MEDIA RELEASE
29 July 2010

Come to School Ball – Have Sex

Family First NZ is shocked that a Bay of Plenty high school handed out complementary condoms to every student when they purchased their ball tickets.

“Te Puke High School handed out gift bags which included a condom and advice on safe sex. The underlying message to students is that the ball is not about a fun social occasion with their peers but about an expected opportunity to have sex,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ. “That is a foolish and dangerous message to be sending.”

“The condoms which were passed out by the student organisers were provided by the school nurse without parental notification or permission. The school is undermining the role and supervision of parents.”

Family First says that this case highlights the problem with the current parental notification laws whereby a teenager can get contraceptives, vaccines, or an abortion without parental notification.

A recent poll found extensive support for parental notification when their daughter is pregnant and considering, or is being advised to have, an abortion.

In response to the question “Should the law require parents to always be informed before-hand if their daughter who is under 16 is pregnant and wants to have an abortion?” 79% responded yes, only 12% said no, and 9% either didn’t know or refused to answer.

“While a parent has to sign a letter for their child to go on a school trip to the zoo or to play in the netball team, they are totally excluded from any knowledge or granting of permission for that same child to be put on the pill, have a vaccine, or have an abortion,” says Mr McCoskrie.

Family First is asking for the law to be amended to allow for parental notification in all cases of medical advice, prescriptions and procedures unless it can be proved to a family court that it would place the child at extreme risk.

ENDS

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