Saturday, October 20, 2007

Birth Control For Middle Schoolers?


I was a little shocked by a recent report out of Portland Maine, regarding school children and birth control. The report dealt NOT with sex education for Middle Schoolers.... But dealt with issuing Birth Control to them. When I first heard the news flash on the radio, I thought that it must have been a mistake. But the report was indeed accurate. The school district in Portland Maine voted to allow schools to dispense birth control to kids as young as 10 and 11 years old.

What is this World coming to? I know the answer...but I guess I am just bothered by how fast things seem to be going down the tubes. When I was in Middle School in the mid 80's (living in Kansas at the time).... the closest that we ever got to the subject of birth control was a stupid sex education video. And even then, the video was pretty tame and censored compared to today's standards. It didn't get into any serious detail. That presentation came later on in High School, during health class and special assemblies.... presumably when students were old enough to process and handle the information. But that is just sex education... there was not even a thought of issuing birth control to students, not even when I was an upper classman in High School.

So now they are issuing birth control to babies? What message does this send to these young students? It almost seems like a green light to me. And according to the New York Times, these birth control drugs can be issued without Parental consent.

Is this an appropriate age to issue birth control to kids? Keep in mind, this age group hasn't even had proper sex education yet... it's like putting a loaded gun in the hands of someone who isn't trained to handle it... or providing a car to someone who hasn't learned to drive yet....and is too young to have a license.

I'm usually fairly reasonable...and Progressive on many issues... although I do have Conservative moments (perhaps this is one of them). I just think this is one of those times when the government (in this case...a public school system) has stepped out of bounds and into sacred parental territory as it relates to family planning, sex ed, birth control, morals/values, Faith, etc. This is a matter for Parents to handle (at this particular age).

Any thoughts?

Also See Report & Commentary from NPR.

Audio Report Here

5 comments:

rikyrah said...

I'm going to say a big HELL NO to this.

HELL NO.

They can dispense this WITHOUT MY PERMISSION AS A PARENT?

Oh no. Not even close.

This is ridiculous.

Absolutely ridiculous.

I am so offended by this, AI.

While I don't believe in Abstinence Only Sex Ed Programs, DISPENSING BIRTH CONTROL IN MIDDLE SCHOOL IS INSANE.

I-N-S-A-N-E

I can't get on board with this. At all.

I don't care what this makes me sound like. I don't care if I sound like a reactionary. I don't care if I sound like a Bible Thumper.

It's just wrong. Wrong.

Why have our standards been lowered so deep?

Brian said...

This is really a parental rights issue...

I am sure it will be challenged in court on that basis (I hope).
I don't see how the decision can stand. Consent for the issuance of prescription drugs to minors seems to be a fundamental right of parents IMO.

Even if consent were required... it would still be inappropriate.

Anonymous said...

I just read a very insightful commentary on the birth control to kids subject. if you are interested this is the link. it is a good one

http://joeleonardi.wordpress.com/2007/10/21/birth-control-for-children/

Anonymous said...

ultimately, if teenagers are having sex they are beyond needing to consult their parents over birth control. Better to make birth control available to those who need it than to have teenage pregnancies.

Do you really think kids wouldn't have sex if you took the birth control away? All you would do is make the sex more dangerous

Anonymous said...

I am a high schooler and as such I face the teen pregnancy, birth control, and sex education arguments daily. Also I have participated in such arguments with adults as well as peers. Being a fifteen year old virgin I have approached my father for birth control and faced much of the same response that getting me birth control would be giving me a green light. However I believe that it is more of a preperation for the inevitable. Kids are going to have sex with or without birthcontrol, condoms, or even the proper education regarding the topic. Giving your child birth control is just preparing them and letting them know the protections that are availible. As far as Middle Schoolers recieving birth control I don't necessarily see it as a bad thing because even where I'm from in Ks we come across the occasional pregnant middle schooler. And if you believe that children are not getting the proper education to make such decisions at this age then talk to them about sex and there options, and also note that if you don't think they are educated enough to handle a decision such as birth control then they are definately not ready for the results of sex without some form of it.