ORANGE COUNTY PERSPECTIVE : A Lesson in Community Life

Abigail Adams, whose extensive correspondence expressed many of the hopes and ideals of the young American nation, once asked: “If we do not lay out ourselves in the service of mankind, whom should we serve?” Today, the Laguna Beach Unified School District has shown that it understands the importance of incorporating the spirit of that rhetorical question into the high school experience.

Laguna Beach High School will become the first public school in Orange County, and one of a few in the state, to make community service a graduation requirement. It surely will impress on a city’s youngsters the importance of helping others.

The new policy, passed unanimously this week by the school board, will require all students to perform 40 hours of public service over their high school years as a condition of receiving a diploma. Already in Orange County several parochial schools, including Cornelia Connelly School of the Holy Child Jesus, Mater Dei and Santa Margarita high schools, require community work.

The parochial schools ask as many as 80 hours to graduate. Some critics have questioned whether public school students should be compelled similarly. One sensible answer came from a Pennsylvania court. When a public school policy was challenged as involuntary servitude, it found the requirement was not excessive.

Surely, it is not too much to ask that students find 10 hours a year over a four-year period to help others. And instituting a policy designed to pass along a sense of service surely is as defensible as some other non-academic requirements such as physical education.

For students concerned about suitable work, the school board wisely agreed to find out what youngsters would like to do. It will provide a list of acceptable agencies. And it will provide guidelines for the work.

A number of advocates for the homeless and AIDS victims are excited about having energetic young people assist them.

In a time of dwindling resources, community service can benefit both students and the larger community.