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BIRTH CONTROL IN MIDDLE SCHOOLS DOES THIS SEND THE WRONG MESSAGE?

By rescue me - Posted on October 17th, 2007
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Panel to Consider Birth Control Prescriptions at Maine Middle School
Wednesday, October 17, 2007

http://www.foxnews.com/index.html

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where are the parents????
Submitted by maggiethurber on Wed, 2007-10-17 16:18.

These kids are 11 to 13 and this proposal would allow prescription birth control to be given, in some cases, without parental knowledge...and I have a problem with that.

Children this age are not capable of making a good decision about sex and parents should be involved in this, especially before someone prescribes a drug.

But then, I'd feel this way about ANY drug, not just birth control.

But you raise an interesting question - does making birth control available to those who are sexually active send a contradictory message about kids this age being too young for sex? And if the other party is older, doesn't this become statutory rape for which the other party could be prosecuted???

Very contradictory, imho...

While I do favor sex
Submitted by OhioKat on Wed, 2007-10-17 16:19.

While I do favor sex education, and I do think that teaching safe sex practices and abstinance is better then teaching abstinance alone. I do not think that schools should be prescribing medications (Any medications) to students, especially birth control pills because that sort of thing requires a physical exam that is not appropriate in a school setting.

I think this is a horrible
Submitted by sarah on Wed, 2007-10-17 18:09.

I think this is a horrible idea for a few reasons...

1) I don't think that schools should be able to make prescription medication (of any kind) available to kids without parental consent. Even though the article says that they will get a medical exam, how many middle schoolers do you think can give a complete and accurate personal and family medical history? What happens if the physician/nurse dispenses birth control without knowing whether or not there is a contraindication for that student taking birth control?

2) If kids are being sexually active in middle school, they need to be protected against STDs in addition to pregnancy. Many college aged students often forgo condom usage because they have a false sense of security b/c of birth control...is there any reason to think that middle school students will behave differently?

Obviously, I don't think middle school students should be having sex, period. Even accepting the fact that some choose to do it anyhow, I still don't think that schools should be dispensing the Pill (or other hormonal, prescription methods of birth control).

How can you expect an 11 to
Submitted by MaryVisco on Wed, 2007-10-17 21:48.

How can you expect an 11 to 13 yr old to remember to take a pill daily when they can't remember to pick up their socks or take out the garbage 5 munites after you tell them to? Daily medication requires daily compliance. One or two slips, and well, you've got yourself a grandkid. This hare brained idea could result in more pre-teen pregnancies. Stick to abstinance and condoms.

Contrarian
Submitted by GuestZero on Thu, 2007-10-18 00:43.

Birth control at such a young age is generally good policy for only one reason: it's damage control. By then, the situation has gone so far out of bounds that there's little to do but adapt to it.

At any rate, it seems that people continue to dismiss abortion, by default. I hardly see it as humane to let a 12-yr-old girl carry a baby to term. That's a GREAT way to ruin TWO lives at once, and that's not even counting other victims (the girl's parents, the alleged father, and the alleged father's parents).

If abortion is so morally repulsive, and slip-ups are so worrisome, then why not think about giving the child up for adoption?

Whatever We Do Will Only Shave At the Problem
Submitted by OldSouthEndBrdy on Thu, 2007-10-18 10:55.

... I live in a neighborhood where girls don't get married, they just have babies. Why is this? Some want the baby to love, some to prove to themselves they are adults. Some are "in love" so they won't use birth-control because that takes away from the spontaneity. If they're "in love" he couldn't possibly leave her pregnant and alone, could he?

Guys don't like the lack of sensation from the use of a condom, and, besides, it's the girl's problem. I am not saying that 100% of the young boys and girls won't use birth-control, but I am saying that it doesn't seem likely that even a majority will. Maybe by the time a young woman has her second child she might decide to use "birth-control", but when she meets "Mr. Right" (who often turns into "Mr. Wrong, again) the birth-control tapers off. To me, abstinence is the only sure-fire way of birth-control, but our society has no condemnation for out-of-wedlock impregnation. Look at how we are so smarmy about TomKat? And we'll all be rich some day, so what does it matter what we do when we're young?

When did the government take over parenting?
Submitted by kateb on Thu, 2007-10-18 13:26.

There is already a mechanism in place to report abused and neglected kids. So, you take away all parents rights b/c there are a few who aren't taking care of their kids?

Why not report those who are neglecting or abusing their children and leave the parents who are not to raise their own kids.

When I found out that a school can take a child out of school during the day for an abortion without informing the parents I couldn't believe it.

OhioKat, You're Right Is Does Take Two to Make One
Submitted by OldSouthEndBrdy on Thu, 2007-10-18 13:54.

... but what is the probabililty that the guy will be stuck with raising it? Guys make babies, girls raise babies. How many young girls you know who don't pursue "child support" because they don't want the guy (who betrayed them with another girl) to have anything to do with their child? Or don't want to raise a ruckus becuase he "might come back" if they don't? How often do we see on some morning show where one woman blames another for her "boyfriend" cheating, but don't hold the guy accountable? I've seen young men who have no have interest in the child (except to brag about his potency) until the mother decides she wants "child support", and then he stands on his "parental rights". Otherwise, she's free to raise the baby without his involvement.

Well, at least I saw some
Submitted by sarah on Thu, 2007-10-18 14:08.

Well, at least I saw some relieving information about this...

The students have to have parental consent to use the health services at this school. (However, what specific services they use...including birth control...remain confidential.)

So, at least it leaves individual parents with some options...they can always revoke consent for their child to use the school's health center entirely.

(Still not the ideal situation, as it keeps their kid from being able to use all services at the school. But at least it gives a parent with a really strong objection an out of some sort.)

The idea of giving
Submitted by bill on Thu, 2007-10-18 17:17.

condoms and/or birth control pills to children will have the same outcome as an old joke. There is a little girl and boy under the girls porch playing the game of doctor and nurse. The little girl get concerned about th game and runs into the house and asks her mother if a child her age can get pregnant. The mother says no. The little girl runs out and under the porch and says to the little boy. Ok Same game. Suggesting children understand the consequences of sexual activities is about on par with giving an eleven year the keys to a car.

lol...I have 2 kids who were
Submitted by sarah on Thu, 2007-10-18 08:27.

lol...I have 2 kids who were both conceived while I was on the Pill. Fortunately I was in my late 20s and in a stable relationship with my husband, not a 12 year old middle school kid who got the Pill behind my parents' backs.

But I agree that condoms would be more appropriate for those teens/pre-teens who are going to have sex no matter what...in addition to being a form of birth control, it also provides some protection against STDs. Let's face it, kids who start having sex in middle school are likely to end up having multiple partners before they even get out of high school.

Guys don't like the lack of
Submitted by Billy on Thu, 2007-10-18 11:52.

Guys don't like the lack of sensation from the use of a condom, and, besides, it's the girl's problem.

What the problem is, is that men arent held accountable any more. The government is right there to step in and start paying the bills so the sperm donor dad can just slide away and make more babys with other girls.

Birdy, from your postings I can gather your age as a bit older than my 46, but were there not condoms around when you were at that age? My father would have been 81 this year, and there were condoms around when he was in the service...

The difference is all in accountability. As Ive said before accountability are fightin' words for some folks out there, and there are no shortage of lawyers and government agencies right there to back them up.

why ineed
Submitted by McCaskey on Thu, 2007-10-18 12:55.

why not think about giving the child up for adoption?

LOL, the 12-year-old, the baby she's carrying, or both?

Look, beyond teaching the ABCs (or x and y)of sex education, the reproductive system, etc., schools just have no business getting in the birth control arena.

huh?
Submitted by OhioKat on Thu, 2007-10-18 13:23.

Its the girls problem?

Last time I checked it took a boy and a girl to make a baby.

Perhaps those younger
Submitted by sarah on Thu, 2007-10-18 14:11.

Perhaps those younger inexperienced guys could benefit from the loss of sensation with a condom. lol

(Of course, they probably don't care enough about the girls they're doing to worry about whether or not they last long enough for her.)

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