California school district votes to let students leave campus for services like abortion

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Comments: 14

Karen England

Sacramento, Calif., Jun 27, 2009 / 08:04 am (CNA).- The Modesto City School Board on Monday voted to allow junior high and high school students to leave campus during the school day for “confidential medical services,” such as abortions, without the consent or knowledge of their parents.

The school board adopted the new policy in a preliminary vote of 4-3, the California Catholic Daily says. The board members will take another vote on the issue on July 13.

Karen England, executive director of the pro-family lobbying group Capitol Resource Institute, attended the meeting and reported that four people testified in favor of “excluding parents.” Three were from Planned Parenthood while one was described as an “activist.”

“Every single additional testimony asked the board to include parents,” England said in a statement following the meeting. “Modesto parents and pastors left the meeting fired up. They are ready to tell their communities what is going on -- so that more families can get involved, because people are still unaware.”

England encouraged opponents of the decision to contact school board members before the July 13 vote and to attend its next meeting.

School district attorney Roman Munoz said the new policy updates district regulations to conform to a provision of the state Education Code which took effect in 1986.

The relevant section of the Education Code says the governing board of each school district in each academic year should notify pupils in grades 7 to 12 and their parents and guardians that school authorities may “excuse any pupil from the school for the purpose of obtaining confidential medical services without the consent of the pupil's parent or guardian.”

England said the law “provides permission” for implementing confidential medical release but “certainly does not impose a mandate.”

“There are over 900 public school districts in California and many do not offer their students confidential medical release. Modesto's current policy is parent-friendly,” she added. “Unfortunately, Modesto has sided with Planned Parenthood for now, against parents.”

Planned Parenthood Mar Monte Vice President Deborah Oritz told the Sacramento Bee that the law on confidential medical services covers more than sexual or reproduction issues.

The Sacramento Bee said that medical services can include pregnancy testing, contraception, abortion, sexually transmitted disease testing and treatment, counseling and treatment for rape, drug abuse, mental health and other services.

The issue of schools permitting students to seek confidential medical services is being considered by several other California school districts.

On March 12 the Vista Board of Education in northern San Diego County unanimously adopted a policy requiring students to have parental consent before leaving campus during the school day for medical services, the California Catholic Daily reports.

The Fairfield-Suisun Board of Education, which presently requires parental or guardian consent for a student to leave campus for any reason, is scheduled to consider the matter on July 25.

Comments: 14

Subscriber comments:

Published by: Roberto
Juarez Mexico 07/01/2009 10:59 PM EST

Instead of spending money on obese-causing eateries, parents should save money to register kids in private or parochial or home schools. It's time for a Pro-Life Nation -- Capital: S.F.

Published by: Bev
Nevada 06/30/2009 07:38 AM EST

When prayer was ban from the public school system SIN rushed in. Calif has lead the pack for low moral standards and God curse is upon it, just look at the finanical condition that Calif is facing. Things will continue to go in a downward spiral for each new door of sin you open.

Published by: Great
N. FT Myers FL U.S.A. 06/29/2009 08:38 PM EST

So, I guess you would rather have them stay in school and get the abortion?

Published by: bantaxes
Staten Island 06/29/2009 05:22 PM EST

What a country! You can't leave school to go home for lunch!

Published by: d.smith
california 06/29/2009 04:07 PM EST

We're "preaching to the choir" here.
Parents need to get pro-active and bring some lawsuits. I would imagine there was not much prior advance to this discussion before the school board voted it in. (Our U.S. president finds this a reliable practice...)

This runs along the same lines as no parental notification required which Calif. voters approved . It is incomprehensible that it takes a note to administer aspirin but a child, yes a CHILD, can be led to the aboirtion factory by strangers. Maybe even by the child's abuser/rapist.

Published by: Steven
Radcliff, KY USA 06/29/2009 03:39 PM EST

What is going on out there in liberal land? This state is out of control!

Published by: Daniel
Miami, FL 06/29/2009 12:15 PM EST

It bears mentioning that the motivation for allowing students to access these "confidential medical services" without parental involvement is cases where parents may react abusively to finding that their son/daughter needs them. Parental involvement is generally a good thing, but that is not the same as saying that it is *always* a good thing---these policies exist for those occasions when it isn't.

Published by: KMF
FV, CA 06/29/2009 11:23 AM EST

so teenagers are not allowed aspirin by their perogative, but they can get go to get an abortion...hhhmmm...

Published by: psalm
Detroit/Mi/USA 06/28/2009 09:26 AM EST

Complete insanity. When are people going to wake up and see the garbage planned parenthood and the "pro-choice" activists are selling?

When I was in grade school, junior high,and even high school, I couldn't even get a tylenol without permission from my parents.

Fast forward to present day.

13 year old student Student to teacher: "going out for an abortion, I'll be back for my social studies quiz."

Teacher: "who is taking you?"

13 year old student: "my boyfriend"

Teacher: "ok"

That's pretty much where we are at these days. Pathetic.

Published by: Robert Francis
Taylor/Michigan/USA 06/27/2009 08:54 PM EST

Where are the parents in this school district? I'm stunned to think that parents would allow a school district to send their children off for medical examinations without their permission! Are they just willing to give their children up? I don't get it!

Published by: Lisa
az 06/27/2009 02:46 PM EST

"No child is left behind"? If the parents aren't entitled to know, who is to say, that childs choice would of resulted in a different outcome if the parents were involved? Parents are to guide their children until they are adults! How can they do this from afar? How can they do this if they don't know? 1 abortion can leave devastating scars on a women forever! If teens choose to have one, they will choose the same fate of another unborn child!

Published by: Dan
Santa Fe/NM/US 06/27/2009 02:06 PM EST

"just make sure you have a note from your Mom when you return tomorrow...oh wait, that's required when leaving for a cold...nevermind."

Published by: dAVID LARSEN
scituate Mass 06/27/2009 02:01 PM EST

Without moral conviction ALL are dead in SIN. Sins x Sin = a multitude of sins. A society of children,especially raised by a sinful public school system,will be slaves to sin,with no moral teaching,that will lead to an undisciplined confused group of adults in the future. America will lose it's edge in the future as it will have no moral character to help it maintain it's sense of economy or patriotism. Abortion is killing America! Pro Choice = Poor Choice!
This has been a school system without a prayer for a very long time and it is raising children without a hope of a prayer,as teachers are trying to replace parental care making school children as wards of the state. The public school system is becoming the pubic school system! Sneaky and deceptive are the practices that mislead children and encourage them to be secretive and dishonest to their parents. What ever happened to the commandment"Honor thy Father and thy Mother"? Certainly the schools don't want to teach that commandment anymore! What is our country trying to do? The ultimate power might be to have a secular society that is the power,for the last word,for every policy it enforces into law,right or wrong!

Published by: Maria Trujillo
Plantation/FL/USA 06/27/2009 12:07 PM EST

We continue to pray for all evildoers. But remember this. God Himself has said, "I cannot do anything for those who willfully separate themselves from Me".
One second of Hell is unbearable, an eternity of Hell is an unbearable eternity. Understand also that there is no Ninth Circuit or liberal Supreme Court to appeal His Judgment. Stay close to God, remain in His love, remain in the State Of Grace. Sudden Death can be your very worst enemy.

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