Apparently a school in Maine is offering the middle school students the CHOICE to take birth control pills. The big issue though, is that it is without parental consent. What is your beliefs on this?

I feel that it should be fine. The students are going to do it anyway, so the school is going to be a back bone. And for those who say that it supports having sex, than doesn't a health class or an anatomy class support sex, being in the way that it puts the thought in the child's head. So if it isn't right to have the OPTION, than shouldn't health class not exist? As you can tell I support it, and I am liberal... whoo...

We had a discussion in class today about this subject and there were about 6 for it (which only 3 people talked about it) and the rest of the class was against it. So we were a little outnumbered. Anyway... what do you think on the subject?

MIDDLE school??

It's time for the parents and teachers to put their heads together.

We have had this debate on the board already here : https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/politi...re-142147.html


The first responsibility I think the school has upon finding out that a middle school girl is having sex is to contact family services. Too often these are cases of incest . Maine law says sex with a nonspousal minor under 14 is gross sexual assault.

The schools have no business distributing any medication to a child without parental consent . The pill has side effects, and I don't think a child of that age can be expected to make an informed decision about that.It messes with their hormones at a very dangerous stage of their development .It does nothing to prevent othe sexually active related diseases.
The state imposes the legal duty on parents to be responsible for their children's well being until they're 18 .
The parents should have the right to know about such fundamental things as what medicines and medical counseling their pre-teen children are being given.

It is a bad idea.

I heard about this. It is pathetic.

They claim that 1% of their students are sexually active, so based on that they offer it to the whole school.

It sure increases the 1%!

Where I grew up, it's a common sense that Premarital Sex is wrong! (Not religious reason)

Sex in middle school! I wish it's illegal.

Naw, let them find out about them the hard way.

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Originally Posted by nicespringgirl

It sure increases the 1%!

Where I grew up, it's a common sense that Premarital Sex is wrong! (Not religious reason)

Sex in middle school!? I wish it's illegal.

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It is illegal

I don't think schools should give medication to kids without parental consent. It's a parental rights issue, a tax dollar issue, and, for many, a religious issue. Personally, I think they should provide health exams, and birth control in high school with parental consent, but not in middle school. Or they could compromise and hand out condoms and info on STD and sexual health but not birth control. I don't think 12 year olds should be having sex. If they absolutely must have this program, make parental consent a requirement.

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Originally Posted by peggyhill

I don't think schools should give medication to kids without parental consent. It's a parental rights issue, a tax dollar issue, and, for many, a religious issue. Personally, I think they should provide health exams, and birth control in high school with parental consent, but not in middle school. Or they could compromise and hand out condoms and info on STD and sexual health but not birth control. I don't think 12 year olds should be having sex. If they absolutely must have this program, make parental consent a requirement.

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What do you expect from a state run entity? You probley don't know fingerprinting of Elementary school kids has been going on with-out parental too.

The schools do many things without the parent knowledge or approval.
They say birth control can cause blood clots and other side effects.
Wonder what the complications could be for 11 year olds and if there would be a right to sue once they find out
11 year olds bodies can not handle because?

Hello Animedude,

First of all, I thought it was illegal for schools to dispense medicines to children without parental permission. Even the family doctor can't prescribe medicines for kids unless parents have signed the appropriate forms beforehand. So how is it that the school nurse (NURSE?! ) can hand out medicines to kids?

Second, since when are public schools supposed to take the place of parents? When did I as a parent give up my rights and responsibilities for raising my children according to my family values to the school system?

Third, we are talking about Middle School here. Kids who's ages are 10-13 years old. What the hell are they doing having sex anyway? Where are their parents... and if the school system is taking responsibility for parenting them, then where is the schools system in stopping pre-teens from having sex with each other?

Fourth, I'll bet that these same schools are NOT teaching abstinence alongside their sex-ed classes. I'll bet they aren't handing out abstinence flyers along with the condoms and brth control pills. Why not? Condoms and birth control pills are 90% effective in stopping pregnancy, but abstinence is 100% effective. Why are they encouraging pre-teen sex by handing out contraception, but not encouraging anstinence by handing out flyers?

Finally, I reject the argument that "they are going to do it anyway". People used to say the same thing about kids doing drugs and kids smoking and kids drinking. But there have been major ad campaigns aimed at teens to stop them from smoking, drinking and drugging. And as a result, teen smoking is significantly down from where it was just 10 years ago, teen drinking and drunk driving has shown significant declines, and teen drug use is down as well according to most polls and medical reports. They haven't been eliminated, but they have decreased significantly as a direct result of ad campaigns targeting those kids.

So if such ad campaigns work for teen drugs, teen smoking and teen drinking, why wouldn't they work for teen sex? The fact is that nobody has tried such an ad campaign for teen sex. Why not? How do we know it wouldn't work if we never tried it? Especially when we have such clear precedents that it COULD work.

Why are we saying that "kids are going to do it anyway, so we might as well give them contraception?" Why are we satisfied with that response? Nobody ever said "kids are going to smoke anyway, so we might as well make sure they're getting low-tar, filtered cigarrettes." Nobody ever said "kids are going to do drugs anyway, so we might as well make sure they're getting pure, clean stuff without any dangerous additives." Nobody ever said "Kids are going to drink and drive anyway, so we might as well buy them all helmets." Those statements would be encouraging those activities. Instead, we try very hard to discourage teen use of drugs, alcohol and cigarrettes. So why aren't we trying just as hard to discourage teen and pre-teen sex? Why are we instead giving our de-facto approval by handing out condoms and birth control?

Elliot

Should we be educating them about sexually transmitted disease? How about we tell them that using a condom will help prevent that. What is the relative % of STD's in that school district compared to others; might'nt that influence handing out condoms and instruction on their use?

In the state I live in schools have to have parental consent to allow kids into sex ed. Giving birth control without parental consent is wrong. Childrena re under the authority of their parents and others should respect that authority by acquiring permission/ parental consent. Children are not adults and are not granted the same rights as adults.

DC,

Should sex ed include a section on abstinence? I don't have a problem with sex ed, per se, as long as abstinence is taught alongside how to use condoms. It should be taught as the BEST, MOST EFFECTIVE method of avoiding pregnancy and STDs. Don't you agree that the option of abstinence ought to be part of an overall sex ed program?

But I draw the line at schools handing out drugs of any kind without parental consent. And especially when those drugs are birth control being handed out to pre-teens. We are talking about middle school kids here, DC. Not even high-schoolers.

Elliot

It's my understanding the kids who are seen by the clinic have been given parental permission to be seen without a parent and be treated without a parent. I'm not sure how they are getting away with that, but that's what I read somewhere (sorry, don't remember where). So, by signing the permission slip to let your child be seen, you've signed a permission slip for you child to be prescribed anything/everything with no parental approval. I think this is a lawsuit waiting to happen - all it will take is one girl on the pill to have a blood clot (not likely, but it does happen). I would be A-OK with this whole mess if it only required parental consent before giving the child medications except in a medical emergency.

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nicespringgirl agrees: I know! I just can't stand on premartial sex! BC pills make women fat

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A side effect for SOME women is weight gain while on the pill. I've been on it for seven years and have gained three pounds total. Beyond that, adolescent girls should not be overly concerned with weight gain and making such statements as "make women fat" teaches young (and old) women that gaining a little bit of weight is the worst thing to happen. Birth control is effective, generally quite safe, and generally has few side effects. Weight gain is the last thing that should be on your mind if you are on the pill given the other benefits it provides. Gaining a few pounds does not equate with the end of the world.

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Originally Posted by jillianleab

Gaining a few pounds does not equate with the end of the world.

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Yeah... I've heard lots of fat women say that.:eek:

Just kidding.:D

Elliot

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Originally Posted by ETWolverine

DC,

Should sex ed include a section on abstinence? I don't have a problem with sex ed, per se, as long as abstinence is taught alongside how to use condoms. It should be taught as the BEST, MOST EFFECTIVE method of avoiding pregnancy and STDs. Don't you agree that the option of abstinence ought to be part of an overall sex ed program?

But I draw the line at schools handing out drugs of any kind without parental consent. And especially when those drugs are birth control being handed out to pre-teens. We are talking about middle school kids here, DC. Not even high-schoolers.

Elliot

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The teaching of abstinence is first and foremost an essential and the only universal that should be taught. However, some school districts have ‘special problems’ relative to other school districts and the same solution to sexual education is not going to work universally. My concern is that school districts where pregnancy and sexual disease is extremely high- where many parents themselves are drug addicts or alcoholics- is held to the moral standard of middle class America.

The problem right now, DC, is that abstinance is NOT being taught as part of sex ed. In a few districts it has actually been made illegal to do so. And in those where it is legal, they brush it off as something that won't really work.

I have a problem with that. Don't you?

Elliot

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tomder55 agrees: Do you have studies on the safe usage of birth control by pre-teens ? I think we are in unchartered waters here. It would seem to me that messing with hormones at this stage of development has to be risky.

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Nope, I don't, and I'm not advocating the reckless distribution of the pill to pre-teen girls. I'm saying IF it is going to be handed out (or any other prescription drug) by the school, the parent or legal guardian should be required to give permission specific to that instance. Not a blanket consent form, but consent specific to the medication and or treatment provided. I don't know what effect hormones have on girls that age, but I'd like to think the doctors aren't handing it out without having done studies. If they haven't, I don't see how the legislation was passed and it would be highly unethical for a doctor to prescribe medication to his/her patient when it is not approved for use for an individual of that age. Nothing I have read about the pill mentions an age limit, however. Young teens can be placed on the pill for reasons aside from protecting against pregnancy (regulation of menstrual cycle, shorter, lighter cycle, eases crapms, helps to prevent cancer, helps to treat acne, PCOS, PID and anemia); there are a lot of health benefits in taking the pill.

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Originally Posted by ETWolverine

Yeah... I've heard lots of fat women say that.

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Me too. I've heard skinny women say it too. I'm one of the latter. I like to PROMOTE self-confidence and acceptance, not hinder it. :)

On teaching abstinence, it should be part of the lesson plan, but it should be taught along with other methods for protection. Many abstinence only programs are not medically accurate (telling kids they can get pregnant by touching genitals) and do not teach kids about other prevention methods at all. This is very dangerous, as these kids will grow up and not know anything about sex or their bodies. Kids are already mis-informed about sex; parents don't talk about it, and schools should be a source of accurate, truthful information. I remember seeing a post on this site by a girl wondering if she was pregnant because she hadn't had her period in 30 days. She also hadn't had sex. In other words, this girl was so misinformed about how her natural cycle works and how people get pregnant, she was literally worried over nothing. Knowledge is power! :)

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Originally Posted by jillianleab

Me too. I've heard skinny women say it too. I'm one of the latter. I like to PROMOTE self-confidence and acceptance, not hinder it. :)

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I know this is off topic, but has it ever occurred to those who are so concerned with the self-confidence of young girls that if they are healthy, rather than fat, they will likely have more self-confidence? And that perhaps helping a fat person (one who is able to change that state, not someone with a medical condition) become self-confident despite their weight is likely to encourage them to remain fat and unhealthy? It kind of takes the whole idea of being responsible for your own health and your own self confidence out of the picture. In essence, it rewards people who are living unhealthy lifestyles.

I won't even talk about the self-confidence issues that come with having pre-teen and young teen sex. If we are so concerned with the mental health of young girls, we ought to be doing everything we can to prevent them from having sex at such young ages, not encouraging it by handing out condoms and birth control pills.

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On teaching abstinence, it should be part of the lesson plan, but it should be taught along with other methods for protection. Many abstinence only programs are not medically accurate (telling kids they can get pregnant by touching genitals) and do not teach kids about other prevention methods at all. This is very dangerous, as these kids will grow up and not know anything about sex or their bodies. Kids are already mis-informed about sex; parents don't talk about it, and schools should be a source of accurate, truthful information. I remember seeing a post on this site by a girl wondering if she was pregnant because she hadn't had her period in 30 days. She also hadn't had sex. In other words, this girl was so misinformed about how her natural cycle works and how people get pregnant, she was literally worried over nothing. Knowledge is power! :)

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No question. Knowledge is power. But what do you call truth?

It is definitely true that sex is fun and feels good. It is true that sex can make a couple very happy. It is also true that one can have sex with condoms and birth control and avoid the consequences of their actions, ei: disease and pregnancy. And finally, it is true that if these fail, there's always abortion to fall back on. All true. But is that the truth that we want 10-13 year old girls to know?

Or do we want them to know the truth that 10-13 year olds should not be having sex, that it is bad for their mental and physical health to have sex so young, that it forever changes a person to have sex, that sex, even protected sex, is not without risk, and that disease can result from sexual activity?

I'd prefer that kids that young get the latter version of the truth. Along with my moral/religious teachings, of course.

As a side note, I was a virgin on my wedding night at the age of 29, and so was my wife at 27. It CAN be done, and in fact, in our religious community, it is the norm. Pre-marital sex is the exception to the rule in the Orthodox Jewish community, and that is the result of an ongoing cooperation between teachers, parents and religious leaders to spread the word about abstinance to the youth of our community. It is an ongoing campaign to teach abstinence to kids, and it works to stem the tide of ALL pre-marital sex in the community, not just teen and pre-teen sex. It is not 100% effective, but it is a lot more successful than the public school system is at preventing teen sex. And it is virtually 100% effective at preventing teen pregnancy and STDs in the Orthodox Jewish community.

And by the way, I can guarantee that Orthodox Jewish kids know as much about the biology and physiology of reproduction and about adolescent changes in human physiology as any kid who has taken sex ed in a public high school. Probably more. They are living in the real world and come about their early sexual knowledge in the same ways as other kids do... from peers. They are not deprived of knowledge about sexuality because they have been taught and practice abstinance as a way of life.

So I don't really buy the idea that kids need to be taught how to have sex safely in order to keep from being confused about their bodies. There are whole communities out there that practice sexual abstinance before marriage and still seem to be well educated on the subject.

Elliot