I was a little shocked by a recent report out of Portland Maine, regarding school children and birth control. The report dealt NOT with sex education for Middle Schoolers.... But dealt with issuing Birth Control to them. When I first heard the news flash on the radio, I thought that it must have been a mistake. But the report was indeed accurate. The school district in Portland Maine voted to allow schools to dispense birth control to kids as young as 10 and 11 years old.
What is this World coming to? I know the answer...but I guess I am just bothered by how fast things seem to be going down the tubes. When I was in Middle School in the mid 80's (living in Kansas at the time).... the closest that we ever got to the subject of birth control was a stupid sex education video. And even then, the video was pretty tame and censored compared to today's standards. It didn't get into any serious detail. That presentation came later on in High School, during health class and special assemblies.... presumably when students were old enough to process and handle the information. But that is just sex education... there was not even a thought of issuing birth control to students, not even when I was an upper classman in High School.
So now they are issuing birth control to babies? What message does this send to these young students? It almost seems like a green light to me. And according to the New York Times, these birth control drugs can be issued without Parental consent.
Is this an appropriate age to issue birth control to kids? Keep in mind, this age group hasn't even had proper sex education yet... it's like putting a loaded gun in the hands of someone who isn't trained to handle it... or providing a car to someone who hasn't learned to drive yet....and is too young to have a license.
I'm usually fairly reasonable...and Progressive on many issues... although I do have Conservative moments (perhaps this is one of them). I just think this is one of those times when the government (in this case...a public school system) has stepped out of bounds and into sacred parental territory as it relates to family planning, sex ed, birth control, morals/values, Faith, etc. This is a matter for Parents to handle (at this particular age).
Any thoughts?
Also See Report & Commentary from NPR.
Audio Report Here
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