by Sue | Mar 9, 2019 | Legislative News, Sex Ed in the Schools
The Washington State Legislature is moving toward passing a bill for “comprehensive” sex education, K-12. Senate Bill 5395 has passed the Senate, and the House is addressing its version of the bill (HB1407).
The Family Policy Institute of Washington (FPIW) has warned about the bill, which Republicans strongly opposed:
“SB 5395 requires that every school district and every school teach dangerous Comprehensive Sexual Education starting in Kindergarten. This bill requires that instruction and materials be inclusive of, and use language and strategies that recognize, all protected classes – that would include Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender ‘protected classes.’ Further, the Comprehensive Sexual Education must be an integral part of the school’s curriculum and be ‘skills-based.’ (more…)
by Sue | Apr 8, 2017 | Education, Sex Ed in the Schools
Posted April 3, 2017
From time to time, researching, I’ve come across stories about teen sexual activity, contraceptive use, declining teen pregnancies, and highest ever STD rate. One obvious question seems to be why we hear about decreased teen sexual activity and epidemic teen STD in this same period. Comprehensive Sex Education tells teens that that contraceptive drugs are safe. True? If you have not already reached a conclusion, after reading the following stories, you may deduce what now seems apparent though my research is, by no means complete. Some of the most salient facts directly below precede following details.
Emergency contraceptive, i.e. the morning after pill, Plan B, became available over-the- counter in 2013. The latest available figures about morning after pill use by teens extend up to 2013. (more…)
by Sue | Apr 8, 2017 | Education, Sex Ed in the Schools, Worth Watching
Posted April 3, 2017
Below, you will find a list of organizations promoting School-based Health Centers, info about funding, supporters, etc.
In an Atlantic article, School, Birth Control, and Parent Consent, Sept. 2015
we read,
“There is something amazing and different about seeing students on their home turf,” said Sonja O’Leary, a Colorado-based SBHC pediatrician. “Students will divulge things that they usually wouldn’t if they were sitting in a doctor’s office, even if their parents are outside in the waiting room [at school].”
[Some SBHCs] offer long-acting reversible contraception, such as intrauterine devices and injections, or LARCs, which tend to be especially contentious because they’re longer-lasting and more physically invasive than, say, the pill. The issue appears to be particularly fraught in the 21 states where minors are allowed to have IUDs implanted without parental consent. Most of those states do not distinguish by age in granting youth autonomous birth-control rights, which means kids as young as 11 could be given access (more…)
by Sue | Feb 18, 2017 | Education, Sex Ed in the Schools
February 18, 2017
Updated on May 19, 2017 (See below)
In Washington State, “middle school and high school students can’t get a Coca-Cola or a candy bar at 13 Seattle public schools, but they can get a taxpayer-funded intrauterine device (IUD) implanted without their parent’s consent.
“School-based health clinics (SBHCs) in at least 13 Seattle-area public high schools and middle schools offer long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs), including IUDs and hormonal implants, to students in sixth-grade and above at no cost, according to Washington State officials.
“LARCs are associated with serious side effects, such as uterine perforation and infection. IUDs, specifically, can also act as abortifacients by preventing the implantation of a fertilized egg.
“The state and federally funded contraceptive services are made possible by Take Charge, a Washington State Medicaid program which provides free birth control to adults who are uninsured, lack contraceptive coverage, have an income at or below 260 percent of the Federal Poverty Level – or in this case, to teens who don’t want their parents to know they’re on birth control.” (from CNSNews.com)
At last count, there are school-based health clinics in 38 school districts, including Jefferson County. And if the Port Angeles School District gets its way, theirs will be the 39th.
A proposal for a school-based health clinic made to the Port Angeles School Board (PASB) has had its first reading, and is close to being implemented. In the proposal, Marlene Bradow, the author and a nurse at Stevens Middle School, states, “Contraception would be available to students, which would include patient teaching. This is a controversial issue, however, state law allows anyone at any age to seek out reproductive services without parental consent.” Mental health counseling would also be provided.
Guttmacher Institute, a pro-abortion organization, states in one report, “SBHCs provide a range of sexual and reproductive health services; however, since the inception of these centers, heated debates have raged in communities across the country over whether they should provide contraceptives on-site. At the same time, a number of SBHCs that are committed to reducing teen pregnancy are working within their communities to overcome opposition and provide contraceptive care.”
CNS News further reports: “In an email exchange with the Washington State Health Care Authority and CNSNews.com, a Take Charge spokesperson acknowledged that underage students are eligible for a “full array of covered family planning services” at school-based clinics if their parents meet the program’s requirements.
“Take Charge added that “a student who does not want their parents to know they are seeking reproductive health services is allowed to apply for Take Charge using their own income, and if they are insured under their parents’ plan, the insurance would not be billed.”
“When asked if a sixth grader could get an IUD implanted without parental consent, Take Charge told CNSNews.com: “We encourage all Take Charge providers to offer long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) in their clinics. A young person does not need parental consent to obtain a LARC or any other contraceptive method…If the young person is not choosing abstinence, she would be able to select a LARC and have it inserted without parental consent.”
Do you think a school-based health clinic incorporating contraceptives and possible referral for abortions without parental consent or knowledge is a good idea for the Port Angeles School District?
Contact the Port Angeles School Board with your thoughts – and send us a copy. Or show up at the next meeting (Thursday, Feb. 23 at 7 p.m.) when they are scheduled for a second hearing on the matter and let your voice be heard.
Email and phone contact Information for the school board can be found at: www.portangelesschools.org/administration/school_board
UPDATE: May 19, 2017 – The school-based health clinic will be open for discussion at the Port Angeles School Board meeting on May 24, 2017 starting at 7 p.m. at the Port Angeles High School.
The issue is scheduled to be voted upon at the June 8, 2017 meeting at the Central Services Building.
