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Local News in Brief : Student Health Survey

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Santa Monica and Malibu high school students will be asked to take part in a health survey in May, despite objections of a small but vocal group of parents.

The Santa Monica-Malibu Board of Education unanimously approved the voluntary health survey for students in grades 9 through 12, with a provision requiring that each student bring a written permission slip signed by parents.

The 10-page survey contains questions ranging from how many cigarettes a student smokes in a day to how many times the student has had sexual intercourse. The survey also asks about drug and alcohol abuse, eating habits and medical history.

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The decision to approve the survey ended a two-month debate, during which some parents complained that district officials would use the survey to justify the creation of a school-based health clinic to promote birth control.

But the district’s Community Health Advisory Council, a group of about 50 parents and health professionals, overwhelmingly approved the survey.

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