Kahne and Westheimer, "In Service of What?

 I had a hard time relating to this article “In the Service of What?” Seems to be all about politics to me. From my understanding of the reading in regards, to the two service learning cases, many schools are promoting more towards Mr. Johnsons approach with having his high school “students participate in community service projects.” Whereas Ms. Adams approach with her middle school students, she kept the students in the classroom and brought advocacy groups into the classroom from the community to help enlighten the students of economic and social issues in their communities.

“The requirement that all students take part in volunteer activities in either their school or community as a condition for graduation from high school.” I have to disagree with this quote, having students from public schools volunteer (service learning) as a requirement for graduation. Many students in urban communities have to work to help their parents provide for them, especially single mothers. Most students have enough on their schedule as it is for example, sports, studying and working for pay not volunteering or for charity. Sports alone can take up a student’s entire day. Schools want these children to volunteer but, they do not consider that these children have lives outside of school. For example, if you are a student on the basketball team in East Providence High School. They practice every day after school for two hours and two hours on Sundays, the kids could not even get to church if they wanted to. When they have a basketball game the bus returns to the school between 9:30 -10:00 pm. Schools expect too much from the students just my opinion from my experiences with my children.

Here is a link on the debate if service learning should be required for high school students to graduate.    http://www.debate.org/opinions/should-high-schools-require-community-service