This shit is bananas and completely unrealistic.

Quote :

"Obama will call on citizens of all ages to serve America, by setting a goal that all middle school and high school students do 50 hours of community service a year and by developing a plan so that all college students who conduct 100 hours of community service receive a universal and fully refundable tax credit ensuring that the first $4,000 of their college education is completely free."

100hrs in college isn't so bad. Especially if the 'per year' part isn't at the college level.
50hrs/yr in HS is awfully ambitious.
And at the middle school level, just not happening.

Aiming too high, in hopes of achieving a more realistic results, is a great way to scare people off of volunteering.

11/8/2008 12:51:21 AM

Quote :

"my initial reaction is that this is not only OK, but a GOOD idea"

11/8/2008 12:52:44 AM

i like what hes trying to do, but might not be the right approach

11/8/2008 12:52:49 AM

In H.S. we had a mandatory volunteering requirement in order to graduate, I believe it was around 20-30 hrs. if I remember correctly.

11/8/2008 12:55:26 AM

Quote :

"50hrs/yr in HS is awfully ambitious."

why do you think so? i volunteered well over 50 hours/yr in high school (i was heavily involved in key club) and had no trouble finding the time to do so, even though i had a job and was on the swim team.

i think this is a great goal.

11/8/2008 12:56:16 AM

Partially because it's not volunteering if it's compulsory.
And partially because once you think about the logistics of implementing this, there are so many ways for this to get FUBARed two seconds after it gets started up.

Quote :

"In H.S. we had a mandatory volunteering requirement in order to graduate, I believe it was around 20-30 hrs. if I remember correctly."

I was under the impression that the schools programs with requirements like this were more successful/affluent schools, and that students could elect to not participate in the program, or not attend said schools. I could be wrong, but I thought in the Wake Co area, it was mostly at magnet schools, or in honor programs at non-magnets.

Quote :

"why do you think so? i volunteered well over 50 hours/yr in high school (i was heavily involved in key club) and had no trouble finding the time to do so, even though i had a job and was on the swim team."

I also volunteered a shitton. That's because volunteer work was a very big deal in my family.

What about schools that have trouble getting kids to graduate in the first place?
Or economically disadvantaged families where kids spend all their spare time working? (For a while, I did that, and gave all my cash to my folks)
Or any of the other hindrances? Sure, it's 2hrs a week (on a calendar year; more on an academic calendar), but if you can't find something close to home or at school, your time commitment balloons by a varying degree, depending on your mode of transportation available.

[Edited on November 8, 2008 at 1:00 AM. Reason : lkdjgf]

11/8/2008 12:56:18 AM

I know some schools like that. Ours wasn't and we enjoyed making fun of other schools that had to do it.

11/8/2008 12:57:19 AM

It's not volunteering if you pay them $40/hour to do it... WTF?!

11/8/2008 1:01:56 AM

mandatory volunteering

War is Peace

Freedom is Slavery

Ignorance is Strength

11/8/2008 1:08:54 AM

Note, I just think my public school in general wanted to be elitist. On another note the school I went to even though was public always got ranked, still does. So its prob an image thing. I had no prob. with volunteering. Its fun.

11/8/2008 1:13:58 AM

This is like $40 an hour, 2 hours a week over the course of a year.

Plus you can certainly bullshit through it doing something easy. I fully support additional college aid and also think it should come with some (NON FINANCIAL) strings attached.

11/8/2008 9:33:21 AM

HEEEEEEEEEEEEERE WE GO


ahaa you people asked for it

11/8/2008 9:38:17 AM

in no way am i in favor of this.

[Edited on November 8, 2008 at 9:42 AM. Reason : ^ yarly ]

11/8/2008 9:38:48 AM

I, too, did atleast 50hrs/yr in High school. I wonder what kind of volunteering would be accepted... I don't think this goal would be unrealistic if it allowed for overlap from clubs (Key Club, National Honor Society, etc.) and graduation requirements.

11/8/2008 9:41:04 AM

i did 120 + 50 hours for Job Ready and SAT hours


it should in no way be mandated, because it cut into my free time, my athletics time, and my work hours


and my moms had to dive me around everywhere becuase i had no car and aint no transportation in jacksonville

barack is full of shit, i thought you were supposed to push the big issues through congress during your inaugural honeymoon

[Edited on November 8, 2008 at 9:43 AM. Reason : f]

11/8/2008 9:42:49 AM

I doesn't say the volunteer work would be mandatory.

11/8/2008 9:43:26 AM

hes mandating some form of service, be it 50 hours or 1 hour

11/8/2008 9:44:55 AM

Quote :

"i like what hes trying to do, but might not be the right approach"

agreed.

Quote :

"Partially because it's not volunteering if it's compulsory."

Exactly. I remember hearing a few sorostitutes bitching a few years ago because they had to go help at some event because it was part of their requirement. It was a mockery of what the sorority was even supposed to be about but that's a whole different discussion.

I like the idea but making people volunteer is not going to go well IMO.

11/8/2008 9:45:31 AM

^call it "work-service" and i'm still ok with it

11/8/2008 9:51:40 AM

the college part is fine because you can choose to do it for a reward at the end

11/8/2008 9:53:59 AM

It does not say anywhere on that website that it is mandated service. In the quote from his speech he refers to people "choosing" to serve. If you have more information from somewhere that says there will be mandated service requirements please post bc I'd like to look over that plan.

11/8/2008 9:54:13 AM

hey bighitsunday im going to fight you today

11/8/2008 9:54:37 AM

Quote :

"In H.S. we had a mandatory volunteering requirement in order to graduate,"

I would have told them volunteering against your will is a sin in your religion.

It definitely goes against everything I stand for morally.

11/8/2008 9:54:42 AM

being forced to contribute to the betterment of society goes against everything you stand for?

[Edited on November 8, 2008 at 9:57 AM. Reason : well, not even forced really; you can always just drop out and get a ged]

11/8/2008 9:56:12 AM

Quote :

"50hrs/yr in HS is awfully ambitious. And at the middle school level, just not happening."

When I was in high school, my school district was already discussing doing the exact same thing. I do not think that it is crazy. I think that it is a good thing to add to the curriculum. 50 hours, really isn't all that crazy. Most students already put in that much doing things with various clubs and such.

11/8/2008 9:56:44 AM

Yep.

11/8/2008 9:56:56 AM

http://www.thewolfweb.com/message_topic.aspx?topic=547630&page=1#12264471

heh, i guess that explains it

11/8/2008 9:58:51 AM

but now they have to scale that shit back, club participation and volunteering are not interchangeable

going to a club meeting for an hour aint gonna equal volunteering time

11/8/2008 10:00:21 AM

ditto for sports

11/8/2008 10:01:29 AM

i guess Big Democrat is going to decide for everyone what is most important to them

11/8/2008 10:02:21 AM

I think kids would learn more if they had a real job in high school. Volunteering doesn't teach you as much, and if you fuck up, they can't fire you.

11/8/2008 10:02:30 AM

Quote :

"It does not say anywhere on that website that it is mandated service. "

You're right. It does say goal.

Quote :

"I think that it is a good thing to add to the curriculum. 50 hours, really isn't all that crazy. Most students already put in that much doing things with various clubs and such."

It's not part of the curriculum. Hell, it won't even be a graduation requirement (at the national level, at least).

And guess what? Clubs != volunteering.
You're also choosing to ignore some very valid situations I listed up above, where 50hours is, indeed, all that crazy.

Quote :

"I think kids would learn more if they had a real job in high school. Volunteering doesn't teach you as much, and if you fuck up, they can't fire you."

If everyone were forced to wait tables for tips, we'd have a much less assholish society. I hope

Volunteering does teach a good bit. Like any job, it depends on where you're working, what you're doing, and who you're under. And you can be fired from volunteering. It's pretty easy to fire someone from a volunteer position: "Your services are not needed any more, and you have been relieved of all future obligations. Do not expect a positive reference"

[Edited on November 8, 2008 at 10:05 AM. Reason : lfdj]

11/8/2008 10:03:10 AM

I SAID LETS FIGHT MOFO WHATS GOOD

my two cents:

get a fucking job or a second job and stop volunteering

make something of yourself then you can give back to "the world"

which doesn't give two shits about you btw

[Edited on November 8, 2008 at 10:04 AM. Reason : jommml]

11/8/2008 10:03:24 AM

once again, there is no mandate or implied mandate

11/8/2008 10:03:31 AM

Quote :

"it's not volunteering if it's compulsory."

Where in the plan does it say that volunteering is compulsory?


Anyways, I don't see a problem with setting high goals.

11/8/2008 10:05:36 AM

Quote :

"Volunteering doesn't teach you as much, and if you fuck up, they can't fire you"

tell that to evan

11/8/2008 10:06:12 AM

hahahahahahhaha

11/8/2008 10:06:55 AM

so if no one does it will he just drop the program?

or will he move to set mandates

hes not offering any rewards for MS/HS volunteers youll notice

11/8/2008 10:07:06 AM

Quote :

"Where in the plan does it say that volunteering is compulsory?"

It doesn't say it; that's the vibe I pulled from the posted text.
Also, here's the old text (thanks, google cache )

Quote :

" 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."

I'm guessing his folks got some feedback that prompted the change

11/8/2008 10:08:05 AM

bhs ignores my desire to brawl

11/8/2008 10:08:08 AM

Quote :

" plan to require "

Quote :

" plan to require "

^anytime!!

11/8/2008 10:09:08 AM

u scare me big black man

11/8/2008 10:10:16 AM

Quote :

"I'm guessing his folks got some feedback that prompted the change"

Good, so Obama and his people actually listen to feedback and respond accordingly.

11/8/2008 10:10:25 AM

Or at least make efforts to seem to care.

11/8/2008 10:11:06 AM

I'm with BigHitSunday, you motherfuckers are getting your change now.

11/8/2008 10:11:49 AM

he didnt change anything


he just reworded it so everyone would shut the fuck up


and you eat it up like he gives a shit, he will still make that shit a goddamn order

11/8/2008 10:12:39 AM

Quote :

"While I volunteer heavily"

shut the ever living fuck up, please. for once.

11/8/2008 10:13:29 AM

you can't even buy a fucking gun anymore, the demand skyrocketed since Wednesday morning. Fuck!

11/8/2008 10:13:48 AM

wow, so they can go to most schools for what? 3/4 of an academic year, after being forced to hundreds of hours of community service.

and where the fuck is all this money coming from? oh yeh, fucking redistribution of wealth.

fuck this guy. fuck his policies

11/8/2008 10:14:08 AM

Quote :

"REDISTRIBUTIONIST IN CHIEF"

11/8/2008 10:15:05 AM