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Welcome to Fairfax Underground, a project site designed to improve communication among residents of Fairfax County, VA. Feel free to post anything Northern Virginia residents would find interesting.
NHS TJ says "no" to volunteer hours in church
Posted by:
a reader
()
Date: March 08, 2012 05:41PM
Re: NHS TJ says "no" to volunteer hours in church
Posted by:
Olde Farte
()
Date: March 08, 2012 05:49PM
Makes total sense and is a decision I agree with completely.
Religious instruction is exclusionary. NHS activities should not be.
Religious instruction is exclusionary. NHS activities should not be.
Re: NHS TJ says "no" to volunteer hours in church
Posted by:
Random Dude
()
Date: March 08, 2012 06:36PM
X
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/08/2012 07:16PM by Random Dude.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/08/2012 07:16PM by Random Dude.
Re: NHS TJ says "no" to volunteer hours in church
Posted by:
newgatedenizen
()
Date: March 08, 2012 06:47PM
Olde Farte Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Makes total sense and is a decision I agree with
> completely.
>
> Religious instruction is exclusionary. NHS
> activities should not be.
You might be right but you make the wrong argument. NHS apparently EXLUDES religous instruction.
-------------------------------------------------------
> Makes total sense and is a decision I agree with
> completely.
>
> Religious instruction is exclusionary. NHS
> activities should not be.
You might be right but you make the wrong argument. NHS apparently EXLUDES religous instruction.
Re: NHS TJ says "no" to volunteer hours in church
Posted by:
how would olde farte know
()
Date: March 08, 2012 10:11PM
Olde Farte - I don't know how you draw any conclusions from the article. The NHS policy indicates it is possible to obtain service hours in connection with church sponsored activities, so long as they have a secular purpose.
If this student tutored children in English as part of the Kids Quest program, well, then, I would think that the school made a poor decision, because even if the services were performed at a church, the services have a secular purpose. And even if the student provided child care so parents could attend services, well, child care is child care, no matter what activity to which the parents may be engaged. Unless you know about the details of the Kids Quest program, I don't see how you can draw a conclusion. Religious discrimination is subject to a strict scrutiny standard - isn't there any room for common sense judgment? I could see not rewarding proselytizing but short of that I would think common sense notions of service should prevail.
Moreover, the application of the rules must make sense by rewarding positive activity. If a kid volunteers at Reston Interfaith's food bank (and virtually every religious institution in Reston is a member of Interfaith), it is really a wise decision to not count those service hours? Most of the people volunteering and donating for that activity do it in fulfillment of their religious and associated charitable beliefs, yet the beneficial, secular results are undeniable. Discouraging community activity is nuts, and sends the wrong kind of message to young people.
And more food for thought. I wonder what would happen if a kid put his service hours in at a mosque? Want to lay odds that the school system would make an adverse decision in that case? I say not a chance. And oh, this has likely already happened, which is of course the problem with discovery in litigation. These issues tend to reveal themselves.
If this student tutored children in English as part of the Kids Quest program, well, then, I would think that the school made a poor decision, because even if the services were performed at a church, the services have a secular purpose. And even if the student provided child care so parents could attend services, well, child care is child care, no matter what activity to which the parents may be engaged. Unless you know about the details of the Kids Quest program, I don't see how you can draw a conclusion. Religious discrimination is subject to a strict scrutiny standard - isn't there any room for common sense judgment? I could see not rewarding proselytizing but short of that I would think common sense notions of service should prevail.
Moreover, the application of the rules must make sense by rewarding positive activity. If a kid volunteers at Reston Interfaith's food bank (and virtually every religious institution in Reston is a member of Interfaith), it is really a wise decision to not count those service hours? Most of the people volunteering and donating for that activity do it in fulfillment of their religious and associated charitable beliefs, yet the beneficial, secular results are undeniable. Discouraging community activity is nuts, and sends the wrong kind of message to young people.
And more food for thought. I wonder what would happen if a kid put his service hours in at a mosque? Want to lay odds that the school system would make an adverse decision in that case? I say not a chance. And oh, this has likely already happened, which is of course the problem with discovery in litigation. These issues tend to reveal themselves.
Re: NHS TJ says "no" to volunteer hours in church
Posted by:
snowdenscold
()
Date: March 09, 2012 12:34AM
"However, the NHS defers final permission to the individual school district, noting “One can argue both sides of this question.” "
And shockingly, FCPS got it wrong.
And shockingly, FCPS got it wrong.
Re: NHS TJ says "no" to volunteer hours in church
Posted by:
Observation
()
Date: March 09, 2012 08:21AM
how would olde farte know Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Olde Farte - I don't know how you draw any
> conclusions from the article. The NHS policy
> indicates it is possible to obtain service hours
> in connection with church sponsored activities, so
> long as they have a secular purpose.
The service learning was referred to as both "faith-based" and "Sunday school"
> Religious discrimination ...
> And more food for thought. I wonder what would
> happen if a kid put his service hours in at a
> mosque? Want to lay odds that the school system
> would make an adverse decision in that case? I
> say not a chance. And oh, this has likely already
> happened, which is of course the problem with
> discovery in litigation. These issues tend to
> reveal themselves.
Why did you chooose a mosque as your point of reference? Why not a temple or synagogue? Since it has likely happened already, can you please cite your source.
> If a kid
> volunteers at Reston Interfaith's food bank (and
> virtually every religious institution in Reston is
> a member of Interfaith), it is really a wise
> decision to not count those service hours?
According to the service learning guidelines, those hours should count. Secular activities through a religious organization are okay.
-------------------------------------------------------
> Olde Farte - I don't know how you draw any
> conclusions from the article. The NHS policy
> indicates it is possible to obtain service hours
> in connection with church sponsored activities, so
> long as they have a secular purpose.
The service learning was referred to as both "faith-based" and "Sunday school"
> Religious discrimination ...
> And more food for thought. I wonder what would
> happen if a kid put his service hours in at a
> mosque? Want to lay odds that the school system
> would make an adverse decision in that case? I
> say not a chance. And oh, this has likely already
> happened, which is of course the problem with
> discovery in litigation. These issues tend to
> reveal themselves.
Why did you chooose a mosque as your point of reference? Why not a temple or synagogue? Since it has likely happened already, can you please cite your source.
> If a kid
> volunteers at Reston Interfaith's food bank (and
> virtually every religious institution in Reston is
> a member of Interfaith), it is really a wise
> decision to not count those service hours?
According to the service learning guidelines, those hours should count. Secular activities through a religious organization are okay.