
signatures on the documents to get out of the work. Other students said the community service requirement would be unwelcome with their current work load. "I don't think we should have it at all. We have enough to handle," said Cameron Doblovick, 16. "I work so it's not really fair to me," said Mike Lowell, 16. His grandmother, June Lovrinovicz, said she supports the proposed requirement. "I think volunteer work builds a sense of community," she said. She thinks a lot of people will be helped by the work. "There's
a lot of variable It's not black and white," said Kate Brix of the
Windham School Committee. She said on Tuesday she's withholding
judgment until after she's heard from school administrators and more
parents. "I'm not opposed to community service. I
would not be serving on the school board if I didn't believe in it,"
said Brix. She said some parents told her that students are already
overburdened with school and may have problems transporting children to
volunteer locations. Nicole Lajoie, president of the Sebago Lake Rotary Club, doesn't think 10 hours a year is a lot to ask. "In
high school I did it on my own accord," she said of volunteer work. "I
consider it a way to expose young people to good works in the
community." Jake Noble, 78, said forcing people to do community service is supposed to be a punishment, not an act of compassion. "It's just another mandate," he said. "Kids have enough to do with sports and trying to keep up their ranks." "What
I think a lot of people are missing is that it's not volunteering, it's
community service," said Allison Johnston, 18. She is the senior class
president and already does a lot of community service work on her own.
She helps teach Spanish once a week at the primary school, coaches
figure skating and is involved in her church youth group. "It's 10 hours a year," she said. She doesn't think that's a lot to ask and it will help improve Windham. Johnston
said there are a lot more kinds of community service work than people
think. She said things like helping out a neighbor or assisting in a
classroom at the middle school also count.
Based in Westbrook, Reporter-Lakes Region Weekly Michael Hartwell can be reached at 207-854-2577 or by e-mail at mhartwell@keepcurrent.com.
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