Vatican makes French school remove condom machine

Officials claim a dispenser "legitimized behavior which was not acceptable."

Published June 2, 2000 7:00PM (EDT)

A suburban Roman Catholic high school, located outside of Paris, is on the Vatican's shit list. According to a Reuters report, the private school, after "discussions with students," installed a condom dispenser. Head teacher Martine Ouerette told the news service that her school's pupils, young men and women who range in age from 15 to 18, advocated having the controversial machine because they wanted to show that they were responsible adults.

The report did not say if the "priservatifs" flew out of the machine like so many Mars bars, or if they languished inside the dispenser like stale trail mix. No matter, though -- the offending prophylactics are all gone now.

After concerned parents notified the Vatican, Roman Catholic officials demanded that the dispenser be taken down, saying that it "took all the sense out of a Catholic education, took responsibility away from students and teachers alike, and legitimized behavior which was not acceptable."

Ah, yes -- but what about l'amour?


By J.A. Getzlaff

J.A. Getzlaff's Daily Planet appears every weekday. Do you have a tip or tale for J.A.? Send it to DailyPlanet@salon.com.

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