A New Age Form of Slavery at Laguna High School

The article regarding community service requirements for high school graduation (“Public Service to Be Required by Laguna High,” Sept. 9) has generated great concern among friends and family.

While some might be applauding the implementation of such a program as “a way of garnering support without contributing dollars,” others will hopefully see it for what it is--namely a New Age form of slave labor.

I am appalled by the slick packaging and marketing strategies used by public entities to erode the students’ and parents’ rights in this country.

What happened to the freedom of choice? How can educators even suggest that such a requirement for graduation would encourage future volunteers?

Making or requiring individuals to do something does not encourage volunteers--just ask members of the chain gangs how eager they were when they met the requirements of their sentence to seek out organizations to help clean up roadsides!

Questions need to be addressed as to who is qualified to define what “community service” consists of, as well as identifying which nonprofit agencies are “acceptable.”

In providing guidelines, is the school district going to discriminate against one organization over another? Would a neo-Nazi organization be on the list of “acceptable agencies” along with United Way?

For many years, I have chosen to provide service for various community organizations, and have volunteered hundreds upon hundreds of hours for the benefit of my community.

The key word here is chosen , as my motivation came from within--not as a result of a signed diploma.

For a number of years now, I have observed students (as a captive audience) having to perform certain duties which janitors, maintenance and staff personnel should be performing. Or having to earn “points” toward a grade which has absolutely nothing to do with the student’s mastery or knowledge of the subject being taught.

Yet because it is a requirement of the class grade, the student is forced to comply.

It is tactics such as these that encourage parents to run to the nearest voting booth to pass the “Parent Choice Initiative” and vote out anyone who advocates taking away what little freedoms we, as a people, have left.

If, as the article states, Laguna Beach Unified is ahead of the pack--let me just state: Little Red Riding Hood isn’t buying lunch!

BARBARA FREEMAN

Yorba Linda