Comments: 7
Debbie's Spurts 7 years ago
Sounds like it does need more voices. I'm a military brat and — in no way meaning this as a political statement (certainly not as a particular political party stance) nor as a upper/lower class issue — I still 100% adamantly oppose a draft for any reason other than the country clearcut being under direct military attack or invasion. Adamantly believe that if it's a draft then it's a war -- Vietnam was a war, not a police action.
TeaStitchRead 7 years ago
I am a military veteran and am also 100% against the draft. Just dealing with service members that volunteered was enough; I couldn't imagine deploying with people who were also deploying against their will.
markk 7 years ago
What are your thoughts on national service, with military service as one of the options for fulfillment?
TeaStitchRead 7 years ago
Mark - national service was a big solution, such as Peace Corps and AmeriCorps getting most of the non-military attention. I think Roth-Douquet was more enthused with the idea of national service than Schaeffer, but both thought national service (such as a two year stint) between high school graduation and entering college was the optimal time/space for such a program.
Debbie's Spurts 7 years ago
Ugh...I don't think anyone should be forced to volunteer for even non-military service much less forced to put off college. While hopefully still used to studying and supported by parental financing, insurance, etc. is optimal to start college. Delaying college until real life issues and demands kick in makes it way more difficult.

On the other hand, if the government would be paying for college based on the volunteer hours, I'm all for being able to voluntarily -- extremely important it be voluntary versus required -- do that service during high school and college summers.
TeaStitchRead 7 years ago
See and that is where the authors' differed - R-D wanted the programs mandatory but tailored to the strengths/weaknesses of the volunteers while also serving the real needs/problems in the community they are volunteering in, while Schaeffer was very firm on the voluntary part of voluntary service but that his peer group/socio-economic class should be looking favorably on it so that their children see it as an option.

As far as going to college, a lot of students aren't ready to handle the demands academically or maturity-wise and I know many who went into the military because they didn't have parents who could afford to even help pay, much less pay all of the college costs.
Debbie's Spurts 7 years ago
How anti-freedom to force all now voting age adults into a national service program even if offering job training and college scholarships. Why force everyone into a mold of even wanting job training or college? Why can't they pursue their own dreams or methods? Offer the opportunity to everyone, absolutely. Force it, no. Force everyone to service community needs and predicted needed careers and degrees ... disgusting. Opportunity, sure; no choice, nauseating particularly since they'll have spent their entire life without that service hanging over their heads and no expectation of it -- possibly working on their art, on getting grades for admissions, on volunteering for scholarships, on their portfolios,,on their blogs ...

Most I know get out of academic habits with adult responsibilities and work needs making it very difficult to get back to school when there's a gap between public school years with the discipline of almost daily class work. Well, the more focused responsible ones; for others it's partying, romances/friendships and lots of other distractions making it hard to get back to school.

Parents with layabout adult children generating endless monthly bills (and in today's economy and other issues that is in no way a judgment on any family with budgets, beliefs, wants, elder care, goals or whatever meaning adult children are still at home -- just the entitled lazy ones demanding frequent new cars, party money, gas money, designer duds, new devices, and stuff parents and grandparents have to sacrifice to give them) should consider putting this on a lease agreement: pursue career-related education, be diligently job hunting, be employed, working diligently on recovering from health or financial issues, or be doing community/volunteer service.

There is almost no way -- outside of the tiny percent wealthy enough for trust fund, breakthrough talent already putting them on their way or other full financing -- young people can easily be independent right out of high school. They do need help. I just don't think forcing them into one or two years volunteer service before letting them attend higher education or job training is the answer. For such programs to offer job training and fund their education as an option, sure.

I see those programs if not voluntary as a form of the draft despite the service not being military -- which I don't agree with unless a national military emergency.

I see it if mandatory as a way to penalize scholarship winners, national merit scholars, students who worked their asses or were lucky enough off to keep a good GPA despite circumstances like a lousy school or home environment, who get admitted to a certain year's freshman class of their desired college, -- even penalizes families who by luck or inheritance have the finances to fund their kids future. Another blow against small family businesses counting on family help. An attempt to level the playing field by forcing everyone into a non-voluntary program so everyone's future gets delayed all in a misguided attempt to make sure everyone gets "a seat at the table" instead of a voluntary option for career training and education funding letting everyone get a chance without penalizing those who already had a chance. To hold some back to benefit others.

Personally, I'd like to see my taxes and other resources not going to the voluntary or non-voluntary service and instead going towards job training and college education for everyone the same way everyone has access to public education through high school. I understand funding for prisoners because that cycle needs to break and education is one factor -- but why can criminals get a college degree but our children not only cannot afford it but will enter the workforce competing against degreed criminals without a degree of their own? It's hard under current system playing catchup with peers who got degree quickly when you had to put off or took longer to get yours without having to also delay for involuntary years of service then try to compete in the workplace with those old enough not to fall under the new service requirements who are now way ahead of you in both degrees and in experience.

We used to have more job training, more summer programs, more real internships (meaning not just getting unpaid labor to do grunt work teaching nothing), more prepare you for adulting things, more earn a scholarship options. Get more of those programs rather than funding forced service.

100% if not a voluntary program it needs to be by "hours" and students should be able to start before 18 and spend summers fulfilling those hours. Needs to apply only to children just entering the school system when law passes rather than penalizing those who have been working towards college scholarships, job internships,and other programs, No one should have to delay college for a nonvoluntary program even if they have to spend summers and a year or more after college completing the requirements. Yes, there is a huge number of children without privilege or other issues making college, higher education or job training difficult -- forcing everyone into a program so that everyone loses their chance at immediately starting their part in their family businesses, education and other careers isn't fair and absolutely is not what many students have been working for for their past 12+ years of schooling.

The job training and Educational resources those non-voluntary programs offer might not even be of interest to another minority. Like a teenager who, for example, just got a huge record deal for their band or got their first book published by one of the big five and already on the NYT bestseller list.

Non-voluntary programs while offering opportunity for some offer nothing to those with other goals or other resources.

Many college admissions and scholarship programs already require volunteer work.

No way, even if using volunteers to meet needs taxes would otherwise pay for or communities would not fill. such programs would be free. Just the cost of room and board for the volunteers -- heck, many milenniels cannot afford rent without roommates or living at home even while working full time jobs much less losing jobs and apartment or dorm because had to do the volunteer program instead. Lots of kids in bad situations have been praying for the day they turn 18 and can leave home -- if a forced volunteer program doesn't offer room and board to instead require children to live with legal guardians , what will they then do, what recourse or resources are they offered?

I don't even see the logistics of such a program unless you assume every adult will be supported throughout the service program years by parents or else the program supports them throughout those years. Unrealistic to expect parental,funding so kids can do the volunteering even if mandatory. And a really unfair tax burden on the national budget to support kids through a multi-year service program when we currently don't support them through even one year of job training or college level education.