Controversial School Clinic Opens Quietly

There was little fanfare as the second campus health clinic in the Los Angeles Unified School District officially opened Friday at San Fernando High School.

Unlike the hoopla that surrounded the inauguration two months ago of the district’s first school-based health clinic at Jordan High School in Watts, the San Fernando clinic opened without a ribbon-cutting ceremony and without speeches from politicians.

The clinic was launched with an informal open house attended by school board members Roberta Weintraub and Julie Korenstein, who casually mingled with students, parents, clinic personnel and school administrators.

The low-key opening was in sharp contrast to the tumultuous year of community protest and debate over establishment of the clinic.

Birth-Control Controversy

The main objection was to the district’s controversial plan for the school-based clinics--three in all--to offer birth-control counseling and birth-control devices to students.

San Fernando and Jordan are to be joined in the pioneer program by Los Angeles High. The Wilshire District school is scheduled to open its clinic in January.

The three schools were chosen because they have high rates of teen-age pregnancy and drug abuse, district officials said.

Services offered at the clinics include physical examinations, immunizations and screening for high blood pressure and treatment for minor medical emergencies. The clinics also provide counseling on weight control as well as drug and alcohol abuse. Students must have a signed parental consent form on file at the school to use the clinic.

Clinic personnel are not allowed to give abortion counseling or make abortion referrals, according to district policy.

The San Fernando clinic has been operating on an informal basis for about three weeks. Of the school’s 2,600 students, 140 have turned in consent forms and 106 students have sought treatment at the medical facility, said Rena Shepgel, clinic director.