Is it Volunteering if Forced?

Question

A. Gautam

Kids have a right to protest involuntary servitude, which is what mandatory volunteerism is. The term “volunteer community service” is contradictory. If there is no choice in volunteering, the idea itself is problematic. If forced to serve, adolescents are naturally turned off by the idea. In turn, the wrong idea of service is planted in formative years. While teens could have been inspired to give back to the community and form a life-long habit of doing so, the opposite may be a dire consequence. When you take the joy out of serving, the purpose of it is defeated.

Many high school students have little time for themselves between classes, a part time job, and chores around the house. Add mandatory community service to the mix and you have the teens stressed out to the maximum level. How can young minds think about future and their possibilities when they are over-scheduled?

Inspiring students to do good work is more important than directing them to do so. Telling students to go to an old age home or conduct a coat drive is like adding a chore. However, encouraging them to come up with the ways to volunteer is fruitful. Why not associate volunteering with learning? Give extra credit to music students for playing their instrument to a nursing home. Be creative with science fairs by inspiring students to search for ways to improve the elderly or small children’s lives, like fashionable yet stain resistant bibs.

The school counselor can assist students in thinking about college by exploring their interest in volunteering. Let students have a choice. For those who are interested in animals, let them volunteer at a shelter. Let youths explore their passion. Those skilled with the craft of needle can knit or crochet baby blankets or hats for their local hospital. Those interested in botany can start a community garden in their neighborhood.

According to the New York Times, some nationwide administrators found mandatory community service to be a distraction. In 2019, some schools added this requirement as a punishment. These approaches to instill an idea of service has a long-term negative impact when volunteering should be a valuable experience. Think hard before forcing youths to volunteer.
Question
What inference can be made based on paragraph 4 of “Is it Volunteering if Forced”?
Responses
A Most students are not mature or wise enough to choose to volunteer. Most students are not mature or wise enough to choose to volunteer.
B Many administrators or teachers do not trust students’ motivation to volunteer. Many administrators or teachers do not trust students’ motivation to volunteer.
C Allowing students to explore their interests in school will help improve their grades. Allowing students to explore their interests in school will help improve their grades.
D Allowing students to choose a volunteering activity isn’t very common. Allowing students to choose a volunteering activity isn’t very common.

Answer 1

The best inference that can be made based on paragraph 4 of “Is it Volunteering if Forced?” is:

B. Many administrators or teachers do not trust students’ motivation to volunteer.

This inference aligns with the idea presented in the paragraph that mandatory community service has been imposed by some authorities, indicating a lack of trust in students' willingness to volunteer on their own initiative.