Do you think it is moral to give birth control pills and condoms to 11 and 12 year olds as has been done by?

Question

a school in Portland, Maine?

I disagree with that decision...Parents need to be responsible for their own children...

As long as the parents signs some sort of form the children can get those things without notifying the parent....

Answer 1

Do I think it is moral, no not really, do I think it is becoming nessecary? Yes unfortunately.

Answer 2

I don't think 11 and 12 year olds have the ability to handle the emotional consequences of sex. However, they are not physically equipped to handle pregnancy.

If an 11 or 12 year old is having sex the parents dropped the ball. I think the school system is just being pragmatic.

It is not the school's responsibility to teach children to make responsible sexual choices. It's the responsibility of parents who refuse to tell their children why they should put sex off until they are much older. "Just Say No" is a joke. It doesn't work. Too many parent rely on schools to parent their children.

Answer 3

Umm, UNFORTUNATELY, I think being in touch with youths this age will make you realise that some teens/kids are having intercourse at a much younger age than when we were at school, whether you'd like to accept it or not!

I understand that these "freebies" may be seen as some kind of encouragement to perform the acts, but the way I see it is that it's encouragement to take precautions and it teaches children that they need to have sensible control over their lives and take responsibility for their actions.

I fully support it and would much prefer a safely premiscuous daughter than a pregnant one!!!


>>

On the note of everyone saying it's a matter of needing better parenting: HOW RUDE.

Any person who has "had a life" will know that part of being a kid is about rebelling against your parents sometimes. Parents CAN NOT control everything their children do, no matter how much they try! It's a fact of life - you can't be watching them 24/7.

There seems to be a big uproar about "well kids shouldn't be doing it that young anyway" - I mean, sheesh. If you're going to have that attitude, you're not exactly addressing the problem, are you?

Answer 4

Here is the issue-
Birth control pills require a great deal of consistency and discipline to be effective. If you miss a single pill, they are essentially ineffective for a period of time. A middle school girl who is having sex is not disciplined and is more than likely lacking in self control. Are they just going to hand them a months worth or is the school going to watch them take them? If it is the later, what about weekends? If the former, how can anyone be sure they take them consistently? As mentioned before, this method is only as reliable as the person taking them...it will give some girls a false sense of security (well, I missed a pill on Saturday but I've taken them three days in a row...I should be ok) and may in fact RAISE the teen pregnancy rate. What ever happened to handing out condoms? At least they can help prevent STD's also.
This is all beside the fact of the unethical practice of distributing medication to minors without informing their caregivers. I trust the school plans on contacting each childs primary physician...otherwise there could be any number of complications or negative interactions. Will the person in charge of this little venture even BE a physician? This whole thing is ridiculous. Giving out condoms and education is sufficient. The state should not be distrbuting medication to minors without informing their guardians. This seems so freakin obvious to me...
You know what this really is? The state is trying to slowly get us used to state mandated and controlled birth control among the youth. Brave New World.

Answer 5

Be sure to listen to all the facts. It still requires parents consent. All it amounts too is the school (taxpayers) is footing the bill to families who do not have the funds to pay for it if they are interested. This is not just a hand out to students who feel they need it. Plus using 11 year olds is an extreme, it is more for the 16 and older women but does not exclude younger girls. The news out there like to run these stories to get ratings.

Answer 6

I think that condoms should be allowed, bc pills should not because that could SERIOUSLY cause harm to a child that age...
You can't ignore the fact that parents just aren't watchful enough of their children and they have hardly any control of them (I think it's because of culture altogether). SO, is it moral...well, I don't think anyone wants someone that age to be a mother and father...the infant probably wouldn't last because it would be aborted, adopted out, or raised by family members along with a minor child parent......so, yeah, it's a good idea to keep condoms available to prevent STDs and pregnancy...bc pills...no, they're too dangerous.

It's a loaded gun any way you look at it, but at least if the kid's having sex there's a condom available to use (and there had BETTER be some directions on how to use it right passed out EVERY time someone gets the condoms).

Answer 7

I disagree with the birth control decision, and the reporter on TV who claimed they needed the birth control pills to prevent catching diseses - talk about clueless git - a birth control pill isn't going to do that - a condom is!

Otherwise, I would pull my child from that school - they think they have the right to supercede my parenting. They don't, and I don't care what excused they've given. If they are not the guardian of my child, then they don't get to offer my daughters birth control pills.

Plus, what are those levels of hormones present in birth control pills going to do to girls just entering puberty? They've already been shown to increase risks of cancer in adult women - what are they potentially doing to these poor children?

I'm all for birth control, but not in this way.

EDIT - - EXCUSE ME? A few kids out of hundreds act badly, and some of you are condemning the whole lot and their parents??? This is EXACTLY what the parents were worried about when they addressed the school board.

Stop assuming that every teenager is a wild monster and that every parent of a teenager is irresponsible and a poor parent. This could easily apply to YOU as well!

Children learn from their parents - right. So are you telling me that EVERY parents of EVERY teenager and preteen is out there having irresponsible and unsafe sex? Yeah, ok. Grow up and take a real look at teenage behavior and why it happens, not some silly suppositions by people who don't have or never have had teenagers in their lives.

Answer 8

"Oral birth control and CONDOMS have been obtainable for years in PORTLAND'S intense faculties" if it relatively is the case, what grew to become into the effect of that. in the event that they have had years to income, they ought to have formed some end. Does this improve interest? What does the learn say? while is training appropriate? How previous are people meant to get before they're finally advised the fact?

Answer 9

I am an Hiv tester and counselor, and just in case you did not know, a child can get a free and confidential hiv test at the age of 12 without their parents being notified.
I see your point when you say it is the responsibility of the parents, but with such young ones engaging in "at risk" behaviors, some of which are initiated in the home, i think it is better to be safe then sorry.
i believe it is our responsibility as a community to provide complete and accurate information, not only on std's, drug use, but safe sex practices as well.

just my humble pagan thoughts

bless them all!
)o( Trinity

Answer 10

I don't think it is right to give birth control pills and condoms. I agree with you that the parents are responsible for their children and should have full control and know what their children do. It is up to the parents to teach their children what is right and wrong and allow or dissaprove of sex or any contraceptives. They know their children best and know whether it is right for their children to be taking birth conrtol pills. They can also be more aware of whether or not their child is having sex if they don't hand out contraceptives.

Birth control pills are also really bad for one's health because it disrupts normal body functions. Also, if they are handing out these contraceptives, then they are promoting sex because the teens know that they can be protected from pregnancies. Otherwise, some teens could still have in mind that they are risking getting someone (or themselves) pregnant and could have second thoughts about it. Now, they know that their chances have decreased and they can do it.

Answer 11

Here's a few articles:
http://www.abcnews.go.com/WN/TurningPoints/story?id=3747686&page=1
http://www.examiner.com/a-411773~Birth_control__disease_prevention_taught_to_many_Baltimore_teens.html
Nationwide, one study showed more than 17,000 pregnancies for girls 14 or younger.

Regarding what parents want:
And for all the national buzz this story is getting, the school committee meeting had a meager turnout, just 28 people showed up when budget meetings in Portland often draw more than 100 people.