Editor:
While six of nine hard-working Sweet Home School Board members were absent from last Thursday’s school-based health clinic presentation, I hope they will listen to the results of the meeting that are relayed to them.
Despite the suspiciously awkward timing of this critical meeting (there was no way that many concerned Sweet Home residents working day shifts out of town could make the 5:30 p.m. starting time nor could others curtail their June family vacation plans to attend this 11th-hour presentation) a good number of residents did show and voice their strong opposition to this attempt to further erode parental rights regarding their children and grandchildren.
Oregon parents were stripped of their rights to make decisions for their minor children when parental consent laws were overturned under former Democratic Gov. Barbara Roberts. Since that time, Oregon law has allowed 15-year-old minors to obtain birth control procedures, including abortion, without parental notification or consent.
While passionate clinic advocates worked hard to assure concerned Sweet Home residents that their intentions were noble in proposing this school-based health clinic and that they were even willing to enter a binding agreement that such “reproductive services” would not be offered on site, the gist of their message was, “Trust us. The things you fear won’t happen here.”
Sorry folks. Even if we did trust your intentions, Oregon law mandates that you must at the very minimum refer confused teenagers to agencies that do provide these services, which include abortion.
If my teen daughter or granddaughter gets pregnant, I want her to talk to her parents first, not some influential health care worker whose values I don’t know and who is sanctioned by the state of Oregon to operate behind my back.
In 12 short days, Sweet Home residents will have their only opportunity to stop this insidious attempt to further erode parental control of their minor children by speaking their mind at the July 10, 7 p.m., Sweet Home School Board meeting.
If concerned residents, parents and grandparents value their remaining parental rights, they’d better show and make their voices heard. The deadline for approving or denying this clinic is July 17.
Surprised at the suddenness of the closing date? So was I.
Dave Redick
Sweet Home