Posted on 11/07/2008 9:20:01 AM PST by Khepri
America Serves
"When you choose to serve -- whether it's your nation, your community or simply your neighborhood -- you are connected to that fundamental American ideal that we want life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness not just for ourselves, but for all Americans. That's why it's called the American dream."
The Obama Administration will call on Americans to serve in order to meet the nation’s challenges. President-Elect Obama will expand national service programs like AmeriCorps and Peace Corps and will create a new Classroom Corps to help teachers in underserved schools, as well as a new Health Corps, Clean Energy Corps, and Veterans Corps. Obama will call on citizens of all ages to serve America, by developing a plan to require 50 hours of community service in middle school and high school and 100 hours of community service in college every year. Obama will encourage retiring Americans to serve by improving programs available for individuals over age 55, while at the same time promoting youth programs such as Youth Build and Head Start.
Ha, ha! Hilarious! You forgot to add "and I voted for George Bush, twice." Reagan would be appaled at your's and Obama's "brilliant idea."
The forum is infested with trolls now.
I see. With all the problems public schools have, his sweepingly general plan is to burden them with forced volunteerism. Not, you know, improving conditions or facilitating better learning somehow. So some students still won’t know how to read, but they’ll have picked up trash on the freeway overpasses for a semester. gotcha.
Mandatory volunteerism....what an oxymoron.
I teach at a school that requires community service. That is community service for drug and alcohol violations.
Joe the Plumber didn’t make 250K a year but he cared enough to consider others. I’m glad you don’t have to worry about this yourself but those of us who do would appreciate some support.
In a rush to kowtow, they will cave. I have more respect for the DNC than I do the GOP..
Actually, I volunteered quite a bit of time when I was a youth (oh so long ago.............)From Caroling at old folks homes, to planting trees after fires.
When I turned 18, I helped staff a homeless shelter during the winter, and volunteered with the Red Cross.
Now, I volunteer with Make a Wish (talk about heart wrenching, and I still make it a point to pick up a shift or two, when possible, at the homeless shelter.
Did I start doing it of my own volition? No. My Grandfather kinda dragged me kicking and screaming into the idea, but once it took, I kind of liked it. It gave me a perspective on people I wouldn’t have gotten otherwise. That, and I had fun sometimes.
I guess what I’m trying to say is this, the idea of getting kids involved in community service isn’t a bad one at all. Face it, if they screw up, the court will probably mandate it as punishment. Isn’t it better to teach them that service to others isn’t always a punishment?
I passed the “tradition” onto my Daughters, who both volunteer with the Animal Shelter, and Pet Adoptions. My oldest Daughter helped out this summer with a ranch that works with handicapped kids.
Look, I’m sure there is going to be a lot to scream about with Obama, but even a broken clock is right once in awhile.
This is one of those things I’d be hell pressed to say was a bad idea.
And Washington... I agree, they have no right.
It may be better in the end for public school system to assess the costs of doing with-out the federal funding just to be free of chains of the federal mandates!
What happens if you say no?
It’s a bad idea if it is mandated by the government.
It’s a good idea if it is something that the family decides to do on their own.
Universal Voluntary Service is an Orwellian oxymoron.
In many areas, the even numbers run down one side of the street, and the odd numbers are across the street. My house number is 1220, and the house immediately to the left is 1222. 1221 is across the street.
Why pick on the kids? It seems to me that if we’re going to force anyone to do “volunteer” work, it ought to be........this loud-mouthed Big TV lady! As taxpayers, we have a right to tell their government to return their hard-earned money being squandered by race-hustling grievance-mongers like this loud-mouthed Big TV lady. And Heaven forbid The Man expect her to pay her own damned security deposits and utility bills like the rest of us!
Jasper, (Big TV lady!) has admitted to being on the dole for 57 out of her 58 years. You want to fix the problem? Then let’s get to the heart of it. Let’s START FROM THE BOTTOM UP? DAMN STRAIT!
My family volunteers at church—heck, I take care of the disabled(autism, wheelchair bound) children on Sundays, I was an Awana leader, GS leader, you name it. My kids too.
And I am all for REAL VOLUNTEERING. But, I am not for ‘forced’ volunteering. It ends up that the good kids have to get it done, and the slugs at school walk the halls & get it counted for ‘volunteering’ to graduate.
Here’s an idea: force them to do some homework and learn English
NO WAY...
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