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Birth Control Allowed at Maine Middle School
By JOEL ELLIOTT
Published: October 18, 2007
PORTLAND, Me., Oct. 17 — The Portland school board on Wednesday approved a measure allowing middle-school students to gain access to prescription birth control medications without notifying parents.
The proposal, from the Portland Division of Public Health, calls for the independently operated health care center at King Middle School to provide a variety of services to students, including immunizations and physical checkups in addition to birth-control medications and counseling for sexually transmitted diseases, said Lisa Belanger, an administrator for Portland’s student health centers.
All but two members of the 12-person committee voted to approve the plan.
The school principal, Mike McCarthy, said about 5 of the school’s 500 students had identified themselves as being sexually active.
Health care professionals at the clinic advised the committee that the proposal was necessary in order for the clinic to serve students who were engaging in risky behavior.
The conference room at the Wednesday night meeting was packed with parents, students and television cameras as school board committee members discussed the issue and heard testimony from experts and residents.
“It has been shown, over and over again, that this does not increase sexual activity,” said Pat Patterson, the medical director of School-Based Health Centers.
Reaction was mixed.
“This is really a violation of parents’ rights,” Peter Doyle, a Portland resident, told the committee. “If there were a constitutional challenge, you guys would be at risk of a lawsuit.”
Others argued for approval.
“Not every child is getting the guidance needed to keep them safe,” said Richard Veilleux, who said his child attends King Middle School. “This is about giving kids who are sexually active the tools that they need.”
According to the National Assembly on School-Based Health Care, about 30 percent of the 1,700 school-based health centers in the United States provide birth control to students, Dr. Patterson said.
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Thursday, October 18, 2007
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15 comments:
I think that this will only encourage them to do things primarily meant for adults. It is not a good idea especially if on 5 out of the 500 kids had reported being sexually active. I could understand that if they were doing it for high schools but middle schools i mean really the kids are only 11-14 years old...I don't agree with people passing this.
I think It is stupid because technically it is helping but its still encouraging kids to have sex and their not doing anything to stop it.
John D
I think that this is a grate idea because there has been so many girls that have gotten pregnant in our grade. Also if we had this program then they wouldn't of gotten pregnant.
I think tahat if the children have acsess to the condoms and birth control pills that it will incourage them to have sex. I can understand what they are trying for but if the kids who aren't having sex will.
I think this is a really crazy idea for the school in south Portland.But I guess if the kids want to be stupid or dumb they should be safe than sorry as crazy as that sounds.
joe
I think that this program is really great. Most girls are having sex and not with any protection. This is probably because they are scared of telling there parents to get them birth control or condoms. So this program will help with those situation. That's why I think it is going to help.
I think this is a really good idea, because so many girls our age have sex + stuff, and a lot of them go without telling anyone. + having this in their school can make it possible for a girl to talk to an adult about this, without having their parents know. A lot of girls choose not to have sex at this age ( which is a good thing ) but the girls that do, well this is a good idea. I think Saco Middle school should do this too, because a lot of girls in our school have had sex. + it's definitely not good, but it's true. So yeah, I agree with this. :D
I think they should do some thing else Because that will only encourage the kids to have sex. Brady Dube
I think that it is not a good idea because you obviously dont want your kid having birth control that young,and or a baby.I think they should tell the parents that because it is there dicission.It is not like the whole school is sexualy active,it is only 5 out of 500.Ecxpecially for middle school,they shouldn't be haveing birth control that young.I can see high school having birth control but not middle school,and they are only like 11-13 maybe 14.
I don't really know what to think. I think that Parents should know things like this but it would be embarrassing to the kids who are not doing that. I would be shocked if SMS had to go through the same thing as the King kids. It is embarrassing for the King students. I think that the kids should be able to made their own decisions whether they are stupid or smart and live with the consequences of their choice. I think that because of this more of the kids will become sexually Active. If they had said no to this than of some girls got pregnant than this all would stop because they would think that they might be next. But parents would be left in the dark with what the kids do. And would be shocked to find out!
I personally think middle school is a bit too young to be having sex, but I know some people do anyway. Those who do definitely need guidance and protection from STDs and getting pregnant. I think the parents of the students have a right to know if their children are sexually active, but then again it would probably be embarrassing for the kids and most kids wouldn't tell their parents anyway. Also, parents should know if their kids are on a medication. The school is giving the kids prescription birth control without notifying their parents. I think I'm half for it, and half against it. If kids are having sex, they need to know how to have safe sex. Those who aren't having sex may start just because they can.
- jESSS.™
I don't think it will work.I think more kids will have sex.
I think that the medication is just going to get more teenagers to have more sexually activity. This should only be for adults and adults only. If 5 of the schools 500 kids are being sexually active then they should have this medication because it will just encouage them to do it more. But if this was in the hands of a sex offender and there making girls pregnant it woul be a great idea. If this medication wasn't made, the girls would have a baby at a young age.
I actually don't have a straight answer when it comes to whether or not this is OK. If the kids are sexually active, then giving them birth control may not be a good idea since there's still a chance it could increase sexual activity. On the other hand, giving out birth control to sexually active kids could be good because it would hopefully prevent pregnancies in the girls.
-Maggith
I do not agree with this idea to give out birth control pills at all. It is just encouraging students to go out and become sexually active instead of waiting. Sure, there are the occasional students who have had sex but those should be handled on a case by case basis. To give out pills and condoms is just sending the message that it is okay to go out and have fun... as long as they don't get caught and don't have to deal with the consequences. If you are going to have fun you've got to deal with whatever comes afterward.
and just a note- "about five out of the 500 kids that go to King Middle have admitted to participating in this kind of activity." If this is correct than only 1% of students at King Middle have had sex. Do the math.
T
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