Officials: Only one pupil has used controversial contraceptives service

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — For all the firestorm surrounding the decision to make prescription contraceptives available at King Middle School, only one girl has used the service in the six months since the program began, officials say.

Last fall, administrators said they anticipated that only a handful of older middle- schoolers would use the service, even though it was open to all pupils enrolled in the clinic, including those as young as 11.

As of Thursday, the only pupil to obtain a prescription for contraceptives was a 14-year-old girl, the city reported in response to a Freedom of Access request from The Associated Press.

“If it helps one student who otherwise might be in a position of being at risk, then it’s worth it,” said Lisa Belanger, who oversees Portland’s pupil health centers.

The School Committee’s 7-2 vote made King, which enrolls about 500 pupils, the state’s only middle school to provide a full range of prescription contraceptives.

One concern was that pupils who have their parents’ permission to use King Middle School’s city-run health clinic could receive contraceptives without their parents’ knowledge. Under Maine law, mental health, substance abuse and reproductive health issues are confidential.

Local parents have remained supportive of the program, however, and the number of kids with permission to use the clinic is largely unchanged, Principal Michael McCarthy said.