Lexington (MA) High School Senate

LEXINGTON HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT-FACULTY SENATE

2004-2005

Moderator Peter Lubershane, Assistant Moderator Sam Kafrissen, Secretary Peter Kim

<http://lhs.lexingtonma.org/senate>

TODAY'S DATE: 6-15-05

Today's Agenda: Announcements

Open Comments

Committee Reports

Community Service Bill

Minutes from Meeting: 6-8-05

I. Call to Order: Meeting is called to order at 7:50 by Moderator Lubershane

II. Approval of Minutes: Minutes approved.

III. Approval of Agenda: Agenda approved.

IV. Announcements: 1) Please put your email address and whether or not you're receiving yahoogroups mail on the list that's circulating now

2) Latest Musket has college destinations. Fate of weighted GPA is way beyond Senate. Compromise proposal will be discussed during next week's meeting.

3) Former executive committee is doing its job on military-recruitment resolution letter.

4) Wayne Wilson from AIM is welcomed.

V. Open Comments: 1) Policy debate team is hosting a silent auction at historical society building.

2) On Sunday, LHS drama performed at Dresden Dolls DVD shoot.

VI. Committee Reports: 1) Climate will meet to discuss CRUD.

2) Hard copies of committee assignments will be handed out next week.

VII. Community Service Bill 1) Social Action received many community service forms. Forced volunteerism is bad because it discourages active participation in community.

2) Community service is a necessity because it changes kids' lives. Logistical problems are not reasons to abolish. Person should be paid to deal with this issue. There're many ways to seek alternate options

3) Since colleges require it, we will still keep track of community service.

4) Urge to serve the community has to come from the heart. This bill is irresponsible without a counter-proposal.

5) It is clarified that this bill will have an immediate effect and change open campus requirement.

6) Senator Colarusso expresses what it was like serving on Social Action Committee. It felt like a Community Service Committee. If unselfish serving is what we seek, then the last part of the original bill should be struck to make it consistent with our goals. He agrees it is a benefit, but it is not a selfish act. There's just many structural issues that prevent certain people from getting the hours they deserve.

7) Colleges require community service now. They know what's phony. We'll be better without it.

8) Someone should be paid for it. It is too easy for us to be lazy.

9) "You can't always get what you want."

10) Community service was a created by the senate. Us faculty possess the expertise to work it out. When they're flaws, equally specific remedies should be worked out.

11) Feeling that community service teaches lessons about life is expressed as Senator David looks back to the past.

12) This was originally a Senate bill. The implementation is inconsistent. Some double dip, and get credit for church and for school for example. If we do away with this mandatory nature, then it will be very strange

13) It's about habits of mind. We're social creatures who see ourselves as individuals. Without giving back what institutions have given us, they will fall apart.

14) It is contradictory that community service should be of no benefit to us when we count on it to graduate. School cannot judge whether something is a good community service or not.

List of Senators Absent from Senate meeting: *Denotes excused/notified absence.

*Harper, Gillmor, Kalsow-Ramos, Lees, Miake-Lye, Buttaro, Serrano