------------------- Letter: That's not slavery [THE_NEWS_&_OBSERVER] Friday I've had to hear people complain about "volunteer" September 6, 1996 service requirements for a high school diploma and ------------------- also those who support the requirement by claiming it will foster some sort of altruistic feelings on the part of the students. The thinking has been shoddy on both sides. As a graduate of the N.C. School of Science and Mathematics, a public high school, I had to complete at least 60 hours of community service (notice that it wasn't called volunteer work) during a two-year period. This wasn't a mere 40 hours over four years, and we weren't allowed to do this work during the school year. In addition, we were required to do three hours of work service in the school and about 30 minutes of housekeeping work on our hall every day. I saw this as payback to the state for all the money and resources it spent on my education, not as an attempt to get the students to do volunteer work involuntarily. Maybe supporters for community service requirements should start taking this perspective. To those who cry out "involuntary servitude" I would like to ask what they consider homework, or required classes. Teachers are forcing their poor children to write term papers -- why aren't they crying out at that? In any case, a student can decide not to do the community service; all that will happen is that the student will not graduate. This is hardly comparable to slaves who could be beaten to death for not working. Mary Pat Campbell Raleigh ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 1996 The News and Observer Publishing Company Raleigh, North Carolina Feedback: The N&O staff