Birth Control for Middle Schoolers
Not sure if you guys heard but Baltimore schools have been making the headlines for prescribing birth-control to middle-schoolers. The decision is questionable mostly because it violates parental rights. But also, some have argued that: a) It encourages premature sex and b) Sex with a 13-year-old isn't just wrong; it's illegal.
The school boards, on the other hand, argue that even if that is the case, they are going to continue doing it, because, HELLO, middle-schoolers ARE HAVING SEX. Also:
1) The schools' job is to protect girls so they can finish their education.
2) Providing the pills doesn't cause more sex.
3) They won't give them to prepubescent kids.
4) They'll report illegal underage sex.
5) Parents still have control, since kids can't use the clinics without a waiver.
Now, I know it's a complicated issue and I shouldn't be too quick to pass judgment...but it seems to me that schools are being held responsible for kids having sex at a younger age...and that just doesn't add up to me.
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Issue summary via slate.
The school boards, on the other hand, argue that even if that is the case, they are going to continue doing it, because, HELLO, middle-schoolers ARE HAVING SEX. Also:
1) The schools' job is to protect girls so they can finish their education.
2) Providing the pills doesn't cause more sex.
3) They won't give them to prepubescent kids.
4) They'll report illegal underage sex.
5) Parents still have control, since kids can't use the clinics without a waiver.
Now, I know it's a complicated issue and I shouldn't be too quick to pass judgment...but it seems to me that schools are being held responsible for kids having sex at a younger age...and that just doesn't add up to me.
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Issue summary via slate.
Labels: sex
posted by petya at 10/23/2007 11:06:00 AM
6 Comments:
Texas holds the record for most teenage pregnancies. It is also the state in which most kids get "abstinence only" sex ed and of course no birth control. So yeah, you get my point.
I knew your point before you even posted it ;)
Wellll.
What would be the point of giving The Pill to a prepubescent girl? Why does the school bring this up as supporting their position? Am I missing something?
Schools are already required to report illegal underage sex. So why does the school even bring this up as supporting their position?
Parents can only choose to allow,or not, their kid to access the school health clinic - once they choose to allow clinic access, they will not be informed by the clinic as to whether or not their kid is issued the pill. The first article you linked to indicates that most of the school's students come from poor families - families that may have the greatest desire to have their kids access the school health clinic, but perhaps not necessarily while allowing non-family to decide matters of birth control without parental involvement. Poor families that are concerned about birth control should be able to get help from public health services (though I don't know if there is law proscribing that in some states).
The school in Maine had ONE student become pregnant last year.This seems an overly-strong prophylactic measure in response.
It seems to me that, rather than being held responsible for kids having sex at younger ages, these schools are TAKING the responsibility for preventing kids from getting pregnant.
No, there is a bad aura around this story.
sonyphone
Unless I'm misunderstanding (or it's a state-specific thing that's different in New York than it is in Maryland), sex with a 13-year-old isn't illegal if it's another 13-year-old doing the sexing, for lack of a better verb. Right?
jenn,
Have just spent some time online trying to find the answer to your question. The web site where I found the Maine statutes is just a little too weird for me to link to from here. Start by googling "age of consent" if you're really interested.
Anyway, from skimming (emphasis) those statutes, it's not clear that you are right about the 13 on 13 years old "sexing" being legal. It's also not clear that you are wrong.
sonyphone
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