Santa Clarita / Antelope Valley : School District May Lift Yearlong Ban on Blood Drives

Stirred to action by a regional blood shortage and requests from the American Red Cross, the Antelope Valley Union High School District tonight will consider lifting a yearlong ban on blood drives at area high schools.

The district is the only one of 67 in Los Angeles County that does not allow students to give blood. The ban was imposed in January, 1994, after a 17-year-old passed out while giving blood at one of the five high schools in the district.

According to law, anyone over the age of 17 can give blood without a need for parental consent, but school officials instituted the ban after the teen-ager’s mother filed a complaint. They said they feared a possible lawsuit because of the incident. The current policy states that “blood donations by students and staff shall not be permitted on school campuses during regular school hours.” However, the policy does encourage students and faculty to participate in “community-wide” blood drives.

Red Cross officials say they have available only 350 pints of O-positive blood, the most common type, 30% of which they collected in Los Angeles and Orange counties last year. They said that high school students donated almost 10% of the blood they collected during the 1993-94 school year.

The school board will also make a decision tonight on a proposal by a minor league baseball team, the Ravens, to use Highland High School’s baseball field for home games. The Ravens hope to begin using the field from May through October.

It could be the last chance for the Ravens to find a local home field.

The cities of Lancaster and Palmdale and Antelope Valley College have already turned down their proposals.

District officials say the Ravens would have to meet school guidelines if they were to use a high school field. Advertising, selling or possession of alcoholic beverages is prohibited on school property and the team would be responsible for any damages to the field.