Local News in Brief : Student Health Survey
Santa Monica and Malibu high school students will be asked to take part in a health survey in May, despite objections of a small but vocal group of parents.
The Santa Monica-Malibu Board of Education unanimously approved the voluntary health survey for students in grades 9 through 12, with a provision requiring that each student bring a written permission slip signed by parents.
The 10-page survey contains questions ranging from how many cigarettes a student smokes in a day to how many times the student has had sexual intercourse. The survey also asks about drug and alcohol abuse, eating habits and medical history.
The decision to approve the survey ended a two-month debate, during which some parents complained that district officials would use the survey to justify the creation of a school-based health clinic to promote birth control.
But the district’s Community Health Advisory Council, a group of about 50 parents and health professionals, overwhelmingly approved the survey.
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