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SF Officials Consider Plan To Give Condoms To Middle School Students

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- The San Francisco Unified School District is stirring up controversy with a proposed plan to distribute condoms at middle schools.

The policy change was introduced as part of an overall effort by the San Francisco Unified School District to further prevent sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy among minors. A board committee is scheduled to discuss the proposal Monday.

Kids as young as 12 could soon be getting their hands on condoms at school. It's already going on in many high schools nationwide, but in San Francisco, the practice will start with even younger students.

"We decided that it was time to expand the conversation to our middle schools," said SFUSD Director of Safety and Wellness Kevin Gogin.

The San Francisco Unified School District includes more than 10,000 students in grades 6 through 8. Before getting a condom, the student would meet face-to-face with a counselor or nurse.

"They will be able to determine if a student is ready and able to enter into the next step of a relationship which would include sexuality," said Gogin.

When asked if he thought it was feasible for a 12-year-old would fall into that category, Gogin replied, "Well, feasibly, certainly for 5 percent of our student, it's happening."

The district says the chance to educate the kids drives the numbers down. 26 percent of San Francisco high school students admit to being sexually active in an anonymous survey. The national average is 47 percent.

"As far as passing out condoms at school, I would not be a fan of that," said Erika, a San Francisco parent who declined to give her last name.

"I don't like that idea," said Kim Nguyen, another SF parent. "That would be a distraction and that's not a teacher's job."

A common sentiment among parents, but state law prohibits them from stopping it or even being notified.

It is a brave new world. The Forbes website recently reported on artist Maritza Lugo partnering with writer and sexual education speaker Danielle Sepulveres on a series of illustrations featuring the likenesses of Disney princesses going to the OBGYN to be tested for STDs.

Disney Princesses being tested for STDs
Artist looks to raise awareness with Disney Princess illustrations (Maritza Lugo)

The illustrations were intended to raise awareness for Cervical Cancer Awareness Month.

"I would hope to be the first to discuss that with my girls, but that's on the parents," said Erika.

The district says if parents don't, someone else will.

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