Spartanburg District 7's School Board will vote Tuesday night to decide whether to allow all sixth grade students in the District to participate in a free immunization program provided by The Duke Endowment.

  In the fall, a pilot program was offered at Mary Wright and Cleveland Elementary schools. Twenty-eight students took advantage of  the immunizations after their parents attended informational sessions. Nine of the students were girls who received the HPV vaccine. Story says since then, two principals have asked if the program could be offered to sixth-grade students throughout the District. Tonight the Board will vote on that possibility before asking The Duke Endowment if more funding is possible.

                 Concerned community member Rubye Calhoun says her children graduated from District 7.  In November, she expressed concerns about the vaccine at a board meeting. She worries that parents won’t educate themselves before taking advantage of a free service. "If it's that good, I'm wondering why it's not being given everywhere at this point,” says Calhoun.   Since the vaccine against HPV only received FDA approval in June 2006, she believes more research is needed. Calhoun just wants parents to make sure they educate themselves about the facts. She says she is glad to learn the District is making information available to parents.

 

Spartanburg District 7:   Board meeting: Tuesday, May 6, 2008, 6 pm, Board Room, Administration Building: 610 Dupre Drive Spartanburg, SC 29307