Educators Back Away From Community Service Mandate

A proposal to require students to perform community service has been softened by the Las Virgenes Unified School District, which decided instead to urge educators to encourage the idea.

Proponents such as Assistant Supt. Leo J. Lowe said “service learning,” as some like to call it, would help impart moral values and make students better citizens.

Opponents say requiring such service would defeat the purpose because community service works best when it comes from the heart. Others say it would be akin to turning students into indentured servants. Still others say colleges, which look favorably on applicants who volunteer to help others, might not look as favorably on those who perform community service only because it’s required.

The proposal seemed to gain momentum but eventually ran out of steam when a committee formed to study the matter praised the idea but stopped short of a recommendation. The board, at a recent meeting, discussed the idea informally but did not take a vote.

Lowe said there is still hope for the proposal. “There certainly is encouragement from the board,” he said.

To encourage establishment of community service programs, Lowe said, the board has asked principals to give progress reports on what they are doing to promote the programs.

As the issue was being debated, many people pointed out there are many opportunities for students to participate in service learning programs. It was also mentioned that many teachers organize service learning activities on a regular basis. Only a handful of district schools now provide either credit or grades for community service.

Despite initial resistance, some say it’s an idea whose time has come.

“I think this is only the opening chapter,” Lowe said.