Tuesday, March 30, 2010

School Board considering change to abortion policy

School Board considering change to abortion policy

San Diego Headlines Examiner

School Board considering change to abortion

policy




Tuesday, the San Diego Unified School Board will consider changing their policy, so that students will have more privacy.  The new policy they are considering will require schools nurses, counselors or any other school official to excuse a child from class without notifying a parent. Based on a "confidential medical service" if a student tells a school official they need an abortion or need medical assistance for a sexually transmitted disease or birth control or are dealing with substance abuse or suicidal thoughts, the school will allow the child to excuse themselves from class to get medical treatment and return to school, without letting parents know. 

The attorney general has ruled that minors have a right to privacy and the schools have to honor that right and are not allowed to notify the parents, although many schools throughout San Diego have not changed their current policy and are notifying parents.
Public opinion varies, "If your under 18 years old and your my child, you don't get privacy, you just don't," said one parent.  "I think a child should have privacy. I think it's their right," said another parent.

The San Juan Unified School District in Sacramento was faced with this law and after much debate decided to put it to vote. The vote was 3 to 2 against the policy change. "We are pleased that the San Juan school board listened to the community and abandoned this disastrous proposal," said Brad Dacus, founder and president of Pacific Justice Institute. 

Vista Unified School Board also voted a year ago, and ended up revising their policy, in spite of the state law. They say that parents rights "trump" the rights of minors.

"Concerned parent"  on the "Voice of San Diego" forum wrote,