New Policy Allows High School Health Center to Offer Contraception and Locals Fight Back
What do you think about the high school in Revere, MA that recently decided to allow the school's health center to offer contraceptives to students?
Keep in mind that students must be signed up by a parent and parents must check off, on the enrollment form, that they want their child to have access to contraceptives? (including condoms and Plan B)
Oppositions are coming out of the woodwork: religious groups, parents, and other locals who think the policy should be banned and re-written.
Read all about it in my blog post here.
What do you think? Should the health center's newly appointed system of offering contraception be re-evaluated? Should school health center's allow birth control options to students? What right do parents have to influence school policy about such things? When should we give full control of sexual activity to the teen?
Keep in mind that students must be signed up by a parent and parents must check off, on the enrollment form, that they want their child to have access to contraceptives? (including condoms and Plan B)
Oppositions are coming out of the woodwork: religious groups, parents, and other locals who think the policy should be banned and re-written.
Read all about it in my blog post here.
What do you think? Should the health center's newly appointed system of offering contraception be re-evaluated? Should school health center's allow birth control options to students? What right do parents have to influence school policy about such things? When should we give full control of sexual activity to the teen?
Tags: abstinence, b, birth, center, condoms, control, education, health, plan, sex
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by amanda on -
I was actually really impressed that Revere High School put such a policy in place. What a huge, forward-thinking, progressive decision! Do you know any other schools that have done this? I think the two-tier system makes this an even more positive policy because it still gives parents control over their children. I think parents and teenagers are the ones who should have say on their individual participation in the school's health center. Power to the people, yes. However, I'm weary that a new advisory committee that includes parents might result in a biased committee. How would the new advisory council be set up? Election? What if well-known local religion leaders, for example, were to run? Or even religiously-motivated parents? Wouldn't that be an issue with the separation of church and state? I think it would be. Since none of the students are being gifted packs and packs of Plan B - why is this an issue? Is it that parents don't feel "in control?" or is it the age-old uncomfortable thoughts of their child being sexually active? The comment that the Marriage and Family chairperson said about sex ed and contraception leading to promiscuity is false. Is there a link that says access to birth control leads to more sexing? I don't think so. And let us not forget that according to MA Teen Pregnancy Alliance, there was a 23% increase in teen birth rate between 2006 and 2007. Revere is ranked 12th in MA communities for teen birth rates among girls 15-19.
-
Permalink Reply by Barbara Giordano on -
I'm for it if there's counseling that goes along with it from both parents and educators. Being sexually involved makes relationships more challenging. Taking the step to having sex lends itself to emotional issus that have potential consequennces. I think there needs to be an open door policy where the teen feels safe to approach parents and school couselors when they have questions. In addition, if a teen becomes sexually active, it's important to have a doctor on board as well. In the case of female teens, it's time for regular check-ups with the GYN.
It's important to realize if teens want to have sex, their going to do it. In my opinion, as a mom of a pre-teen, it's wiser to educate teens about safe sex, birth control and STD's so they have the resources to make good, healthy decisions.
© 2009 Created by Marie
