Mom outraged at school program providing birth control for daughter

Reba

Reba

Retired Terp
Premium Member
Joined
Jun 8, 2004
Messages
54,899
Reaction score
1,518
School-based sex ed program outrages mother of teen girl who received birth control
Mother didn't know of program operating out of Burke High School
By Diette Courrégé
Thursday, October 28, 2010

A Charleston County mother and her 14-year-old daughter were spending some quality time together one Sunday evening when the conversation turned to sex.

She asked her daughter whether she was sexually active, and the Burke High School freshman surprised her with the news that she had sex once. After a few minutes of silence, the mother told her daughter that she wanted to call the family doctor and arrange for her to go on birth control.

This time, her daughter's response came as an even bigger surprise: a woman at school had taken her to a clinic for a shot that would provide birth control for three months.

The mother, whose name is being withheld to protect her daughter's identity, said she hadn't been informed.

"It floored me," the mother said. "Flabbergasted. Outraged."

She said her daughter was taken to the clinic by an employee of the Carolina Empowerment Group, a nonprofit community organization whose goal is to increase awareness of and prevent teen pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, HIV/AIDS and substance abuse.

The group has an office at Burke High and access to students, but the school district doesn't pay for its services.

The mother wondered about what would have happened if her daughter had an allergic reaction to the shot or the woman had gotten into a traffic accident. She doesn't understand why she wasn't told that this was going to happen or how it's OK for her daughter to be taken off campus by a stranger.

"If I weren't close to my child, I would've never known (about this)," the mother said. "If I weren't a mom who takes time to talk to her daughter, I wouldn't know anything. I just don't understand how this happens without anyone finding anything wrong with this."

State law permits health services to be provided to minors of any age without parental consent when it's deemed necessary, but it forbids contraceptives to be distributed on school property.

Carolina Empowerment's mission is to provide sexual education to teens and adults, and part of that is connecting people to the services they need, said Clay Middleton, chairman of the nonprofit's board of directors.

The nonprofit doesn't remove students from classes for appointments, but it will use staff members' vehicles to drive students to clinics after school or give them a voucher to take a public bus, he said.

Middleton didn't know how many times the nonprofit staff had taken teenagers from school to clinics for birth control, but he said that's not out of the norm. If the clinic were downtown, students easily could walk or take a bus. But the clinics are on Johns Island and in North Charleston, he said.

Although the incident happened after school and didn't involve school staff, the nonprofit's agreement with the district obligates it to follow its rules.

If a school employee had been the one to drive the student to the clinic, school district attorney John Emerson said that wouldn't have been acceptable and disciplinary action might have followed.

The district's policy allows employees to use private vehicles for transportation to and from school-sponsored events only with the superintendent's permission, and the board doesn't encourage the use of private vehicles unless it's considered essential.

District leaders plan to let the nonprofit know that this operating practice wasn't OK and shouldn't happen again, Emerson said.

He didn't see any legal issue because the birth control services are permitted by law and the district's policy didn't prohibit this situation explicitly. The nonprofit still will be permitted to operate in the school and provide students with information.

Burke High appears to be the only school in the county where an organization dedicated to sexual education has office space. With the blessing of district leaders, the school's principal, Charles Benton, signed an agreement with the nonprofit's executive director and Middleton last year setting the guidelines of their partnership.

Before last year, another nonprofit aimed at preventing teen pregnancies, It's Up to Me, had occupied office space in the school.

Benton said he was unaware that the group was driving students from the school to health clinics, and he said he's not OK with that scenario nor was that supposed to happen. Still, he said the services provided by the nonprofit are valuable because the surrounding community has a high rate of teen pregnancy.

School board member Arthur Ravenel had not heard about this situation until informed by the Post and Courier, and he said he was disturbed by it. This shouldn't happen, he said, and it shouldn't be going on.

The daughter said she was in biology class when some of her friends started talking about birth control that prevented them from having a period or cramps for three months. They told her to talk to Natalia Cales, one of the founders of Carolina Empowerment Group, to get it.

She said she told Cales she wanted the birth control, and Cales set up an appointment and took her and two other students in her car after school to a clinic on Johns Island.

Cales no longer is working for the nonprofit, saying she has accepted a new out-of-state job.

The 4-year-old nonprofit focuses on serving youth across Charleston County and in particular on the peninsula. It secured office space at Burke High about a year ago, but it doesn't work only with Burke High students, Cales said. The nonprofit also works with the broader community, including teenagers who weren't in school or were attending a different one. It is funded by private donations and foundations.

Cales said she didn't feel comfortable talking about specific incidents, and directed those questions to Middleton.

The mother questioned whether the nonprofit would be allowed to operate out of a school such as Wando High or Academic Magnet, schools with more affluent students. She and her attorney, Larry Kobrovsky, are considering legal action.

"I hope this doesn't happen to anybody else's child," she said. "I don't think they should be able to do this."
Click to expand...
School-based sex ed program outrages mother of teen girl who received birth control | The Post and Courier, Charleston SC - News, Sports, Entertainment
 
I would be livid if this happened to my daughter, too. A 14 yr. old freshman?....

My sons brought home paperwork for me to sign, if I wanted them to watch any sex education movies.....that means the school asked "my permission first."

2 of my sons have condoms, which I gave them at age 15, not before.

This school is out of line! I hope the mother sues their azzes off!
 
I'm fairly liberal, but, this woman went way over the line when she provided this "service" for this girl.

The key words in the article "whenever necessary". Who deemed it "necessary" to take this girl to get Depo-provera?

That should be the parents' responsibility. The Mom has every right to be livid and upset.

I can see it if there was NO ONE for this girl to turn to, but, that wasn't the case here.
 
I have no opinion on this article but better than getting pregnant while in school.
 
It happened to my niece when she was 15 without her parents knew, she got bc from school nurse and ended up got herself pregnant. My sister in law was so furious with school nurse. Nothing is new since it has been going on for years everywhere. Sad.
 
jazzy said:
It happened to my niece when she was 15 without her parents knew, she got bc from school nurse and ended up got herself pregnant. My sister in law was so furious with school nurse. Nothing is new since it has been going on for years everywhere. Sad.
Click to expand...

Ouch, not cool.

Now, I think it is wrong for school to give BC to girls without permission from parent.
 
Foxrac said:
Ouch, not cool.

Now, I think it is wrong for school to give BC to girls without permission from parent.
Click to expand...
Yeah I agree with you, being 14 or 15 is not fully mature to take BC responsible so need their parents to help them out and teach them properly.
 
Like OB, I am liberal but I wouldnt accept this if that happened to me.
 
I think its extremely wrong for officials to take students off campus to anywhere without explicit permission from the parents. However, the one thing I do wish that my high school had was better education about sex, pregnancy and preventative measures (protection, birth control, abstinence, etc.) There were so many girls that got pregnant throughout my years there and it was just pathetic really. But the sex education class was just as equally pathetic and non-informative.
 
No matter how liberal or conservative you are, you WILL NEVER get full information from your kids. Honestly, did you tell your parents everything you do? If you do, you're pathetic.

Sex education should be mandatory in schools. Studies have shown over and over - no matter how liberal or conservative you are - most kids say that their parents never taught them about sex.

Learn to accept that your own kids are growing and sexually maturing and that many don't WANT you to know that. If they got BC, accept it. Hands off. I know you don't like it but back off. Don't argue with them. Tell them that BC doesn't prevent STD's and that it carries potential side effects and that they'd be happier if they just abstain.
 
Deaf_Elements said:
I think its extremely wrong for officials to take students off campus to anywhere without explicit permission from the parents. However, the one thing I do wish that my high school had was better education about sex, pregnancy and preventative measures (protection, birth control, abstinence, etc.) There were so many girls that got pregnant throughout my years there and it was just pathetic really. But the sex education class was just as equally pathetic and non-informative.
Click to expand...

What did the sex education class cover? Just curious to get your perspective. Thanks!
 
eh, if they're having sex at 14-15 years old, it's better than getting pregnant in school, especially with teenagers who have traditional or strict parents. I agree completely with netrox.

I would be so mortified if my parents knew I were taking birth control pills or stuff like that (I'm not taking them now). I mean, it's my own sex life, not theirs.

But yes, I agree there needs to be better and more informative sex education in schools, since all of my sex education came from school, not my parents.
 
sheila022 said:
eh, if they're having sex at 14-15 years old, it's better than getting pregnant in school, especially with teenagers who have traditional or strict parents. I agree completely with netrox.

I would be so mortified if my parents knew I were taking birth control pills or stuff like that (I'm not taking them now). I mean, it's my own sex life, not theirs.

But yes, I agree there needs to be better and more informative sex education in schools, since all of my sex education came from school, not my parents.
Click to expand...

I used to think that way until I had my own kids.
 
In this situation, the mom did talk to her daughter about sex, and she did offer to take her to the doctor to get birth control. There was no reason for the people at school to take her to a clinic for birth control.

It's very troubling to me that they not only got the birth control for the girl without mom's consent or even knowledge but that they put the girl at medical risk. The clinic that gave her the shot knew nothing about her medical history. Giving her a three-month shot full of hormones is not the same thing as giving her a package of condoms. Suppose the girl hadn't told her mom about the shot and went along with her mom to the doctor. Then, at that doctor's office she got another shot because the family doctor doesn't know about the first shot.

Most parents expect that when they drop their kids off at school that they will be there all day unless notified otherwise. To find out that they were in a private car with a stranger going to an unknown destination for unknown procedures is very upsetting.

There is no accountability for this "program." "Middleton didn't know how many times the nonprofit staff had taken teenagers from school to clinics for birth control, but he said that's not out of the norm."

Also, this statement makes me wonder if the girl fully understood the implications of what she was doing:

"The daughter said she was in biology class when some of her friends started talking about birth control that prevented them from having a period or cramps for three months. They told her to talk to Natalia Cales, one of the founders of Carolina Empowerment Group, to get it."

Was she really seeking birth control or a convenient way out of troublesome periods? :dunno:
 
netrox said:
No matter how liberal or conservative you are, you WILL NEVER get full information from your kids. Honestly, did you tell your parents everything you do? If you do, you're pathetic.

Sex education should be mandatory in schools. Studies have shown over and over - no matter how liberal or conservative you are - most kids say that their parents never taught them about sex.

Learn to accept that your own kids are growing and sexually maturing and that many don't WANT you to know that. If they got BC, accept it. Hands off. I know you don't like it but back off. Don't argue with them. Tell them that BC doesn't prevent STD's and that it carries potential side effects and that they'd be happier if they just abstain.
Click to expand...

I have heard about schools doing this, but I know if someone give my daugther a birth control shot without asking me , I would sue their ass off!
 
I suppose this mother would rather her daughter get pregnant at 14.

BTW: this story is a little suspect. They can't dispense medications at any time without a parent's signed permission. They can however, provide information so the student can take action on their own.
 
netrox said:
No matter how liberal or conservative you are, you WILL NEVER get full information from your kids. Honestly, did you tell your parents everything you do? If you do, you're pathetic.

Sex education should be mandatory in schools. Studies have shown over and over - no matter how liberal or conservative you are - most kids say that their parents never taught them about sex.

Learn to accept that your own kids are growing and sexually maturing and that many don't WANT you to know that. If they got BC, accept it. Hands off. I know you don't like it but back off. Don't argue with them. Tell them that BC doesn't prevent STD's and that it carries potential side effects and that they'd be happier if they just abstain.
Click to expand...

Well said.
 
jillio said:
I suppose this mother would rather her daughter get pregnant at 14.
Click to expand...
Obviously you didn't read the whole article or you would know that the mother was going to take her daughter to the doctor herself to get birth control for her.


BTW: this story is a little suspect. They can't dispense medications at any time without a parent's signed permission. They can however, provide information so the student can take action on their own.
Click to expand...
Again, you don't know what you're talking about.

This happened, and not only once.

This was a local event, and I've been following the radio and TV coverage and interviews that go along with the print story. Those school and other officials who were involved do not deny anything that happened. They believe they were right in what they did.
 
Back
Top