School Group Delays Vote On Giving Pill

The Cambridge School Committee deferred a vote this week on a proposal to make Cambridge Rindge and Latin the first high school in the state to distribute birth control pills to students.

At a public hearing held last week to discuss the proposal, committee members indicated they would vote on the proposal Monday.

But because of procedural errors, the item inadvertently was left off that night's agenda, committee members said.

"We discussed the issue, but we didn't pass it on to be recommended for a full vote," said Mayor Kenneth E. Rerves '72.

Instead, the committee acted on a motion by school committee member Henriette Davis and docketed the proposal for final consideration at the next regular meeting December 20.

"I do not want anyone to feel these wasn't sufficient time to discuss this issue," Reeves said.

The proposal would give students direct access to birth control pills as well as Depo-Provers, a three-month birth control injection, and Norplant, a contraceptive surgical implant which has about five years.

Currently, students can obtain condoms in the school through its Teen Health Center, in on-campus branch of Cambridge Hospital.