Volunteer Duty
Re “Governor Asks Colleges to Require Community Service,” July 16: Gov. Gray Davis states that requiring students to perform community services would “help our students . . . understand the importance of contributing to their community.”
His proposed requirement flies in the face of a recent finding that college students who work have lower grades due to sheer physical exhaustion. Why add to that by proposing work for all students? I worked while going to college so I know how exhausting it is. To ensure excellence, let us keep education focused on academic studies, not burden it with peripheral and noneducational desiderata.
As a registered Democrat for over 25 years, Davis’ proposal smacks of enforcing his ethical (religious?) views on the state’s college students; this is the worst of knee-jerk liberalism.
WILLIAM M. SMITH
Long Beach
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