Condoms condemned at public meeting But others support installation of machines in NV high schools CONDOM MACHINES in North Vancouver secondary schoois will increase teenage sexual promiscuity, pregnan- cies and abortions, venereal diseases, the North Board was told Tuesday. But in an opposing viewpoint, trustees were told that children are sexually active at an ever earlier age, regardless of what their parents tell them, and that con- doms in schools are the best way to reduce the risk of kids dying from AIDS. In a four-hour-long public hear- ing attended by more than 100 people, trustees heard 24 presenta- tions from individuals and groups opposed to condom machines, but only three from persons in favor. and help spread AIDS and other Vancouver District 44 School By Patrick Raynard Contributing Writer the parents.” Krahn also presented a letter from Vancouver’s Dr. Robert Chan, who states that condoms may break or be defective and that they may slip off during in- tercourse. Chan wrote, in addition, that “it is extremely difficult for a person to use condoms persistently and consistently with every inter- i NEWS photo Stuart Di CAPTAIN CONDOM makes an appearance at the Lucas Centre during Dr. Brian O'Connor’s submission before the board. More than 190 people attended the four-hour public meeting on whether condom machines should be installed in North Van- couver schools. Condom-dispensing machines wil! be installed in bath boys’ and girls’ washrooms in all North Van- couver public secondary schools hy next September if the board votes on May 28 to go ahead with -the plan. Dr. Antoinette Parsons, repre- senting Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Parish, was the first of many speakers who said that the only completely safe sexual prac- tice is abstinence before marriage, and that condom machines would hasten young peoples’ surrender to destructive peer pressure. Noelle Geary likened the con- doms issue to smoking, reminding trustees that Balmoral Junior Sec- ondary saw a massive increase in teen smoking after the school decided to allow a ‘‘smoke pit’’ in 1969. Geary also stated that, in Canada, 43% of unplanned pregnancies happen to people us- ing birth control and that half of these pregnancies end in abortion. Peter Krahn of the in- ter-denominational North Shore group called Concerned Citizens for Education presented the board with a 400-signature petition op- posing condoms in schools, and reminded trustees that the provin- cial Family Life Education cur- riculum does not give schools the right to ignore or oppose the “authority, views and values of H Automotives........... 33 Wd Classified Ads.......... 39 BEcoinfo............... 27 M Home & Garden....... 13 course.’’ Secondary teacher Matt Clarke told the meeting that condom machines would give the message that “‘normal’’*kids are sexually ac- tive. But, Clarke argued, ‘‘public schools must not teach students value systems or morality which contradict or sabotage the values their most significant teachers, their parents or guardians, wish to teach them.”’ Dr. Bertha Brisco, a mether of five who has been practising med- icine on the North Shore for 20 years, told the meeting that con- doms are not the answer because surveys show that the vast majori- ty of young people do not use condoms anyway, even when they are readily available, and those who use condoms only do so ir- regularly. Several students also made presentations to the board, among them Shastine Hudson and Colin - Hall and recent school district graduates Kelly Robertson and Hudson’s sister Natalie. Shastine Hudson, 15, said she is “shocked”? at the thought of con- dom machines in schools because these would encourage teen sex which leaves people broken and emotionally scarred. “Abstinence is good for us because it encourages responsibili- ty, self-discipline and most cer- index ® Kids’ Stuff ......0..... 22 & Mailbox .............. 7 @ Paul St. Pierre ......... 9 B What's Going On ...... 30 Second Class Registration Number 388°; a NORTH VANCOUVER SCHOOL BOARD tainly builds self-esteem, which is so lacking in young people to- day,’’ Hudson said. Hall, a Grade 11 student at Argyle Secondary, said his genera- tion is ‘looking for a sense of purpose, love and acceptance ... but this doesn’t have to be fulfill- ed through indiscriminate sex’’ which would be encouraged by condom machines. Focus on the Family spokesman Mel Bryan reminded the meeting that the schooi district’s Learning for Living Advisory Committee had recently recommended that condom machines be instaiied, a decision he felt was ‘‘disgraceful.”* “This kind of left-wing teaching is filling kids with the idea that ‘if it feels good, do it,’ ’’ Bryan said, adding that at least one of the pro-condom films being used in family life education in Canada today is practically ‘ta homosexual recruitment film.”’ North Shore medical health of- ficer Dr. Brian O’Connor, speak- ing in favor of condom machines, asked, ‘‘What do we propose to do with the young people who of their own free will choose to become sexually active?’’ O’Connor pointed out that, by Grade II, 50% of students have experienced sexual intercourse, “and much of that with multiple partners.”” He said that schools are the best places to make condoms available because schools are the ‘‘place of work" for youth and provide kids with a ‘‘non-threatening at- mosphere.’” Janie Robinson, a nurse and mother whose letters to both North Shore school boards started the condom controversy last December, agreed that abstinence must be taught but that young people who choose to become sexually active anyway must be given all possible means to protect them against fatal diseases. Robinson quoted from the 1988 Canada Youth and AIDS study which found that, of Grade 9 stu- dents in B.C., 24% are sexually active. “We must arm the youth of our community with knowledge and protection and trust them to make the right decisions,’’ she said. Choices for Life spokesman Belinda Geraghty, a youth court worker in North Vancouver, in- sisted that condom machines are “*not a moral issue, but a health issue.’’ Geraghty emphasized that her work exposed her to the muny North Share youth who do not come from stable, loving homes and that condoms are essential to saving these children’s lives. “In fact, | deal with a lot of 12- to 18-year-old kids from excellent parents with strong mora! codes, and these parents are devastated when they see how their kids have changed. Kids will be sexually ac- tive, and though we know con- doms are not infallible, we must prevent the spread of AIDS as well as we can.”’ Weather Saturday and Sunday, mostly sunny. Highs 18°C, lows 6°C. Frigay, May 10, 1991 - North St.ore News - 3 NEWS photo Cindy Goodman PETER BRICK of Sussex Realty will be out with his colleagues over the Mother's Day weekend soliciting funds for the Multi- ple Sclerosis Society. Members of the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver have supported the MS Carnation Cam- ,paign since 1978, raising a total of over $600,000 during that itime. TUESDAY’S PUBLIC forum on the controver- sial issue of installing condom machines in North Vancouver sec- ondary schools heard primarily from a_ highly organized lobby against installation and not from youth and youth ad- vocates who will be most affected by the decision, according to’a communi- ty health nurse who at- tended the North Van- couver District 44 School Board meeting. By Elizabeth Collings News Reporter “To owas extremely saddened and disturbed by the whole process,’’ said Joan Rousseau, a nurse at North Shore Health and a mother of two children. She characterized the selec- tion process for the forum’s oral presentations — which was ona first-come first-served basis —~ as arbitrary and already stacked against condom machines. According to Rousseau, many of Tuesday’s presenters opposed to condom machine installation had already given presentations at the March 25 West Vancouver District 45 School Board condom forum and were subsequently able to get their submissions to the North Vancouver Schoof Board as soon as the public forum was announced. Rousseau and at least two others in favor of installing condom machines in local high schools submitted their pres- entations by the deadline but were not aware of the selection criteria. They were not selected to make presentations. “dT think this is very political. If there is a public forum, the Speaker selection at condom forum attacked criteria for choosing (pres- entations) should be spelled out,’’ said Rousseau. As a result of the selection Process, Rousseau said the Presentations made at the meeting were not representat- ional of the community. But North Vancouver school board chairman Marg Jessup said there was ‘‘nothing delib- erate’’ in the selection of the briefs and all briefs will be tead by the school trustees. ‘We're not going to count up the votes of those who were for and those who were against,’’ Jessup said. ‘We'll make our own decision — we must, that’s what we’re elected for.”” She added that the school board is not obliged by law to hold public meetings but set up the forum as a courtesy to those who wanted to be heard on the controversial issue. According to Rousseau, three members of one family and two of another family were selected to give oral pres- entations. In addition, three of the four presentations made for the machines came from West Vancouver residents. The only other pro-condom machine presentation was made by Dr. Brian O’Connor, North Shore Health’s medical health officer. Twenty-three submissions were heard in total. Meanwhile, a large group of young people, including ap- proximately 30 parenting teens, were present at the forum but did not speak. Rousseau, who teaches the family life program in North Shore schools, added that many of the presenters were “out of touch" with youth. “My concern is that we have AIDS on the North Shore and we're sull sticking our heads in the sand," she said. Jessup suggested that Rousseau may be able to speak to the board after a regular board meeting if she still wants to make a presentation.