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2008.10.10: October 10, 2008: Headlines: Directors - Schneider: Figures: Directors: COS - El Salvador: National Service: The Hullabaloo Online: Mark Schneider proposes mandatory public service for U.S. youth
Mark Schneider proposes mandatory public service for U.S. youth
"Young people are ready to participate," Schneider said. "National service would be a unifying experience, and provide greater awareness of the realities our citizens are living with." Schneider "strongly believes" in mandatory public service - not just abroad, but also in America. "The public school system [in New Orleans] is one where 38 percent of fourth graders cannot read at a basic level," he said, "[Our government] spends $83 billion a week in Iraq - a national service program with young people would cost a fraction of that." While some politicians view mandatory service as a disparaging throwback to the military draft, Schneider strongly disagrees. Organizations as the Peace Corps are unrelated to the American government and the military, he said, but because such a program could change a lot. "What you do can have a tremendous impact with the people work with, your community and your country," Schneider said.
Mark Schneider proposes mandatory public service for U.S. youth
Schneider proposes mandatory public service for U.S. youth
By: Angie Baroffio
Issue date: 10/10/08 Section: News
Mark Schneider speaks Tuesdays.
Tulane University prides itself on its commitment to public service, and recently hosted a speaker to encourage greater involvement. Peace Corps Director Mark Schneider spoke in the Woldenberg Art Center Tuesday to mobilize student activism.
"Mark Schneider has been an active member of the Peace Corps, the Pan American Health Organization and the International Crisis group," said Laura Moshler, a junior transfer student at Tulane who, as part of the university's community service scholars program, helped introduce Mr. Schneider. "He worked to educate the government about human rights; and doubled Peace Corps membership [while he was the director]," she said.
Schneider has served many countries in crisis reconciliation over the years, including reporting to the U.S. government and investigating abuses of human rights in pre-democratic Chile, Darfur, Bolivia and other countries. His emphasis on preserving human rights has led him to propose legislation that would make one year of public service mandatory for U.S. citizens between the ages of 18 and 26.
"Young people are ready to participate," Schneider said. "National service would be a unifying experience, and provide greater awareness of the realities our citizens are living with."
Schneider "strongly believes" in mandatory public service - not just abroad, but also in America.
"The public school system [in New Orleans] is one where 38 percent of fourth graders cannot read at a basic level," he said, "[Our government] spends $83 billion a week in Iraq - a national service program with young people would cost a fraction of that."
While some politicians view mandatory service as a disparaging throwback to the military draft, Schneider strongly disagrees. Organizations as the Peace Corps are unrelated to the American government and the military, he said, but because such a program could change a lot.
"What you do can have a tremendous impact with the people work with, your community and your country," Schneider said.
Vincent Ilustre, host of the event and the executive director of the Tulane Center for Public Service, believes Tulane's mission of public service is in line with Schneider's speech.
"We're hoping to energize students to serve beyond graduation, to think of opportunities in public service fields," Ilustre said. "We hope to inculcate in the students the mission to serve throughout their lives."
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Headlines: October, 2008; Mark Schneider; Mark Schneider (Director 1999 - 2000); Figures; Peace Corps Directors; Peace Corps El Salvador; Directory of El Salvador RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for El Salvador RPCVs; National Service
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Story Source: The Hullabaloo Online
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; Directors - Schneider; Figures; Directors; COS - El Salvador; National Service
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