Texas High School Newspaper Prints Planned Parenthood Promotional
by Paul Nowak
LifeNews.com Staff Writer
June 9, 2004
College Station, TX (LifeNews.com) — A high school newspaper in Texas published a story about Planned Parenthood that pro-life groups are calling a taxpayer-funded promotion of the abortion business to teens.
The May 14 edition of "The Roar," the newspaper of A&M Consolidated High School, ran an article by the paper’s senior editor in the news section promoting the local Planned Parenthood abortion facility.
The biased article, which only included quotes from Planned Parenthood staff, officials, board members and A&M faculty supporting the business, included misinformation about the facility and frank admissions of Planned Parenthood staff helping students violate Texas’ parental notification law.
"Planned Parenthood is completely private, the doctors don’t even call the family doctor with the information they have been given," Diana DeFrancesco, a parenting class teacher at the high school, is quoted as saying in the article.
The article ads that "many of DeFrancesco’s students go to Planned Parenthood," and that "visits to to Planned Parenthood are kept in confidence by the staff," despite Texas law requiring 48 hours notice to parents before abortion procedures.
But the glaring journalistic bias in the article goes so far as to report false information, including the statement that the local facility provides colonoscopies, which Brazos Valley Coalition for Life reports it does not.
The article also says the facility offers a "wealth of experience, as well as medical expertise," while failing to mention that the clinic does not have an on-site physician on staff, except an abortionist from out of town. Additionally, Debbie McCall, manager of the local facility, said that "we try to talk women out of them [abortions], not into them," despite the Bryan facility performing 2,130 abortions since 1999.
The Brazos Valley Coalition for Life also reported that the school confirmed the newspaper is partially funded by tax dollars.
"I’m offended that a public school in Texas is using my taxes to promote Planned Parenthood, the state’s largest abortion provider, especially among a very vulnerable population of high school girls," said Joe Pojman, executive director of the Texas Alliance for Life.
"Students should be outraged that America’s largest abortion provider is unapologetically promoted by their newspaper editor," added Elizabeth Graham, executive director of Texas Right to Life told LifeNews.com. "The editor has clouded the truth about Planned Parenthood’s service to the community. Planned Parenthood preys on young, vulnerable girls.
"The article itself notes that all services are provided confidentially to girls under 17 without notifying the parents or doctor of the girl," Graham said. "A girl may be receiving medicine or services against the knowledge and wishes of her parents, therefore widening the gap rather than strengthening families."
David Bereit, Executive Director of the Coalition for Life said fault lay with school district officials.
"Frankly, the leadership of the College Station school district must be held accountable for allowing the nation’s largest abortion operation to prey on our children," said Bereit. "It’s very concerning that any school district would allow Planned Parenthood to have access to children in the classroom, based on the organization’s obscene and immoral sex-ed materials and its aggressive promotion of abortions."
