Laguna District Requiring Community Service : Education: Students must give 40 hours, a first in O.C. public schools. Trustee expects program to develop character, civic responsibility in youths.

The Laguna Beach Unified School District recently became the first public school district in Orange County to adopt a policy requiring high school students to perform 40 hours of community service as a prerequisite to graduation.

As a school board member, I supported its adoption, which was done in recognition of a school’s critical role in promoting both academic learning and that learning absorbed through participation in the community activities.

Critics objecting to the policy on the ground that schools must not dare engage in areas beyond academic endeavors simply ignore the historic role of educational institutions.

To be sure, a school’s primary responsibility is to cultivate academic skills. The ultimate mission of education, however, is much broader.

Schools should strive for a higher purpose and thereby assist in developing young people who are both competent and qualified to participate commercially in society and who are also well prepared to assume their adult roles.

Schools can and do foster development of personal attributes such as an appreciation of constructive human relationships, a positive work ethic, resourcefulness, resilience, self-respect, appreciation for physical fitness and good health practices and a commitment to civic awareness.

Recognition and acceptance of education as a multidimensional process is readily demonstrated in the fact that public and private schools alike endorse and maintain programs of a non-academic bent including those relating to visual and performing arts, physical education, team sports, health classes, pageantry corps and the like.

Another criticism of this program challenges the belief that the benefits of service can be “learned.”

A contrary view, supporting the philosophy behind community service requirements, is touched upon in a recent book by professors Edward Wynne and Kevin Ryan titled, “Reclaiming Our Schools: A Handbook on Teaching Character, Academics and Discipline.”

The authors noted that learning character qualities is largely a matter of habituation. The type of activities encouraged by a community service program, for example, tutoring and service projects related to the community, are specifically suggested by the authors as those helpful in developing in a student the attribute of character.

The effects of the program are numerous. In adopting the policy, we hope to provide expanded opportunities for students in community service in such areas as civic responsibility, youth and environmental projects, student assistance and tutoring. We expect that involvement through this program will provide students with personal growth experiences and serve as model approaches to lifelong public service and, hopefully, volunteerism.

The ultimate consequence of such a policy will be a more complete integration of students into the community and an enhanced appreciation by the community for the talents and spirit of our young people.

The community service requirement recognizes that schools have a legitimate and historic role in preparing students for lives not only in the workplace and as consumers, but also as good citizens.

That schools have a responsibility to participate with students’ families in assisting in the total development of the character of young people is neither a revolutionary nor novel concept.

Indeed, the willing retreat from and abrogation of this responsibility by schools over the last three decades has likely contributed to the current problems facing public education in our state and our country.