Pregnancy Centers' ads in school

newspapers produce a reaction

By RICHARD KOE
    PORTLAND – Recent ads placed by Pregnancy Resource Centers of Greater Portland in local high school newspapers have drawn negative reactions from Willamette Week and the local Planned Parenthood chapter.
But the leader of the pro-life Christian agency defends the ads as accurate.
    In a news article titled “Womb Raiders,” Willamette Week reported on Dec. 12 that the nonprofitgroup’s ad last November in the Madison High newspaper, The Constitution, was the first and possibly the last time.
    It also quoted a spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood of the Columbia/ Willamette that there’s a difference between her group’s ads and those of PRC, which she contends misrepresents their services. She stressed the need for accurate information for girls who are young, pregnant, and frightened.
Planned Parenthood decided to stop advertising this year in local high school papers to save money. Stepping in for the first time was PRC with ads promoting free pregnancy tests, counseling services, and nurse consultations for teenager girls.
    What’s missing in PRC’s ads? Willamette Week said the Christian group opposes abortions and is committed to steering girls toward parenting or adoption, and even suggests that taking emergency contraception such as the morning-after pill could carry emotional risks.
    Student newspapers at Lincoln, Cleveland, and Madison high schools in Portland have all run ads by PRC. Willamette Week said the ads have generated revenue of up to $80 per quarter-page ad for their cash-strapped newspapers.
    Gene Brunak, Madison High journalism adviser, told Willamette Week that he feels some responsibility to generate cash for his student paper. He said PRC’s quarter-page ad last November covered one-tenth of the production and distribution costs of the 12-page issue.
    Brunak added that his staff may reconsider running future PRC ads after he informs colleagues about PRC’s anti-abortion platform.
    But David Bailey, advisor for the Lincoln High newspaper, said his school will continue to run the ads for the entire school year, seeing no problem in doing so since they’ve run ads for Planned Parenthood in the past.
    Larry Gadbaugh, chief executive officer of Pregnancy Resource Centers, said his group’s ad in the high school papers is accurate, and his agency isn’t trying to deceive anyone. He said PRC has long advertised in student newspapers, but has increased its ad budget this year to reach more young people in additional papers.
     Gadbaugh, who was interviewed by at least two radio talk hosts the same day the Willamette Week story appeared, added that “PRC is pro-choice, but not pro-all choice.”