Red Deer Catholic Regional School Division won’t offer a vaccine that has stirred up controversy around the province.

In a meeting Tuesday night, the board voted unanimously not to allow the HPV vaccine to be offered in local Catholic schools.

This year, for the first time the Alberta government planned to offer the HPV vaccine to Grade 5 girls in schools. The vaccine gives women immunity to two types of human papilloma virus, which are estimated to cause 70 per cent of cervical cancers.

“We are not medical doctors and we are not denying the vaccine. We are empowering parents to talk about it and educate themselves and make that decision,” said Christine Moore, chair of the Red Deer Catholic Regional School Division board.

“And I think that is one of the great things that has come of this issue. It’s been a hot topic so people are talking about it and I think in light of that they’ve educated themselves.”

Moore said she was thankful to the David Thompson Health Region for their cooperation and understanding during the deliberations.

The Red Deer Catholic Regional School Division board had initially passed a motion at September’s board meeting that would have allowed girls to get the HPV vaccine in schools, with the consent of their parents. That motion was rescinded Tuesday night.

Moore said new information came to light and they decided to re-visit the issue.

“It was a really difficult decision, and we deliberated, and we discerned, and prayed about this because we are a Catholic school...,” Moore said. “This was an issue that we felt we had to agree with the bishops and so we rescinded that motion.”

A number of Alberta Catholic bishops released a letter in June saying there isn’t general consensus that the HPV vaccine is the most effective strategy in preventing cervical cancer and suggested it could promote promiscuity among girls.

The boards of the Calgary Catholic School District, Holy Spirit Catholic School Division in Lethbridge and the St. Thomas Aquinas Roman Catholic School Division — which represents schools in Ponoka, Lacombe, Wetaskiwin and other communities — have also all refused to offer the HPV vaccine in schools this fall.

Paulette Hanna, the superintendent of the Red Deer Catholic Regional School Division, said a letter will be sent home to parents informing them of the board’s decision. She said included in the letter will be a copy of the bishops’ letter and information explaining where they can get their daughters vaccinated.

She said there is no cost for girls in Grade 5 to get the vaccination during the local health clinic immunization times. Parents just need to make an appointment.

“The health clinic has been very cooperative, very professional and very non-judgmental in all of this. They realize that this is a very controversial issue and a very difficult one for our board,” Hanna said. “I’ve appreciated how they have dealt with it.”

Contact Stacy O’Brien at sobrien@reddeeradvocate.com