Editor’s note: This is the sixth in a multi-part series on the impact of your vote for School Board Candidates, an OAA Voter Education Project

Times have changed since the days of having a school nurse in a small room near the school office. She would typically provide band aids when needed and call parents if a child was feeling ill. She was probably also responsible for eye checks and so on. These days many schools have doctors and counseling offices at the school. According to the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) School Based Health Centers (SBHC) have existed in Oregon since 1986 and there are currently 81 operating centers. Centers are located on school property to provide easy student access. Appointments are encouraged, but not required.

OHA suggests the purpose of SBHCs is to provide a wide range of primary medical care and mental health services for all students regardless of insurance status. Convenience is also listed as a benefit. Parents miss less work and students miss less school when they don’t have to take the time to drive across town for an appointment.

Having a health center on school grounds may save money and be convenient, but Oregon consent laws are creating concerns for many parents. Their children can go to the health center for various services without their knowledge.

Roseburg High School has a student health center through Aviva Health. On their consent form they cite the current Oregon age of consent law: “Privacy and authorization to give consent for treatment: According to Oregon Law (ORS 109.610, ORS 109.640, ORS 109.675), a student age 15 may give consent for any medical or surgical treatment; age 14 may give consent for mental health treatment; and a student of any age may give consent for treatment of sexually transmitted disease and birth control. The Federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) may restrict a parent/guardian’s access to a student’s medical records without permission by the student."

Having SBHC’s so easily accessible, a 15-year-old student can walk down the school hall and be seen by a doctor, diagnosed, and treated and then return to class without parents knowing anything about it. A 14-year-old might see a counselor during lunch hour and get advice that parents might not agree with.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

If parents are concerned now, consent laws are likely to become even more extreme very soon. There is currently a bill (HB 2002) in the legislature that is on the fast track to being passed. If this bill is signed into law, it will enable minors of any age to receive reproductive services (i.e., emergency contraception and medication abortion) without the consent or knowledge of their parents. When the legal counsel was questioned regarding this bill, she confirmed that it also makes provision for students of any age to receive gender-affirming care. Parents will only be notified and involved in their child’s care if the minor authorizes the disclosure in writing.

Representative Jami Cate (R-Lebanon) states “HB 2002 allows a child to bypass parental consent for "gender affirming care" at any age, and above 15 years for sex-altering surgeries. Keep in mind, a child needs parental authorization in Oregon to get their ears pierced or a tattoo under the age of 18.” 

Representative Ed Diehl (R-Turner) said, "I received confirmation this week from Legislative Legal Council that House Bill 2002 specifically exludes detransition treatments from insurance coverage. With this bill, Medicaid and private insurance are mandated to cover treatments when your “gender identity” and sex don’t align. But, if you believe you have made a mistake and want a procedure to align with your sex, coverage will not be mandated. The wording in the bill is intentional." Fox News reported on Oregon's extreme bill.

Getting cold medicine at a school health center probably has little consequence, but getting an abortion or starting gender-affirming care are very serious matters. The consequences of which will stay with them for the rest of their life. Children are not mature enough to reason and make life-altering decisions on their own, so they naturally turn to adults for guidance. SBHCs make it easy for youth to turn to people that may not have their best interests at heart.

To codify the issues in HB 2002 and services provided at SBHCs, the legislature wants voters to amend the Oregon Constitution to provide protections for abortion, gender affirming care, as well as same-sex marriage. SJR 33 guarantees equality of rights that cannot be denied or abridged of equal rights by any law, policy or action that discriminates, in intent or effect, based on health decisions for pregnancy outcomes, gender identity, sexual orientation, or gender, giving the legislature the power to enforce.

Parents have the responsibility and right to make decisions that they feel are best for their children and across the state they are demanding involvement and are looking to school boards to listen to their concerns and represent them.

Oregon Abigail Adams Voter Education Project lists the candidates and those responding to the survey on their website.


--Wendy Frome

Post Date: 2023-04-30 12:12:11

Last Update: 2023-04-30 20:26:07