Principal stands by condom giveaways

By STUART DYE AND NZPA

A Waikato school has been giving complimentary condoms with ball tickets for the past six years - and its principal says it will do it again this year.

Martin Elliot, principal of Fraser High School in Hamilton, said students were always first told that saying "no" was the best contraceptive.

"But the reality is that this is a social occasion and we don't want to have graduates into our teen parent unit nine months later," he said.

Some parents of students at Edgewater College in Pakuranga were furious when their teenagers were handed condoms with ball tickets last week.

Principal Allan Vester described the giveaway as an "error of judgement" and asked students to return the contraceptives.

But Mr Elliot said it was a valid health initiative. Students not sexually active understood the condoms were not for them, but Fraser High was a school with a very strong and proactive health programme, he said.

"Our Year 12 and 13 students are 17 and 18 [years old] and their sexual health is a priority."

The move has been supported by Green MP Nandor Tanczos who said schools should be commended not condemned for condom initiatives.

"Some people seem to think that the best way to avoid teenage pregnancy is simply not to talk about it."

But some Waikato principals do not agree with Fraser High's stance.

St Paul's Collegiate principal Greg Fenton said sexual safety was important but handing out condoms was not appropriate.

Ally Gibbons, Sacred Heart Girls College principal, said the school would not entertain the idea.

Morrinsville College principal John Inger said handing out condoms with ball tickets "would certainly not happen" there.

Matamata College principal Glenn Rowsell did not think it was appropriate either.