NEWPORT BEACH : Group Passes Out Condoms at School

Members of the gay rights activist group ACT-UP Orange County passed out about 1,100 colored condoms wrapped in information sheets to students at Newport Harbor High School on Wednesday morning, then dumped four sacks of manure at the local office of Assemblyman Gil Ferguson (R-Newport Beach).

As several activists distributed the prophylactics, they argued with school officials that schools are not doing enough to teach students about AIDS and prevention through condoms. Holding placards reading “Ferguson Stinks” and “Ferguson Is Deadlier Than the Virus,” they criticized the assemblyman for his proposed legislation to prohibit free condom distribution to minors

Ferguson, in a prepared statement, countered that it is illegal to give away cigarette samples to minors or to sell or hand out pornography near schools.

“To distribute condoms in this fashion sends the wrong message. It says sex and promiscuity are OK,” stated Ferguson. “Anyone who wants to purchase a condom can do so, at any drugstore. . . . But we should not tolerate the exploitation of our children by extremists and the amoral elements who are intent on pushing their radical sexual agenda on America.”

The early morning event went smoothly except for a few heated exchanges between activists and school officials over the group’s right to be on the school grounds. There were also some shouts from students asking the group not to give the condoms to youngsters on their way to nearby Horace Ensign Intermediate School.

“I think it was a really good thing and went really well except that the administration wasn’t very receptive to them,” Julie Willgeroth, an editor at the school paper, said of the condom give-away. “It’s very important.”

Newport Harbor Principal Dennis Evans called the event a “very low-class, no-class operation” and criticized the protesters for not being aware of the school’s sex education policies.

“We stress abstinence until monogamous, heterosexual marriage. That comes from the state. If those people don’t like it, they need to go to the state and get the law changed,” said Evans.

“They’re operating out of ignorance,” he added. “I just thought the whole thing was tacky and counterproductive.”

Evans said he invited a group member to attend one of the school’s health education classes, which is a required course for graduation.

The Newport-Mesa Unified School District does not allow condoms to be displayed in classrooms. However, since many students brought the free condoms to the health education class after the morning giveaway, the instructor opened a package and discussed the product with the students, Evans said.

Ensign Intermediate School Assistant Principal Denys Jacobsen said that he had been concerned that the event would become an issue at his school but that only a few of the younger students went to the event to receive condoms.

“It wasn’t even talked about that much,” Jacobsen said.