MISSION VIEJO : Schools to Consider Community Service

Backed by the support of student leaders, a divided Saddleback Valley Unified School District Board of Education has decided to pursue a much-debated proposal making community service a requirement for high school graduation.

During a lively hearing Tuesday, student representatives to the board were among the most vocal supporters of the concept.

“To me, this is what education is all about,” said student board member Peter Marietta. “People need to branch out and discover.”

Board members Debbie Hughes and Frank L. Ury, however, sought unsuccessfully to shelve the proposal, saying they don’t believe altruism should be mandated.

“Kids should be able to do it,” Hughes said. “But to make it mandatory, I’m not in support of that at all.”

Ury said he believes that scarce district funds should be used to support more traditional academic requirements.

Under a preliminary proposal, seniors would be required to complete eight hours of community service work, on or off campus, before graduating. In cases of hardship, students could satisfy the requirement through a research paper or other research activity.

“I see this as the district asking students to participate in their community in order to give back to their community a little bit of what they have received,” board member Dore J. Gilbert said.

Last fall, Laguna Beach Unified School District became the first and only public school district in Orange County to enact such a requirement, which is more common at private schools.

“I think it’s about time we start having our children have some sort of responsibility (and give) back to the community,” said Diane McFadden, whose daughter attends El Toro High School.

But parent Anne Wallace said she believes that the added requirement would be a burden for some.

“To mandate it just doesn’t seem fair to the average students and the below-average students who are doing all they can to get through high school,” she said.

Board member Marcia L. Birch, however, said she believes that such a requirement could be a plus for students struggling in school. “This might be a positive experience for their self-esteem, for being a part of the community,” she said. “I don’t see this as a burden.”

Student representatives to the board said that they don’t believe eight hours of community service would be a demanding requirement and that many would welcome the opportunity to learn more about their community.

“It’s showing them what they can do with their lives, with their time,” said senior Krystal Arnett, who represents Trabuco Hills High School.

But unless such a project is required for graduation, the students said, they don’t believe many of their classmates would take the time to get involved, mainly because they don’t know what type of community service work is available.

“If homework were optional, I probably wouldn’t do it, even though it’s for my own good,” Marietta said.