There's nothing voluntary about 'voluntary' school flag days
In your final edition before the summer break, most of the back page was devoted to an article on school flag days. I must say I smiled wryly to myself when the person interviewed declared that participation in these was voluntary for students and even popular.
I have been teaching in local schools in Hong Kong for some time now and have experienced these flag days at three different schools, sponsored by three different religious organisations.
At none of these establishments could collecting money on a Saturday have been described as a 'voluntary activity' for students, who on all occasions were forced to participate (teachers included of course) often against their will and possibly also against their conscience (What if a Buddhist is asked to collect money for a Catholic charity?). A quick survey of teaching friends confirms a similar picture.
While agreeing that it is important that students should learn about helping those less fortunate, personally I feel standing around on street corners hassling passers-by, often in extreme heat, is probably not the best way to foster a charitable disposition.
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