May 27, 2008 12:29 pm US/Eastern
School Officials Quit Over Birth Control Dispute
GLOUCESTER (WBZ) ―
Two top officials at Gloucester High School's health center have resigned in a fight over contraceptives distribution.
Medical Director Dr. Brian Orr and chief nurse practitioner Kim Daly support confidentially giving contraceptives to students. They were outraged about resistance from Addison Gilbert Hospital and resigned Friday.
The hospital administers the state public health grant that funds the school clinic.
This year, 17 Gloucester High School students are pregnant. Normally, the school has about four pregnancies per school year.
Orr told WBZ the current rate is epidemic. He said the confidential distribution of contraceptives is practiced at several other school clinics in the state. "What parent, what teen, what adult wouldn't want us to institute a program where we're reducing sexual activity, reducing the initiation of having sex, reducing the number of sexual partners and reducing teen pregnancies," he said.
The hospital's executive director, Cindy Donaldson, said she is worried about community reaction, as well as liability if a teen had ill effects from taking the contraceptives.
"We believe that it is critical to get the School Committee's approval to this plan before making any decisions to move forward with offering confidential contraceptives without parental consent at Gloucester High School," she said in a statement to WBZ.
"The Gloucester community deserves to weigh on what is a very controversial and sensitive issue for the City."
Many teens believe there will be more pregnancies and more risky behavior if the confidential program is scrapped.
"There's already enough pregnancies," said junior Laura Sawulski. "I know at least ten of my friends who are pregnant, have kids. They're too young. It's high school."
Orr and Daily plan to finish out the school year. If the hospital persists with its opposition, the school district may look for a different health care provider to support the teen health program, if necessary.
Donna Rheaume of DPH said Commissioner John Auerbach strongly encouraged officials at Addison Glbert to include comprehensive reproductive health services in the services offered at the school-based health center. Rheaume says the officials agreed and said they'd put it before school committee.
Addison Gilbert released this statement regarding the contraceptives fight. "We as an organization are in agreement with the School Based Health Center Advisory Board that it is critical to get the School Committees approval to this plan before making any decisions to move forward with offering confidential contraceptives without parental consent at Gloucester High School. The Gloucester community deserves to weigh in on what is a very controversial and sensitive issue for the City.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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