Maine Middle School to give out birth control to students who want it- Should this be allowed?

**BEK** · 10-18-07, 10:56 AM

Students at a middle school in Portland, Maine will be able to get birth control pills and patches at their student health center after the local school board approved the proposal Wednesday evening.

The plan, offered by city health officials, makes King Middle School the first middle school in Maine to make a full range of contraception available to students in grades 6 through 8, according to the state Department of Health and Human Services.

There are no national figures on how many middle schools, where most students range in age from 11 to 13, provide such services.

Some parents in Massachusetts worry that distributing birth control at school would encourage sex, not educate kids about it.

"I think that's promoting more promiscuity, so I don't think it should be available to them," one parent said.

"I think it's absolutely too young," said another mother. "But I think it's out of everybody's hands. I think that things are going on and they have to be taken care of."

A Massachusetts Education Department survey found nearly one in three students 15 years old and younger are sexually active. The Massachusetts Alliance on Teen Pregnancy preaches abstinence but believes, even for middle schoolers, it can fall on deaf ears.

"Certainly in the best scenario the parents would be involved in this decision making," said Lydia Watts of the Massachusetts Alliance on Teen Pregnancy.

"What we're concerned about are those young people who are most at risk of teen pregnancy and those are young people who don't have that kind of relationship with their parents."

Prescribing birth control has not been an issue for middle schools in Massachusetts. But the State Department of Education has recommended that school committees consider providing contraception in high schools, though it is not mandated.

At King Middle School, birth control prescriptions will be given after a student undergoes a physical exam by a physician or nurse practitioner, said Lisa Belanger, who oversees Portland's student health centers.

Students treated at the centers must first get written parental permission, but under state law such treatment is confidential, and students decide for themselves whether to tell their parents about the services they receive.

Five of the 134 students who visited King's health center during the 2006-07 school year reported having sexual intercourse, said Amanda Rowe, lead nurse in Portland's school health centers.

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all I have to say about that is DUUUUUHHHHHHHHHH Whiskey Tango Foxtrot this has GOT to be one of the DUMBEST things I have ever heard. If they do this the school staff should be charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

**PapaBear** · 10-18-07, 11:27 AM

Oh, that's cool! Now the pedophiles don't have to worry about impregnating our preteens when they take liberties with the wee ones! How ludicrous and irresponsible.

What ever happened to talking to kids and explaining what is expected of them in their behavior and deportment?

Flippin liberals!

**lewisipso** · 10-18-07, 02:45 PM

I also heard a news cast that the parents do not have to be told. Doctor patient stuff. Sorry ain't no body giving my kid sh!t and I don't know.

**Wolven** · 10-18-07, 03:35 PM

Scary stuff....I also heard that parents don't have to be notified. I sooo don't agree with that...especially that..although really..the whole thing is ludicrious. Makes me glad I don't have kids...I would stress until my eyes bled..I am sure of it.

**MacLean** · 10-18-07, 03:40 PM

Originally Posted by lewisipso

I also heard a news cast that the parents do not have to be told. Doctor patient stuff. Sorry ain't no body giving my kid sh!t and I don't know.

Although I don't like it, I could live with them providing the care for parents who desired it.

I cannot, and will not allow anyone to treat my children without me knowing about it.

That's BS.

**Five-0** · 10-18-07, 05:36 PM

This is not the job of government.

**Terminator** · 10-18-07, 05:42 PM

Hell no!

**lewisipso** · 10-18-07, 05:50 PM

Not no but no way. But since they do and will it should be illegal to do so with out the mandatory parent knowledge and consent.

**Iron Man** · 10-18-07, 05:52 PM

I believe its not the job of the government, but neither is paying for the baby when mommy has to go on welfare.

**BEK** · 10-18-07, 06:34 PM

Tried to merge the two threads but the poll didnt like it I guess

**Ducky** · 10-18-07, 06:43 PM

The kids aren't asking for permission to have sex and get knocked up, and obviously they're not talking to their parents about safe sex, so if they're willing to go on birth control and quit having babies in middle and high school, then at least this gives them some way of getting it. There's a pregnant 8th grader at my daughter's school now, and I'm relatively certain her parents had no clue their baby girl was going out bumping uglies with someone. Kids aren't scared of doing things without protection, they don't think of the consequences. They just do it. Will it encourage promiscuity? Only among the ones who would do it anyhow.

**armsmaster270** · 10-18-07, 06:58 PM

The parents can opt to take their child out of that school though and the school can't stop that.

**Buttercup** · 10-18-07, 07:06 PM

There is no way I'd want my child to be given birth control pills without my consent.

**Terminator** · 10-18-07, 08:04 PM

Originally Posted by BEK

Tried to merge the two threads but the poll didnt like it I guess

Fixed.

**E-man** · 10-18-07, 09:59 PM

What the Fuk happened to the 3 R's, readin, ritin and 'rithmatic?
Now they gotta add O, and P,

**Growler** · 10-18-07, 10:14 PM

wow.... I guess the school is thinking that it's going to help since the kids are going to screw anyway. So they can avoid pregnancies but have all the std's available???
But of course, the sparents get mad when the school does not educate the kids about sex, but then parents gets mad when they do. Can't please folks.

**deputysykes** · 10-18-07, 10:20 PM

Originally Posted by E-man

What the Fuk happened to the 3 R's, readin, ritin and 'rithmatic?
Now they gotta add O, and P,

I don't know which blows my mind more; the school doing that or ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

**Doc_Holliday** · 10-18-07, 10:31 PM

Are you freakin kidding me?? Lets enable these lil kids to do something ILLEGAL!! How about we try teaching language and math instead of bangin....and who is gonna pay for the lawyer when the youngun gets knocked up anyway?? Or when the have an abortion because the pill failed? And who is supposed to pay for the abortion??

**JLK** · 10-19-07, 01:52 AM

the heck with the pill how about state sanctioned sterilation(ms). when you show a trend towards responsibility ie. job, taxes, limited criminal involvement then you can pay to get a reversal permit. the children will then be totally the parents responsibility to care for with love and financial support. if you screw it up the children go into a state run home and you are then still responsible for financial support.
oh yea if the school tried to give my child birthcontrol pills I would be upset. there is no telling how those harmones will affect my son.