Dear TEACHER_NAME,

I have read and heard your argument about all students taking place in community service by mandatory rule. No disrespect to you sir, but I have to firmly disagree with this idea. If students should take place in community service, they should do it on their own terms on their own time. What is community service without the positive attitude to help somebody out? Instead of having this positive attitude in your students, what you'll receive is a bunch of poor attitudes and the bare minimum of effort.

I have experienced community service before as I have fed the homeless a few times. Trust me, I'm no angel but I did enjoy what I was doing for others. My brother on the other hand, was lazy, disrespectful, and gave the absolute minimum effort needed to pass by. That does not sound like community service to me. Honestly, the first thing that pops into my head when I think of community service is a bunch of people on the side on the highway with glowing yellow vests picking up trash. Community service? Try a punishment. And that is exactly what these kids will feel like they're being if you demand that they take place in the community.

If you give them the option to consider and encourage them to do something great for others, I guarantee you that the response from them will be mass. A large group of students would volunteer to get involved in community service, not all, but a good 30 or 40 kids. From a teen to an adult, students never like being forced into something they do not want to do. They hate having parents or teachers breathing down their backs telling them to do things. When you ease off the reins and give us some breathing room, there will be greater participation and overall success in what you're trying to accomplish in this case.

Sir, you are our principal. You usually do know what's best for us and our beautiful school but you may not know all of us as a group that well. The kids who have brothers and sisters to take care of at home, practice for a sport, or just want to have a good time with their friends do not have time half the days in the week to do this. If you give them the time to make their own schedule or re arrange days to hang out with friends, you may see a better majority of kids who wish to help out in their community by giving back in the form of community service. The worst thing that can go wrong for you by giving them the option is that maybe just 10 kids take place in what you want them to do. And then all you have to do from there is just sit down and talk with them during an assembly or whatever just to get them motivated.

If for some reason you do decide to pass this rule that all kids MUST participate, I guarantee you that it will make for a less happy, functional school in the long run. Now you tell me TEACHER_NAME, which is worse? A group of reluctant students, or a group of angry students that do not wish to conform?

I think my point has been made TEACHER_NAME, I really trust that as our principal you'll do the right thing for us and for our school.

Sincerely,

Anonymous