Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
	"A minimum of 40 hours of community service per student should be a basic graduation requirement of American high schools. "
Please review the arguments for and against the statement and enter your response.
		Pros The primary purpose of public education in America is to produce citizens educated in the democratic process. It is vital that at least part of that education be the instillation of individual responsibility to the community at large. Learning by doing is far more effective than simply talking about citizenship in a government or history class. Our country is degenerating into a mass of self-centered individuals. It is time to teach our children the lesson that it is better to give than to receive.
		Cons This is a good idea gone sour; it has not been thought through. A community service graduation requirement would place an administrative burden on schools that are already stretched to the limits. What are the realities of finding 40 hours of volunteer work for all students in a high school with a population of 2000 teenagers? The answer is that an effective community service program must remain voluntary. Morality and ethical behavior can not be legislated or required in a democracy.
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