School district rethinks policies on CU panels
Complaints were made after a Conference on World Affairs panel at Boulder High last month on teen sex and drug use.
By John Ingold Denver Post Staff Writer
Article Last Updated: 05/16/2007 01:43:32 AM MDT
Boulder - School officials here are re-evaluating their policies for allowing panels from the University of Colorado's Conference on World Affairs to be held at Boulder High School, after a parent and a student complained that a panel about teen sex and drug use was too graphic and permissive in tone.
The controversy stems from an April panel called "STDs: Sex, Teens and Drugs." The discussion was dotted with frank talk and provocative comments about sex and drugs.
"I'm going to encourage you to have sex, and I'm going to encourage you to use drugs appropriately," panelist Joel Becker, a Los Angeles clinical psychologist, told the students. "And why I am going to take that position is because you're going to do it anyway."
But the panelists also encouraged the students to be responsible, to be educated and to make good choices.
"This is about thinking about the choices you're making today and how they're going to affect you over the long haul," said Andee Gerhardt, a community-engagement leader with Ernst and Young.
Board president halts excerpts
Boulder High sophomore Daphne White and her mother, Priscilla, complained to the Boulder Valley school board last week about the panel, saying that the high school should not host events that tell students it is OK to use drugs and have sex.
"The panel discussion was a completely irresponsible and dangerous invitation to Boulder High students to have sex and take drugs," Daphne told the board.
At one point, school board president Helayne Jones told Priscilla White to stop reading excerpts from the panel discussion because the language was inappropriate for the meeting.
"But it was at Boulder High School," Priscilla White responded. "If they can listen to it, I think you can listen to it."
Board members agreed some of the language was inappropriate and asked officials to investigate.
School district spokesman Briggs Gamblin said that as a result of the controversy, Boulder High will no longer require students to attend the panel discussions and will more carefully vet the panels. As of now, Gamblin said, the high school intends to continue hosting the panel discussions every spring.
"We think the overall message was one of being positive and healthy in your choices and taking personal responsibility for not making choices until you are ready to make them," Gamblin said.
"Responsibility ... to be candid"
Conference on World Affairs director Jim Palmer said Boulder High students and a representative from the school choose the topics each year and help choose the panelists.
He said none of the panelists told the students they should or shouldn't use drugs or have sex. Rather, he said, the panelists told students to make decisions that are appropriate for them and to know the consequences.
"When you're talking to high school students about these issues," Palmer said, "I think there is a responsibility on the part of adults to be informed and to be candid."
Students Encouraged to do drugs, have sex at Boulder High
Author