Mass. Town Rejects Ballot Initiative To Overturn School Contraception Policy

Main Category: Sexual Health / STDs
Also Included In: Pediatrics / Children's Health;  Pregnancy / Obstetrics
Article Date: 06 Nov 2009 - 3:00 PST

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Voters in Revere, Mass., on Tuesday rejected a ballot initiative that would have overturned a policy allowing the high school's health clinic to make contraception available, including condoms and emergency contraception, the Boston Globe reports. The initiative -- defeated in a 3,404-2,695 vote -- was put on the ballot in September by a group of Revere residents who objected to the contraception policy.

Mayor Thomas Ambrosino and the Revere School Committee instituted the policy in February as a way to address the rising number of teen pregnancies in the town, the Globe reports. According to Superintendent Paul Dakin, there were 21 pregnancies in the school district in 2009, up from 13 in 2008. Under the policy, students are allowed to obtain birth control from the school health clinic if they have parental permission. The program is overseen by doctors and nurses from Massachusetts General Hospital. Dakin said the program is a "parent-choice policy" that is "for families that are in need, families that see a crisis coming or are in a crisis." He added, "I've renewed my faith in the electorate in their understanding of how important it is to give freedom of choice to parents."

If the ballot initiative had passed, the city would have created a commission to study the risks and benefits of contraception and abstinence, the Globe reports. Kathleen Magno, who initiated the efforts to overturn the policy, said the opponents would continue to lobby the School Department for more public debate on the issue (Burge/Rosenberg, Boston Globe, 11/4).

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