Mahony Task Force Aids Clinic Protesters

Members of a task force created at the urging of Los Angeles Roman Catholic Archbishop Roger M. Mahony to oppose dispensing contraceptives in high schools have joined the opposition to a proposed health clinic at Culver City High School.

The task force, made up of 25 religious and community leaders, was created earlier this year “to study the proposals (for health clinics that would offer birth control counseling) and make recommendations to the archbishop and others,” said Msgr. Charles Fortier, an associate director of family life for the archdiocese.

The task force has focused much of its attention on stopping a plan by the Los Angeles Unified School District to allow three high schools to operate health clinics that would provide birth control counseling and contraceptives.

Fears for the Family

Last month, the archbishop wrote that school birth-control clinics undermine the family and “send a message to students legitimizing behavior contradicting our Judeo-Christian ethic.”

Fortier said that the letter was written upon the recommendation of the task force. Not long after its release, six members of the task force volunteered to help the newly formed Parents United for Culver City Youth by gathering petition signatures, providing literature and speaking to local ministers and their congregations.

Parents United staged a protest against the clinic proposal at last week’s Culver City Board of Education meeting.

Caught by Surprise

Culver City school officials were caught by surprise Monday night when more than 60 parents showed up and many of them attacked the proposal during a period for public comment. The parents also held a press conference after the board meeting to express their opposition.

John Madrid, a member of the task force and an organizer of the protest, said “I live in El Monte, but I came to protest the clinic proposal because I don’t want it in my school district.”

The group presented the board with petitions bearing 200 signatures from parents from various religious denominations.

Kay Lyou, who was elected school board president at the same meeting, said the board would continue its study of the proposal and would make a decision in a “timely fashion.”

Culver City began exploring the idea of a school-based health clinic earlier this year after officials from the UCLA Medical School department of obstetrics, gynecology and pediatrics offered to operate the clinic.

Recently a 35-member Health Center Community Advisory Committee, composed of teachers, parents, students and health professionals appointed by the board, recommended that the Culver City district offer contraceptives along with gynecological care, treatment of sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy counseling to students whose parents sign a consent form. A permission form was designed with space for parents to approve or reject the offering of contraceptive devices to students. The board is expected to consider the proposal on Dec. 16.

Tom Supple, a spokesman for Parents United, asked the board to delay its decision to allow more time for the group to present opposing arguments.

Proponents of the health clinic argue that the district does not need to delay the decision.

Opposing Viewpoints

Ann Alexander, a parent and member of the district advisory committee, said that the permission slips will enhance parental authority. “Because signatures will be required, parents will have to sit down and talk to their children about the options available,” she said. “Maybe if parents talk a little more with their children we won’t have the problems that we have today.”

Father John Moretta, chairman of the task force, questioned the use of permission slips. “Everyone knows how easy it is to forge a signature,” he said.

Moretta served several years at St. Augustine Church in Culver City. He did not attend the meeting last week, but has met with parents to discuss the issue.

Required by State Law

If the clinic is approved, Moretta said he believes it will be forced to give birth control counseling to students because state law requires that such services be provided students above the age of 12 whether permission is granted or not.

Vera Jashni, assistant superintendent for educational services in Culver City, said that state law requires the district to make referrals for abortion if requested by students, regardless of parental permission. The clinic, she said, would not provide contraceptives for students without parent permission.

Jashni said that until recently the district has not received a negative response from parents about the proposed clinic. A survey by the advisory committee showed that parents support the idea, she said.

At a meeting of the advisory committee Nov. 19, Jashni said that of 57 survey forms turned in, 50 parents said they support the clinic, six were opposed and one was undecided.

Phone Line Used Little

The school district also set up a special telephone line to answer questions about the clinic proposal, but has received only four calls from parents seeking information, she said.

However, Jashni and others have expressed concern that people are not being accurately informed about the program.

She said, for example, that a worship bulletin from Culver Community Church exaggerated the facts by asking that the public protest the district’s “decision to make birth control pills available to elementary-age children and establish abortion clinics on campus.”

Elementary-age children will not be given birth control counseling and the district will not establish abortion clinics on campus, Jashni said.