Birth Control Offered in Maine Middle School

[IDrinkaRum]

http://by124w.bay124.mail.live.com/m...946063&gs=true

[Rapscallion]

Without signing in, I can't see the article. However, since this is a debate board, can you give us your views of it, please?

By the way, what age is 'middle' school? Help out a poor Limey?

Rapscallion

[IDrinkaRum]

Sorry Raps - didn't realize that it was a "sign-in" type of article there.
Here is a new link to the same article. (http://news.aol.com/story/ar/_a/midd...17225109990001)

Middle School children are typically between 10-14 years of age.

I'm a Catholic, but I do take birth control myself (to regulate my "monthlys" and I don't want to have another child at this time).

However, I do not believe children as young as 10/11 up to 14 should have access to birth control through a school. Schools should not make it available. Yes, schhols should have sex ed, but birth control should be between parents & children and the doctor.

[Greenday]

Better the girls be on birth control then for them not to be using any contraceptives at all. Hell, if I ever have kids, and one is a daughter, I'm making sure that whatever age she decides to start having sex, she's going on birth control. I can't stop her from having sex, but I will be able to at least minimize the risk of pregnancy for her.

[rahmota]

Well kids can be rather determined and I would be glad to see them at least taking responsibility and precautions. Yes 11 is a bit too young by modern social standards (abot right for victorian or up until about a hundred years ago) to be having sex but unfortunately if parents are not going to step up and talk to their kids then the kids are going to go and do what they want to. If they dont go on a head and do so anyways. At least having it available may cut back on the teen pregnacy rates and all which is a direct result of the sexual oppression/repression of people by the christian nutjobs.

[IDrinkaRum]

You are correct Rahmota. I have been thinking about this from the stand point of my own upbringing. I had "the sex talk" with my folks. Nothing was secret about it with them.

I plan on raising my daughter the same way. When/if she has questions, I'll be open and tell her whateve it is that she's wanting to know, and if I don't know the answer, I'll find out for her.

I'm always reminded about that one "Happy Days" episode when Fonzie is a sub teacher and tells the health studens about sex ed (this was before sex ed was in schools) and one girl asked Fonzie and the blond guy if someone could get pregnant by kissing a boy in their swimsuit - because that's what her mother told her. That led a school official (who overheard the question) to determine that sex ed was needed in schools.

[AFPheonix]

One of the girls who used to be a student of mine in 4-H recently gave birth to twins. She's 13.
While I'd rather a kid be able to be a kid and hold off on sex until they're much older, and when they do that they have cool enough parents who can direct them to their primary care provider for contraception, I know that for a lot of families, that just isn't an option.
This girl, for example, was brought up by her grandmother, who is suffering from dementia, because her own mother (who started popping out kids about the same age that this one is) has a drug problem and just wasn't fit to parent. There are more kids out there like that than we'd like to admit. There's others who have been sexually abused and are more likely to act out sexually at a young age because of it. I'm also very much aware that there are parents who, for whatever reason, would not react well to their kid using contraception, perhaps physically hurting the child.
Who am I to say that these kids, if they do have sex, should not have access to reproductive care and contraceptives? Is it going to solve the initial problem of sexually active young people to have some of them get pregnant? Of course not! You get the same thing the next generation, as my young friend so typically illustrated. If this prevents even one young girl from having a baby when she herself is still a child, then this served good purpose.

[Seshat]

I think that hormonal birth control should be prescribed by a doctor, but that's because hormones do have an effect on the body's systems and can cause problems.

I believe that the barrier methods that don't need to be fitted, and other methods that are unlikely to cause problems, should be freely available to teenagers. I'd prefer teenagers not to need them, but the reality is that they do.

I believe that sex ed is necessary, and that it should be more than simple reproductive biological fact. Sex has a strong emotional component to humans, and I think it's a good idea to make kids aware of that.

Sex also has a strong moral component in most modern societies. I think that schools should inform the students that they should consult their parents' choice of morals guide. And perhaps provide a list of other moral guides available in their area - though that does have the risk of being either a biased or a controversial list.

There's also a moral/ethical component to sexuality which is independent of religion: there are things we do to each other which will hurt almost anyone no matter the cultural background. I think that relationship education would also be valuable, though I acknowledge that it's almost impossible to be culturally and religiously independent once you get into this area.


My parents have been strongly pro sex ed since the day before I was born. Perhaps earlier, but certainly then.

My mother was in the 'heavily pregnant and about to pop' ward, with me inside her being shy and refusing to come out. (Hey, I was warm and comfy in there!) The woman in the bed beside her, equally ready to give birth, looked over at Mum and asked "Where does the baby come out?"

She was afraid it was going to come out her mouth, apparently! Mum got a senior nurse in to talk to the girl. But you can imagine why my parents are for sex ed!

[Lace Neil Singer]

I don't think this is a good idea at all. There's no point in just handing out condoms without giving some education along with it, plus kids of that age are immature and have absolutely no idea about how to use the contreception, plus they will see it as a magic way to stop babies and won't understand that it's not 100%. Also, they don't have a clue about how babies can't just be put aside when they get bored, or that the boy that they think they're in love with (ie, just crushing on) is unlikely to stick around if they end up pregnant.

I'd far prefer lessons given to these kids firstly teaching them to respect themselves and their bodys so they don't just spread their legs at the drop of a hat, and secondly with speakers coming in to tell them first hand the effects of teen pregnancy and STDs. Not adults, but teenagers who are nearer to their age and will have more of an effect. A school near where I live had a teen mum come in to give a talk on how hard it is to bring up a baby when you're just a kid yourself (she was just 14 years old when she had a baby) and what effect it had on her life.

Plus, the sugar bag thing I've heard of; should be started earlier, at around age 11 or 12.

[Rubystars]

I'd rather they hand out condoms than pills, because condoms are less dangerous to health (barring a latex allergy).

I do think birth control is a good thing though.

[rahmota]

Lace:

There's no point in just handing out condoms without giving some education along with it,

Yeah I'll agree with you that sex education needs to begin before people are capable of it or need it. I mean we send soldiers into the field only after a long time of basic training. If its so important to train people to kill why isnt it important to train people about creating life?

I'm not saying use the kama sutra as a textbook in middle school but the stuff lace is talking about is a good idea. Keep thigns scaled to the understanding and comprehension level of the kids and not just about the mechanics of the act but the ramifications of things involving all that.

I'd far prefer lessons given to these kids firstly teaching them to respect themselves and their bodys

Sad to say about that is that the parents would have to take a much larger role in that. not to mention getting the popular media to change attitudes about body image and what is and is not beautiful and whatever...

[Seshat]

Guess what, rahmota? We're in total agreement!

[rahmota]

Wow. I guess miracles do happen.