WASHINGTON, DC— Did your son or daughter purchase a 2003-2004 high school yearbook? Most children long to have year books so they will have a record of their high school years. But imagine the surprise of Warren County, Virginia, parents who read the results of a poll conducted among their children that featured questions about their sexual behavior—all published in their high school yearbook, Mirror, which a person will keep for a lifetime.

According to the “survey,” 55 percent of the student body was sexually active. The definition of “sexually active” was left to each individual student to determine. The poll showed that 47 percent of “sexually active” students “do not practice safe sex all the time.”

Warren County High School took this opportunity to implant some Planned Parenthood statistics into the heads of its students. For example, the Mirror includes the following text, which was linked to the “do not practice safe sex” question: “Something to think about…one out of every four new STD infections occurs in teenagers. That’s 3 million a year who get an STD!” It was also noted that, “HPV, herpes, and syphilis are all STD’s that can be contracted even if a condom is used!”

The statistics regarding sexual behavior noted above, found on page seven of the yearbook, were repeated on page 20, except in greater detail. Another question asked for page 20 was, “Do you believe in premarital sex?” Only 22 percent of students answered “no.” Clearly, the leadership at Warren County Public Schools believes it is somehow useful to place such unscientific statistics in the yearbook for all to read. Other questions concerned drug use.

“It is unconscionable that high school employees would take it upon themselves to poll students on such matters without parental notification or consent,” said Thomas Strobhar, chairman of Life Decisions International (LDI). “And it is utterly appalling that Warren County Public Schools would print such trash in its yearbook. What were these people thinking? What was their agenda?” Strobhar said that printing such “trash” in a school newspaper would have been bad enough, but publishing it in the yearbook was “flatly unintelligent.”

Strobhar urged people to contact Warren County Public Schools to express their outrage. “Regardless of where you live, let the principal at Warren County High School and the Warren County School Board know that you are aware of the decision to allow the ‘survey’ to be taken and placed in the student yearbook, and that as an American taxpayer you are appalled.” Stobhar said that if school personnel receive a strong negative reaction, it could help to assure that the incident is not repeated—in Warren County or elsewhere.

CONTACT: Mrs. Melinda Calhoun, Principal, Warren County High School, 240 Luray Ave., Front Royal, VA 22630-2520. Phone: (540) 635-4144; Ms. Kimberly M. Athey, Chairman, Warren County School Board, 417 Viscose Ave., Front Royal, VA 22630. Phone: (540) 635-1737 or (540) 635-2123; and Dr. Pamela M. McInnis, Superintendent, Warren County Public Schools, 210 N. Commerce Ave., Front Royal, VA 22630. Phone: (540) 635-2171. E-Mail: pmcinnis@wcps.k12.va.us.