Catholic School Gets City to Take Down Massive Condom Billboard

LifeSiteNews.com ^ | August 13, 2007 | Elizabeth O'Brien

[monomaniac]

Catholic School Gets City to Take Down Massive Condom Billboard

By Elizabeth O'Brien

DORCHESTER, MA, August 13, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The administrators of a Catholic school have successfully demanded the city to remove an enormous condom billboard plastered directly within view of school classrooms, the Boston Herald Reports.

The enormous advertisement is a picture of two hands holding a condom with the question, "Are you using?" Underneath the picture is written in smaller letters, "I am. Use a condom. Know your HIV status. Call for a free test." It then lists the AIDS Action Hotline number. "The Boston Public Health Commission" is printed at the bottom.

Kim Mahoney, vice principal of St. Kevin Elementary School, stated in the Herald, "I just don't think it's appropriate."

"We're instilling good Catholic values even though all our students are not Catholic," Mahoney said. "I don't feel that at this age it's appropriate to be throwing that out at them to see everyday-especially when they're sitting in religion classes."

The billboard was part of a $100,000 safe-sex campaign that the Boston Public Health Commission launched during gay pride week this June. The initiative included advertisements in public stations and on buses.

The poster outside of St. Kevin's was put up early this summer while children were still in school. Students from Grades 5 to 8 are able to see the advertisement from the classroom window each day. "Students can look right out at it while they are sitting at their desks," said Mahoney.

Outraged by the enormous billboard, Catholic teachers and administrators from St. Kevin's contacted Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino and complained. Vice principal Mahoney also contacted Boston representative Marie St. Fleur, who in turn told The Public Health Commission that the placement of the billboard near a Catholic school was "inappropriate."

The Herald reports that both the Commission and the Mayor pledged that the billboard would be taken down before children return to school in September. It is set to be dismantled next week.

To contact the school:

St. Kevin's Elementary School
Mailing Address: 516 Columbia Rd
Dorchester, MA 02125
Phone: (617) 825-3883

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[gondramB]

Seems like a waste of effort. That billboard doesn’t do much more than raise awareness of condoms. This is a good thing if people are having sex and not an issue if they are not having sex.

[Luke Skyfreeper]

Morons.

[YCTHouston]

So it’s the city’s job to use tax dollard to tell people how to have sex?

[Kellis91789]

[... raise awareness of condoms. This is a good thing if people are having sex and not an issue if they are not having sex.]

The Catholic church opposes the use of condoms for any purpose. Even for prevention of spreading AIDS or STDs.

This appears to be a thinly veiled attempt by a religious organization to interfere with public policy by reducing the awareness of condoms. This is a slippery slope. Do we want some Muslim school dictating that nothing which violates their crackpot sharia law be visible from their school rooms ?

[Kellis91789]

No, but do you think the Catholic school’s position would be any different if it was an advertisement paid for by a condom manufacturer ? Or a charity for AIDS prevention ?

[YCTHouston]

Allow me to display my extreme insensitivity for AIDS charities.

Though it may depend on the content of the message delivery, I really don’t think it’s appropriate for billboards. Parents shouldn’t have to explain to their kids what that thing on the billboard is. They don’t advertise on sitcoms or cartoons either (yet). For good reason.

And yes, any business should also consider a reasonable request from a school or church or citizen that is directly impacted by the placement of their advertising.

I realize most FR posters care about protecting the rights of Churches and children right up until the word “Catholic” appears, but the hypocrisy of conservatives defending a condoms campaign simply because it’s an excuse to make fun of Catholics should be obvious.

[Kellis91789]

I didn’t make fun of Catholics. Notice I posted that we’d be just as upset if a Muslim school were to try to dictate what was visible from their schools — say a billboard advertising pork products.

And I don’t know about you, but when I was in school, the lower portion of the windows in the classrooms were tinted very dark specifically so students wouldn’t be distracted by anything outside. If a school wants to insulate its students from outside influences, then they have options other than trying to extend their control onto others’ property. If the billboard were a mile away but ten times the size, the school would face the same issue. Should their desires apply to property a mile away ?

[N3WBI3]

This appears to be a thinly veiled attempt by a religious organization to interfere with public policy by reducing the awareness of condoms.

No its not, its a school with kids aged 10-13 who are trying to provide, as requested by the parents, a catholic education and a government organization placing an wholly inappropriate sign right across the street from it..

[Kellis91789]

So the owner of any billboard within view of any elementary school should be restricted from accepting advertising contracts for any products not suitable for children ?

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Nothing advertising a new album from a rap artist, or those scantilly clad pop artists like Cristina Aguilara, Britney Spears, etc. ?

Nothing about a new video game unless it is rated for children ?

No beer or Jack Daniel’s signage ?

Nothing about TV shows or movie releases that aren’t child-oriented ?

No Victoria’s Secret ads ?

Certainly nothing about any political issue since those kids can’t vote !

If there is a Muslim or Jewish population, certainly no ads for Jimmy Dean Sausage or other pork products, right ?

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That seems like a lot of restrictions to put on the owner of a billboard and his effort to make a living off his advertising space. He might be required to limit his advertising to legal products — including limitations on hate speech and libel — but that’s as far as you can restrict his ability to earn income from that billboard.

[YCTHouston]

You’re arguing to absurdity. The school did not exercise control. The school made a request. The city acknowledged the request.

A private enterprise should also consider the request. There’s a huge different between trying to infringe on private property/free speech rights, and asking people to be good neighbors and show a little consideration.

If you equate civility with tyranny, you must have a pretty rough life.

[mgstarr]

Oh no, that’s different...

What I found interesting were the arguments here in support of the pharmacists not wanting to distribute the morning-after pill for religious/moral reasons and the excoriating posts abouts about Muslim cabbies not transporting liquor for the same reason.

It’s all fascinating.

[Pinkbell]

I wouldn’t doubt they put that particular bilboard by the Catholic school with that intent in mind. They don’t like the Church’s teachings on contraception, and they are trying to expose the kids anyway. I’m glad it’s gone.

[Kellis91789]

[The administrators of a Catholic school have successfully demanded the city to remove...]

That doesn’t sound like they were too polite about their “request”.