ANAHEIM : Student’s Kicked Off Ballot for Condoms

Handing out condoms does not appear likely to replace hand-shaking or passing out election buttons as an effective way to win votes--at least not at Canyon High School.

A student at the high school was kicked off the ballot for student body president this week after attempting a new campaign tactic, distributing condoms to students along with campaign literature.

Pat Lee, 17, of Anaheim distributed about 100 condoms to classmates over several days last week in hopes they would vote for him, according to Orange Unified School District officials.

“He was supposedly looking to get some quick attention,” said Tom Neill, public affairs officer for the school district. Lee could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Lee was disqualified from today’s election by school administrators and student election officers, who said the junior had violated campaign rules.

When Lee filed his campaign application, he and the other candidates in the student council races signed oaths to “conduct the election in a tasteful and honorable fashion,” Neill said.

“It’s the district’s policy to promote abstinence” in sexual matters, Neill said. “Our education code requires that.”

However, Neill said he didn’t know whether distributing contraceptives on campus violated any district rules.

Warren Avery, Lee’s opponent for student body president, said he believes the administrators and elections officers acted fairly in their decision to disqualify Lee.

Avery, a 16-year-old junior from Anaheim Hills, said he does not take the oath to conduct a tasteful campaign lightly. “I think a clean campaign is important,” he said.

With Lee out of the race, Avery is the only candidate for student body president on today’s ballot.

“I just want to be there for the students,” Avery said. “I want to hear their comments and reactions. I don’t know what (Lee’s) campaign was for.”