ACLJ: More Than 30,000 Americans Sign Petition Demanding ME School Dist. Remove Policy to Distribute Prescription Contraceptives

(Washington, DC) -- The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), which specializes in constitutional law, said today more than 30,000 people nationwide have signed on to a petition urging a Maine school district to change its policy to distribute prescription contraceptives to students as young as 11 without parental knowledge or consent.  Earlier this week, the ACLJ sent a letter to Portland school officials demanding that the policy be changed or face legal action.  The Portland School Committee took public comments about the policy at its meeting Wednesday evening.  The ACLJs state legal director, Steve Whiting, attended that meeting.

We have heard from tens of thousands of Americans including Maine residents who find this policy extremely troubling a policy that must be removed, said Jay Sekulow, Chief Counsel of the ACLJ, which has heard from Maine parents and residents outraged by the decision.  This policy clearly usurps parental rights and violates state law.  The school district has a window of opportunity to correct this problematic policy.  If that does not happen, the ACLJ will not hesitate to bring a lawsuit on behalf of concerned parents to get this policy removed.

The ACLJ says it has received more than 30,000 signatures from Americans nationwide who are calling on school officials to change the policy.  The Petition to Protect Children is online.

The ACLJ sent a letter to the Portland, ME School Committee regarding a new policy in place at King Middle School.  The policy clears the way for the school to administer prescription contraceptives including birth-control pills and patches to students between the ages of 11 and 15 without the consent of parents.

In its letter, the ACLJ contends in addition to promoting a flawed policy that provides prescription contraceptives to young students without the knowledge of parents, the Committee is violating Maine law by not reporting all illegal sexual activity involving children 13 years old or younger. 

The ACLJ letter states:   The failure of health center personnel to report all instances of sexual activity involving young children endangers the safety of those children and must be corrected. Moreover, the Committees decision to offer prescription birth control to children as young as 11 years old tramples upon parental rights and has the effect of promoting illegal sexual activity.

Calling the policy deeply troubling, the ACLJ contends the Committee is not only fostering criminal activity and child abuse, but is usurping parental authority and subjecting children to all kinds of health risks as well.   The ACLJ urges the Committee to put an end to this illegal activity, or the ACLJ will assist parents in bringing legal action against the Committee.

The ACLJ told the Committee it is sending the letter on behalf of Portland parents who have contacted the organization and on behalf of thousands of ACLJ members in Maine and throughout the country who have expressed their outrage and disgust over the Committees usurpation of parental responsibility to protect the health and morality of their children.

Led by Chief Counsel Jay Sekulow, the American Center for Law and Justice specializes in constitutional law.  The ACLJ is based in Washington, D.C.