SANTA MONICA-MALIBU : Plan Gives Students Easy Access to Condoms
The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District approved a condom distribution policy Monday that would make condoms easily accessible to students at Santa Monica High School beginning April 20.
The most restrictive aspect of the policy, which originally had called for students to obtain the condoms from a counselor, is that a small fee will be charged.
School board members adopted the easy-access policy after dozens of students testified that having to obtain condoms from a counselor would deter many students from using condoms. The board also abandoned an earlier plan to make it possible for parents to block their child’s access to the condoms.
According to the policy adopted by the board, condoms will be distributed with the following: instructions on use, a statement that abstinence is the only 100% effective way to avoid sexually transmitted diseases, a statement that many teen-agers choose abstinence, and instructions on how to get more information.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
