Condom distribution may stir local controversies
Awareness group to visit several colleges
While they know it may stir up some controversy, representatives from AIDS awareness group Bethany Place plans to pass out more than 6,000 condoms at metro-east colleges next week but not at Southwestern Illinois College.
The giveaway is part of the observance of National Condom Week, according to Katie Barnhart, the Bethany Place community prevention and education coordinator. She said the message is too important not to get out.
"The idea is to get awareness up so people know how to protect themselves," Barnhart said. "The idea was to do five colleges in the five week days because a college campus is a great place to find young single people who are most likely to be sexually active and in need of hearing our message."
McKendree University, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Lewis and Clark College and Kaskaskia College agreed to host an safe sex awareness program and the condom giveaway. Southwestern Illinois College approved the group's request to have a table with information about safe sex. But school leaders shot down the request to pass out condoms.
"While Southwestern Illinois College was happy to approve a recent Bethany Place request for that group to set up an information table promoting safe sex on Valentine's Day, which is also National Condom Awareness Day," said SWIC spokesman Mike Fleming. "The college respectfully chose not to allow simultaneous distribution of free condoms. On this occasion and historically if and when we've been asked, we have always declined because we do not see it as a community college charge."
Fleming said "There are likely more appropriate distribution alternatives" than passing out condoms at the college.
"We do not think it is in the best interest of our diverse-taxpayer community to potentially offend any individuals or groups who might question such participation," Fleming said.
McKendree organizer Tami Eggleston, an associate professor of psychology at the school, said she is trying to keep things tasteful and informative at the same time.
"We'll have experts in to talk to people and we'll also have some students making presentations and talk about staying safe." Eggleston said. "Next week is also sexual responsibility week, so this is not all just about condoms. It's also about responsibility. And part of sexual responsibility is making smart decisions."
SOURCE: Scott Wuerz, bnd.com
While they know it may stir up some controversy, representatives from AIDS awareness group Bethany Place plans to pass out more than 6,000 condoms at metro-east colleges next week but not at Southwestern Illinois College.
The giveaway is part of the observance of National Condom Week, according to Katie Barnhart, the Bethany Place community prevention and education coordinator. She said the message is too important not to get out.
"The idea is to get awareness up so people know how to protect themselves," Barnhart said. "The idea was to do five colleges in the five week days because a college campus is a great place to find young single people who are most likely to be sexually active and in need of hearing our message."
McKendree University, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Lewis and Clark College and Kaskaskia College agreed to host an safe sex awareness program and the condom giveaway. Southwestern Illinois College approved the group's request to have a table with information about safe sex. But school leaders shot down the request to pass out condoms.
"While Southwestern Illinois College was happy to approve a recent Bethany Place request for that group to set up an information table promoting safe sex on Valentine's Day, which is also National Condom Awareness Day," said SWIC spokesman Mike Fleming. "The college respectfully chose not to allow simultaneous distribution of free condoms. On this occasion and historically if and when we've been asked, we have always declined because we do not see it as a community college charge."
Fleming said "There are likely more appropriate distribution alternatives" than passing out condoms at the college.
"We do not think it is in the best interest of our diverse-taxpayer community to potentially offend any individuals or groups who might question such participation," Fleming said.
McKendree organizer Tami Eggleston, an associate professor of psychology at the school, said she is trying to keep things tasteful and informative at the same time.
"We'll have experts in to talk to people and we'll also have some students making presentations and talk about staying safe." Eggleston said. "Next week is also sexual responsibility week, so this is not all just about condoms. It's also about responsibility. And part of sexual responsibility is making smart decisions."
SOURCE: Scott Wuerz, bnd.com
Labels: condoms, national condom week, news, safe sex
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