Compulsory Community Service Plan?

[Galloglasses' Alt]

This. Scares. Me. TO ALL HELL.

These 'Corps' to me sound dangerously class distinctionary, or caste-like. Reminds me sort of how the soviet Union organised labour unions. =U

[Apotheoun]

[quote name='Galloglasses' Alt' post='1697920' date='Nov 8 2008, 04:23 PM']This. Scares. Me. TO ALL HELL.

These 'Corps' to me sound dangerously class distinctionary, or caste-like. Reminds me sort of how the soviet Union organised labour unions. =U[/quote]
But America is going to get "change" just as many other countries have gotten "change" in the past (e.g., Russia in 1917, and Germany in 1933).

[1337 k4th0l1x0r]

I can't remember where I heard this line, but it's ironic that a black man is gonna bring back slavery.

[journeyman]

[quote name='rachael' post='1697120' date='Nov 7 2008, 07:06 PM']QUOTE (CatherineM @ Nov 7 2008, 07:02 PM) *
I think that you should be able to work off student loans this way.

that would be sooooooooooooooooooooooo awesome. [/quote]


One of my sons went with AmeriCorps for a year after graduation. He was with a Habitat for Humanity operation. While the monthly stipend was low, at the end of the year something around $4500 in student loans were forgiven.

[flip]

this is crazy.

anyone who has done community service or social justice work knows that it usually impacts the "volunteer" way more than the people that are receiving the help.

I've worked in soup kitchens, hung out with homeless people, helping refugees get acclimated to America... and I'm a campus minister at a very affluent college in Dallas - and the BEST THING FOR THEM is to experience the poor and build relationships with the humble, the meek, the lowly.

Social Justice doesn't just exist to help those in need. It exists so that we (those who do not need Social Justice) to build solidarity with the poor and disenfranchised.

Community Service and Social Justice programs are a necessary part of the education for our children. That's why all Catholic schools require it! We know something! That education gained from community service is just as valuable as reading and writing - maybe even more so.

What is more important to the Christian? to read and write or to have a compassionate, caring, serving soul?

We have government programs like PeaceCorps and Teach For America that are awesome. And the Govt also gives the same loan forgiveness and tax breaks to organizations like the ACE program at Notre Dame & Jesuit Volunteer Corps.

Obama's plan will give a education loan of $4000 that would be payed back by participating in one or two years of a program like PeaceCorps, Teach for America, or Jesuit Volunteer Corps.

If anything, I think this is one of the most Catholic-minded government programs I have ever heard of!

[1337 k4th0l1x0r]

For those of you who believe that a $4000/yr grant for college tuition will make college more accessible, let's look at the economic impact of this program. Colleges will see that many students are coming in with $4000 scholarships before any other financial aid is given. Since more students now have the means to pay for education, demand for college will go up. Supply will probably go up at a less modest rate, so the price charged for college education will go up. If a student does not want to participate in one of the federally approved service programs, then college education will be much less accessible. Ultimately, colleges will only experience a mild increase in admissions and more money will be flowing to the schools. In the end, this will be a subsidy for the higher education system when a subsidy is not needed. Not to mention anyone who wants college education will now be required to serve in a government approved program. Who knows, maybe my kids will be able to join the Junior Anti-Sex League.

[journeyman]

The AmeriCorps term of service was after graduation, in lieu of seeking more remunerative employment . . . it had no bearing on the financial aid award received during the academic year . . . it did serve to defer repayment on the loans during the term of service

After graduation, he had the time and talent to serve, and no other obligations that would have prevented it.