Amy Charters' Third Anti-Servitude Speech

March 23, 1998

Good evening ladies and gentlemen of Dearborn. I am addressing my speech primarily to parents due to the disinterest of the school board in this matter. I am opposed to the self-sacrificial ideas of the school board who want to violate the rights of students by forcing them into involuntary servitude.

They plan to impose on the high-school students of Dearborn the threat of not graduating if they do not work for hours without pay. This plan is both unconstitutional and immoral.

Do not for one moment believe that this program will, as Fredrick Linder implied, help in the development of students lives. This is an outright falsehood.

Students must find out what they want out of life; they cannot do this if they are indoctrinated with the idea that serving others is morally superior than planning their own lives. And they need to plan so that they, themselves, do not become parasites on the lives of others-parasites some of which this school board wants students to sacrifice for. Instead they will be forced to give up the hours they need to better their lives.

The core values represented in this proposal are respect and responsibility. Yet students cannot respect others while they are forced to perform an unchosen action. Students cannot be responsible for their actions when their actions are not theirs to chose. They will be resentful of what others force them to do and will try to do as little as possible. This is the school board's idea of respect and responsibility.

I hope that, you, the citizens of Dearborn do not share the school board's mistaken view of individual rights. Even if you do not agree with all of my reasons, I urge you to fight this proposal.

Fight for whatever reasons you do agree with. The number to the superintendent's office is 730-0224. That number is 730-0224.

If you can see that moral ideas should not, or can not, be taught in schools, make yourself heard.

If you know that this program will only teach your children resentment, mockery and distrust, let this board know.

If you realize that the proposed budget for this program will grow into a money pit, that the school board has admitted that they expect their own projections to fall short, call the board and fight this proposal.

If you believe that your taxes are being wasted, make yourself heard.

If you understand that helping others should be your choice, and that forced help is no help to anyone, call the board and speak out.

If you believe in freedom, and know that the 13th Amendment outlawed involuntary servitude, fight to stop this proposal.

Again the number to the superintendent's office is 730-0224. That number is 730-0224.

This proposal is immoral. No one has the right to force any action on students, parents, or teachers. Nor does anyone have the right to force students to accept the morality of sacrifice-for the same reason that the government cannot force religion on students.

I hope that the parents of Dearborn get organized to fight this proposal. I wish all of you my best. Thank you.