When I was reading this topic I noticed something odd. The schools want to teach the students to be selfless but if they are doing this by threatening them not to graduate. This sounds a bit humorous. You are basically saying you need to be kind or else you will get punished lol. I don’t see how this would work. I’m not against doing community service but there is something that doesn’t sit right with me. Everything good needs to be another requirement in schools. We have enough things we have to do just to gain marks in exams already. Do we really need to make kindness another subject?
If we were to do this at my school some students would immediately ask how many hours they need to do. Some would try to find the simplest tasks. Some may take photos whilst helping people. After completing the required amount they would forget all about it. I may even do the same as I would be relying on this to graduate. I wouldn’t be thinking about helping society I would just be wanting to complete my work and receive my certificate.
What also doesn’t sit right with me is the fact that we always assume community service has to be done outside of school helping strangers. A student may regularly help an elderly neighbour with their shopping. Or another student may help their younger siblings whilst their parents are working. Or someone may share their lunch with a classmate who forgot theirs. These actions wouldn’t result in certificates or photos but are they not also showing they care?
These small actions may not be recognised in schools as they are hard to keep track of. I’m also wondering if the schools are actually setting a good example. If a school isn’t treating their cleaners well or ignoring the bullied students but then all of a sudden they are trying to teach everyone to be kind by making community service compulsory it sounds a bit hypocritical.
Students often learn from watching rather than listening. If teachers are respectful to everyone then students may naturally be too. I don’t think anyone should be stopped from graduating for not completing community service. After years of studying and passing exams to then be told you can’t graduate because you haven’t completed a certain amount of volunteer hours sounds ridiculous.
If schools really want to teach students to be selfless then they should provide us with opportunities to help without it becoming a competition or requirement. Let students find out what they enjoy doing. I would be interested in doing something like this.
The main point I’m making here is that someone helping because they care and someone helping because they need a certificate are completing the same action but for different reasons. I feel this is more important than how many hours they have completed in their school records. Also, I don't know how they would justify the intentions like shouldn't that be a part of the concern? Anyway, I would still not want anyone to fall behind because of these things.
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