California School District Wants to Cover Up Secret teen Pregnancy Test Incident
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
December 16, 2009
Nevada City, CA (LifeNews.com) — A California school district that received national condemnation when it pulled a 12-year-old girl out of class for a pregnancy test without her parents’ knowledge or consent is trying to hush up details of the incident.
The district in Northern California has become so alarmed by media interest in a right to privacy lawsuit that it is now asking the court to order opposing attorneys not to talk to the media about the case.
The lawsuit is brought on behalf of a 12-year-old student in Nevada City who was allegedly pulled out of class and forced to take a pregnancy test by a school counselor.
Other students at Seven Hills Middle School in Nevada City have confirmed that, last spring, the girl was forced to take the pregnancy test.
Following a public hearing, the minor’s attorney, Matthew McReynolds of Pacific Justice Institute, a pro-life legal group, responded to questions from a local newspaper reporter who was present.
McReynolds explained the proceedings and informed the reporter that a recent deposition of another student had confirmed his client’s story.
The school district is now claiming it cannot get a fair trial unless the court prevents PJI attorneys from talking to the media.
The court will hold a hearing on the school district’s request tomorrow in Dept. 4 of the Nevada County Superior Court in Nevada City.
"It is ironic that a school district accused of violating a student’s privacy rights is now taking extraordinary steps to shield itself from negative publicity," McReynolds told LifeNews.com today.
"Our nation has a long and important tradition of full media access to court proceedings, and attorneys have strong First Amendment rights to respond to press inquiries on behalf of their clients," he said.
Brad Dacus, president of Pacific Justice Institute, also weighed in on the latest developments.
"Free speech and freedom of the press are too important to be subjected to the whims of a governmental entity seeking to avoid public scrutiny," he said.
"In advancing the cause of religious and civil rights, we have certainly experienced all types of media coverage over the years. Regardless of whether we like or dislike a particular news article, the public is not served by cloaking legal proceedings in a veil of silence, particularly in a civil case," Dacus added.
Depositions in the case indicate the girl was in the school office on the day of the incident, and that the counselor announced to her that he had tested C.R., her initials, and she was not pregnant.
C.R. and the classmate being deposed are no longer friends. There is evidence in the case that another student at the school was also given a pregnancy test, PJI says.
Related web sites:
Pacific Justice Institute – https://www.pacificjustice.org
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