Feb 10, 2007 8:43 pm US/Eastern
Gum-Sharing Exercise Disgusts Parents
ROCKVILLE, Md. (AP) ―
Parents of some Maryland school students are disgusted after learning their children participated in a gum-sharing exercise.
The lesson was meant to show how sexually transmitted diseases are spread. It was conducted in four Montgomery County schools by a guest speaker from a Rockville pregnancy counseling center.
The speaker asked students to chew the same piece of gum and then asked how many others would be willing to chew it.
School officials say at least 100 students participated in the lesson at the four schools, though not all chewed the gum.
The county's director of school health services, and some parents, say the exercise was unsanitary and unacceptable.
Officials say the center is not welcome back at Montgomery County schools anymore.
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