Would you approve?

PORTLAND, Maine - Middle School - Education officials in this city have decided to allow one school's health center to make birth control pills/patches/condoms available to girls as young as 11 - Would you approve of this for your daughter ?

NO, because it's going to send the wrong message telling them its ok to have sex. Teaching abstinence would be a better start!

Really? When I was eleven I didn't even like boys because boys had cooties.

NO! I agree with angelfire2708 AND xiigzag!

definitely not. it's one thing making those items accessible to adults, but it's another store entirely when minors are involved.

I agree with everyone above. That's so stupid! What are they thinking? Jeeez...

its a problem that they needed to do this in the first place, now it makes it seem ok. am I right in saying it is illegal to have sex if you are under 16? that is just so stupid of those school officials to approve that crap.

I know im only 13 but NO!!! I don't agree. I mean if anything promote abstinance. Basically I feel they sending out a negative messge sayin it's okay 2 have sex as young as 11 when it's not.

Yeah, seriously. I never like the "they'll do it anyway" argument. It's like telling your student, "Don't cheat. But since you're going to do it anyway, take precautions. You're in trouble only if you get caught."

I hate people.

no. if they're going to do it then they need to face the consequences.

ok I think making it legal to 13 and older is ok because they are a teenager and getting to like other kids but 11 no

My God No... I live in Hampden Maine, Portland is like couple hours away and Freaking everyone should wait till there married... I hope this doesn't come to my school. Enough people already f*ck in the bathroom.. I dont want people to be encouraged on that..

I actually read about this on yahoo news and I find it very odd I would not approve of this what so ever because it like saying it is okay to have say as early as 11 as long as you dont get pregnant I dont agree with that...

NO WAAAYYY! Whoever thought of this as a "solution" to "prevent" pregnancy didn't think this through. Yeah so let's give these KIDS a pill that they have to take EVERYDAY that many adults tend to forget to take, but we won't talk to them about STD's and that the pill is not 100% reliable. What a genius idea this was huh?!

Great quote I read: "The library is outdated, why don't we have a copulation room for the kids?"

Dear amblessed,
Perhaps 11 is too early but by the teens this should all be available to them. Those who think teens will not engage in behaviours they shouldn't have blinders on. Of course they will. Offering protection that may potentially save a life or cause unnecessary births is not going to give them any ideas?? They have the idea well before hand. It's much the same as the needle exchange...thousands of lives have been saved because of it. Here in Canada we are now offering a vaccine that helps prevent cervical cancer. The type that is caused from having intercourse. We offer this as young as 11...you see someday they will have intercourse and some will die from it. Is not erring on the side of caution to save a life worth it??? What is a life worth to you? Can anyone take a chance that no one will have sex till they are a mature adult who knows that they need protection and birth control? Hey, we can't even stop adults from doing harm to themselves...hence the seat belt laws, helmet laws, speeding laws. I'm sorry we are not a society of common sense and without some preventative medicine so to speak we would be taking several steps back wards.
Sue...good luck

Dear sue90 - since you address me directly: at what age would you not make available ? 8 ? 7 ? and why - just wondering - also your logic mentioned >>> Is not erring on the side of caution to save a life worth it??? What is a life worth to you? <<< my answer, Yes, a baby (even though unborn) is definately worth it - every Life is precious to me - Does protecting the 'innocense of youth' and 'morals' have any merit ? - Should mankind disregard what the Bible says about 'pre-marital' sex (fornication) ? - the needle exchange: Is it possible providing needles has also led to many broken, lives, and relationships ? (enabled continuation of the addiction) - I agree with you, we definately live in a time of no common sense...thanks for your information provided...TIA for your response,
Bill...good luck

I think it's a good idea.
1. Kids are going to have sex anyway, and they are.
2. They can already get condoms if they want them, there's no age limit on buying condoms. However, they're not likely to go and buy them, and end up having unprotected sex.

I think there should be more education on the seriousness and consequences of sex, coupled with the availability of contraceptives.

Further Info: This is being done - confidentially ... without informing parents.

MMM they way the world is these days is very interestting really...I would say HELL NO..but then again not that long a go people where getting married that young..too...then there is the simple fact kids are having sex..some at that age too...why I am not 100% sure...I would say lack of education as well as an understanding and childern are just ...not raised the same ways any more...they hold no moral value in them selfs or life...and have little respect for their parents often times..and the school systems ahhh they are getting worse and worse the infulence is awful both in school and on t.v... our county is practiculy yelling GO HAVE SEX AND GET KNOCKED UP theses days...as well as DRUGS ARE OKAY...I DRANK A LITTLE KILLED TWO PEOPLE... the punishments are just not exstreme enough to really scare people or to really get then to understand how seriuos these things are...it is just looked on to lightly...and in some ays humanly when it comes to war any way... I wouldn't wont to aprove but then again should I ever deside to have a child in this world they will be hime schooled...

Update: 10/24/07

A Maine coastal community is outraged over the latest health policy approved by school board members, and has now launched a recall effort aimed at those members who passed the new controversial policy.

Some considerations:

It is not the place of a school to provide such medical care to kids in the first place, especially when it does not include the minor child's parents. It's another example of the government usurping rightful parental authority.

By prescribing OCPs, the school is endorsing and even encouraging sexual activity at an early age.

By not advising the parents, an opportunity to promote communication between parent and child is circumvented.