Maine school board votes to allow birth control in middle school

This story has been all over the media but I wanted to post it as a starter for discussion. The link leads to a NPR discussion a bit more in depth than the AP reports.

I can think of several reasons why this could backfire. I do not believe middle school kids are likely to be consistent in taking the pills but may have a false sense of safety. We know kids aren’t very consistent in implementation of most birth control methods so I suspect this will not have much effect on births and inasmuch as sexual activity increases, so might the incidence of STDs. Seems to me the best birth control method at this age is the presence of an adult. Maybe the school board could spend some money on adult supervision. I do not know what the fact on the ground are there but I sure hope this doesn’t catch on elsewhere.

38 thoughts on “Maine school board votes to allow birth control in middle school”

  1. The school board approved a proposal for pupils at a city middle school to be able to get birth control pills and patches at their student health center. The plan, offered by city health officials, makes King Middle School the first middle school in Maine to make a full range of contraception available to students in grades six through eight, according to the state Department of Health and Human Services. Students at King Middle School in Portland, Maine will now be able to receive contraception from the student health center without their parents knowledge.

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    Lonet

    maine drug rehab

  2. It seems to me people here are making a lot of assumptions about what is going on in this school district.

    That the girls involved are having sex with much older boys (such that the sex constitutes statutory rape).

    that the only (or primary) action the school board is taking is to hand out bc pills like candy.

    That the health center won’t be doing any kind of follow-up monitoring or counseling of the kids they give bc to.

    While I don’t necessarily agree with giving out bc pills (mostly because they don’t address STDs), I can imagine scenarios where this could be done as part of a comprehensive plan to address the problem of middle school pregnancies (and other problems associated with children having sex at that age). So I’m not going to just assume the school board in question is just a bunch of idiots trying to stop a arterial bleeding with a band-aid. Esp. based on the lack of information I’ve seen reported by the media on the matter.

  3. Drowssap–

    Why on earth would you suggest that I come up with healthy reasons for young girls to have sex? That has nothing to do with anything I’ve said–or have plans to say.

  4. As in any kind of social activity, age appropriateness is crucial for the well being of the child. If a child wanted to smoke at the age of 12, would we say it was ok and hand them cigarettes? How about drinking and buy them liquor? Or driving and hand them the keys to the car? When a child, and that is what they are, have adult supervision in one form or another, there isn’t any window of opportunity to have sex or drink or smoke or take drugs or any of the other activities that are not appropriate for their age. When they are interested in and achieving age appropriate activities, there is less “mind time” to think about doing things that are inappropriate. Many times these things happen out of boredom too – just the way pornography gets started. An idle mind is the devil’s workshop – no matter how old we are.

  5. Eddy

    There probably are a half dozen more or less common reasons that 12 year old girls have sex but can you think of any healthy ones?

    I think sometimes feminists get wrapped up in “girl power” without thinking about what girls really need. My personal belief is that the less sex a girl has before the age of 18 the better her chances are in life. Obviously thats just an opinion but I believe it strongly.

  6. Drowssap–

    I’ve heard of teenage girls ‘just wanting something to love’; I’ve heard of others wanting to prove their ‘grown up’. I’ve also heard that drug and alcohol abuse is starting at an earlier age. I’ve also heard of kids having sex parties that would frighten parents to near to death. And, yes, I’ve heard of boys having sex at such young ages and I find it hard to believe that everyone of them stumbled into a Summer of ’42 scenario. Some, I would assume, would attempt and/or succeed at finding a partner of their same age.

    My point here, though, is that this situation is out of the ordinary. We shouldn’t presume that the explanations of 5 to 10 years back adequately address the current unusual situation. Some of us here were openmindedly discussing such possibilities when you presented your very popular opinion as a fact.

  7. Mike Airhart

    Speaking broadly, this is not a matter of parents vs. government, but of warring factions of parents refusing to compromise with each other on the future of public education, and putting public employees in the middle of their crossfire.

    Sadly you are correct which is what makes it even more amazing. What kind of parent thinks BC pills are appropriate for 7th and 8th grade girls? Why did they ask for a guaranteed, nationwide wave of negative publicity? From a legal standpoint why did they want their school to take such a financial risk? They are partially or completely liable for anything they give to children. This whole controversy feels like parents looking for trouble.

  8. Eddy

    Your comment does not appear to be connected to the one I directed to you…where I inquired how you learned about the OLDER guys who are pressuring them?

    To be totally honest I don’t have scientific evidence to back up my assertion. However it is my strong opinion that young girls have sex principally to get older boys to like them. That comes from life experience and observation. What other common reasons can you think of?

    As for the age comment I don’t have a google link handy but younger women are attracted to and on average do date/marry older men.

  9. Ann

    how about field trips to orphanages where they can volunteer for a day and see what it is like to take care of a baby through an entire day and all that is involved?

    Good one Ann! Community service is required at many private schools. The same might be true at public schools as well. Helping out at an orphanage would be a win-win!

  10. Drowssap:

    “So misguided only the government could be behind this plan.”

    No, Drowssap, many controversial sex-ed and contraception programs are spearheaded by local parents and communities, not school employees. This is especially true in places like Montgomery County, Maryland.

    Speaking broadly, this is not a matter of parents vs. government, but of warring factions of parents refusing to compromise with each other on the future of public education, and putting public employees in the middle of their crossfire.

  11. Drowssap–

    Your comment does not appear to be connected to the one I directed to you…where I inquired how you learned about the OLDER guys who are pressuring them?

    I agree that pressure from males is likely a huge factor, as is the desire to be liked. I think it’s foolish though to presume that these are the only reasons…and I think it’s presumptuous to assume the males are older. It may turn out to be true but it presumes there aren’t any 11 to 13 male horndogs. We’d also need to consider then, than in this community at least, girls are becoming sexually active earlier than boys.

    I’m not sure that what we actually KNOW bears this out.

  12. instead of passing around contraceptives, how about field trips to orphanages where they can volunteer for a day and see what it is like to take care of a baby through an entire day and all that is involved? Or how about a film on actual labor and delivery so they can see what that is like? Or bring in mentors who have been down this road and let them tell how it has swallowed up their life? Or other mentors who have managed to get through their teen years without sex and how they did it? Or volunteer organizations where they can be mentors? Like Drowssap said – most girls capitulate because they want boys to like them – how about involving them in activities with accountability that make them feel liked and involved and valuable so they won’t resort to sex? Parents, mentors and volunteers are the answers to this issue – NOT enabling contraceptives.

  13. I read this on another blog and its a good point

    “If a 12-year-old gets a prescription for the pill so she can have sex with her 17-year-old boyfriend, is the school contributing to statutory rape? …I smell a lawsuit”

    Yup.

  14. Before we pat ourselves on the back for empowering young women lets consider why young girls have sex in the first place.

    Young girls have sex so that boys will like them.

    That thought should send shivers up the spines of every 35+ year old parent with a lifetime of real world experience. Even if those BC pills were taken regularly (and they won’t be in most cases) they wouldn’t stop STDs which are a leading cause of infertility in men and women.

    Sorry Eddy, we’ll just have to disagree on this one.

  15. Parental consent is for use of the clinic. Once there the kids can get the birth control without their knowledge. Not the same.

    Contraception is not STD prevention. And we do know that teens and college students do not use condoms, and pills with 100% accuracy. I do not have handy stats on kids and birth control. I do not know of any studies on 11-13 year old kids under these circumstances. But there goes the clinic operating in absence of data.

  16. Granted there is some doubt about the emotional maturity of the youngest females, please remember that the services of the school-based clinic were by opt-in parental consent only. Although people are concentrating their criticism on the five or six 11 year-olds who received contraceptives from the clinic, these youngsters were only a very small percentage of the total for whom services are available throughout the entire Portland school district from Grades 6 through 12. The vast majority of young women eligible to receive contraceptives from the clinic are older and, presumably, more mature in their judgment. I have no problems with the program — provided the principle of parental consent is adhered to.

  17. Concerned said in post 55513

    It is like you are giving them permission even encouraging them to do it before they are really ready to accept the responsibility that goes along with sex.

    Do you have any evidence that making contraception available increases sexual activity among adolescents?

    According to the articles, these kids ARE having sex, unsafe sex. And I’m certain that no matter how much you try to discourage them from having sex, some of them are still going to do it. So if some of those kids can be helped by the school dispensing contraception, then I think the school should.

    Now I’m not saying that dispensing contraception is ALL the school should do and I doubt that is all the school board as done to address the problem. However, it is all that the media was interested in reporting.

  18. MIke,

    I heard a statistic in that school district that only one 12 year old was reported as being pregnant in the last school year. Don’t know if that is true or not.

  19. If the “true love waits” is largely unsuccessful with Christians desiring virginity — what in the world would keep unbelievers from having sex?

    Punishment? Shame? Sent to a girls’ home? Don’t think so.

    Decry the availability of abortions, the okayness of couples living together, etc… and you still have teens of all ages having sex.

    There are now patches, implants, injections, etc… which do not require daily monitoring.

    It’s more of an issue of dealing with reality as Dr. Koop did with AIDS and condoms, and he got blasted for that anyway.

  20. Ken,

    The idea that they are going to be sexual anyways, to me makes no sense. It is like you are giving them permission even encouraging them to do it before they are really ready to accept the responsibility that goes along with sex.

    I have been in school systems that pushed for this kind of thing initially. Without an abstinence message along with it I think this is futile.

    I would agree it is important to assist the parents with the education of their children around this difficult issue.

  21. I think that parents — not overworked teachers — must become much more responsible for their teen-agers. So perhaps I agree with Warren there — though I’m not sure what you mean by “adults.” (Are you suggesting increased taxes to support police curfews?)

    But overall this discussion has neglected to document how well (or poorly) contraceptive measures and sex ed work among different age groups.

    Drowssap’s observation about 12- to 14-year-olds sounds like common sense, but common sense isn’t always true. What are the statistics? Surely reliable studies have been done by experts who are independent of the abstinence-only and sex-lib movements?

  22. Warren said in post 55469

    I watched the coverage of this decision and it appears that birth control is the main intervention.

    “main” or “latest”? Have you tried contacting the school board to ask them what other things they have done to address the problem?

  23. Drowssap–

    Where did you find the profiles on the guys involved? How much older were they? Does there seem to be a pattern to the pressuring?

    Your conclusion does tie things up neatly, I’m just wondering if it’s been established to be a factor in this Maine middle school issue.

  24. ken

    This plan won’t work for 12 to 14 year old girls who are already having sex.

    We are talking about immature children who are clearly 100% irresponsible. Most of these girls probably still have Brats dolls on a shelf in their room. And lets not forget who these girls are having sex with. Mostly older guys who are pressuring them.

    For these girls BC pills are just encouragement and approval from an authority figure. At least if we could trust them to take these pills on schedule it might make some limited sense. But they can’t at this age.

  25. I watched the coverage of this decision and it appears that birth control is the main intervention. If 12-14 year olds are roaming the streets, we increase adult supervision. To say that we can nothing to prevent sex at this age is to treat sexual behavior different than any other. If 12-14 year olds are doing drugs and drinking, we do not buy them clean needles or provide designated drivers. Adults are the best birth control – get them involved.

  26. Mary–

    I was thinking more along the lines of a breakdown of the family unit and the influence of the media.

  27. Eddy said in post 55220:

    My biggest problem with the plan is that it doesn’t, in any way, address the cause of this mini-epidemic.

    I suspect the school board is doing more than just handing out bc pills. Just that the media isn’t interested in talking about those other aspects.

  28. Ann said in post 55184

    ok, give 12,13 & 14 year old children contraceptives so they can have sex

    You’ve got it backwards Ann. the 12, 13 and 14 year olds are already having sex. The school is looking to give out contraceptives to stop the girls from getting pregnant.

  29. Middle school girls receive government funded birth control?

    (rubbing eyes) Ok, this is not a dream.

    I think it’s crazy, but if it worked at least I could understand the rationale. Unfortunately it won’t work because large numbers of 12 year old girls aren’t mature enough to take their pill every day. Sadly its these same immature girls who are having sex.

    So misguided only the government could be behind this plan.

  30. Is the school ‘health center’ the same thing as the ‘school nurse’ that I remember? What I’m wondering is: what if a student’s parents elect NOT to sign the ‘health center permission…would their child still have access to a school nurse if they felt ill?

    My biggest problem with the plan is that it doesn’t, in any way, address the cause of this mini-epidemic. These are 11, 12 and 13 year old girls. What has changed so dramatically in the cultural and/or home environment in just one or two generations that could help to explain this problem?

  31. ok, give 12,13 & 14 year old children contraceptives so they can have sex – sounds to me like the people who made this decision are suffering from the “enabling virus” that seems to be going around.

  32. Maine, like many states, has a 3 year age window regarding the age of consent. I don’t see how this would be a violation of any law.

    Warren, do you have any evidence that making contraception available actually increases sexual activity among adolescents?

    Personally, I think making birth control available could be a bad idea simply because it won’t protect against STDs. However, hopefully the health care staff would use requests for birth control to emphasize that point and encourage condom use as well.

  33. Is anyone aware of the age of consent in that state??? I think we will find that handing out birth control to that age group could be construed to be a violation of the law.

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