.- After a recent poll indicated that 85 percent of Scotts Valley residents support parental rights in education, the Capitol Resource Institute says the local school district should change its policy and require that parents be notified when their minor children leave school grounds for confidential medical services. "State law permits school districts, as a matter of local control, to choose to notify parents when minor children wish to leave for confidential medical services or not to notify them," explained Amy Koons, an attorney with Capitol Resource Institute.
"We believe that the Scotts Valley Unified School Board should respect the values and opinions of their constituents and notify parents," said Koons.
More Scotts Valley residents were concerned about children leaving school grounds without parental knowledge than any other issue, including illegal immigrants obtaining driver's licenses, gay marriage, and increased taxation.
"Parents, whatever their position is on abortion, psychotropic drugs, etc., want to be involved in helping their children make medical decisions," said Karen England of the institute. "Parents do not want the public schools to help their children keep secrets from them."
The Scotts Valley Unified School District is expected to meet Aug. 9 to decide whether or not to overturn a district policy mandating that parents be notified whenever minor children leave campus for confidential medical services.
