R030-9899

10     		    		A RESOLUTION CONCERNING  
20 			     MARYLAND'S MANDENTORY COMMUNITY 
30 				SERVICE LEARNING PROGRAM

40	WHEREAS:	The state of Maryland instituted, in 1993, a state wide mandatory
50			community service learning program; and,

60	WHEREAS:	This policy is a contradiction, in that the state is compelling 
70			students to volunteer their time to complete 75 hours of community 
80 			service as a graduation requirement; and,

90	WHEREAS:	The policy attempts to coerce students of the state of Maryland to 
100 			do good works by making such works a requirement for 
110			graduation; and,

120	WHEREAS:	Community service and volunteer organizations exist based on the 
130			special interest of individuals that volunteer their time and services 
140			from and intrinsic desire to improve themselves and society; and,

150	WHEREAS:	The Maryland Student Service Alliance established the 
160			"internalization of the intrinsic rewards of community service and 
170			individual initiative" as the programs goals; and,
 
180	WHEREAS:	The principle of intrinsic rewards is not reinforced by compelled 
190                     community service which requires no real initiative on the part of 
200                   	students to improve themselves and society; and, 

210	WHEREAS:	The individual initiative to work for personal and social 
220			improvement should be created through education and not ordered
230			upon the students in place of that education; and,

240	WHEREAS:	The student service learning program is an unnecessary burden on 
250			local school which are required to develop programs in order that 
260			students will graduate; and,

270	WHEREAS:	In the first two classes to graduate after the student service learning 
280         		program took place, some students failed to graduate solely on the  
290			bases of a failure to complete the community service requirement; 
300			and,

310	WHEREAS:	There does not exist any consistent policy defining the method and 
320			programs under which the mandatory community service can be 
330			completed; and,

340	WHEREAS:	School districts have created hours for taking certain required and 
350			elective classes under the sole premise that such action is necessary 
360			for some students to graduate, thus defeating the goals of MSSA 
370			the very pretext under which the student service learning program 
380			was initiated.

390	THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:	That the Maryland Student Legislature 
400			strongly urges the Maryland General Assembly to overturn the 
410			State Board of Education requirement for mandatory community 
420			service.

430	MANDATES:	Governor Parris N. Glendenning
440			Lt. Governor Kathleen Kennedy Townsend
450			Senator Donald Munson
460			The Honorable Robert McKee, Delegate
470			Maryland Student Service Alliance 


Matthew Burger
Western Maryland College
2 College Hill
Westminster, MD 21157
(410)751-8106