Should schools provide birth control?

[groundpounder]

That's close to being a good middle ground, PP. Let them TALK to the counselors about it (if they feel they can't go to their parents) but still stop short of out and out distribution.

Distribution is just taking on a role that the school system was not meant to fill. Talking confidentially to a counselor and having that counselor point the student in the right direction is IMO just an extension of educating, not distributing.

 

[dt3]

Parenting should be left up to the parents, not the schools. GP and PP are right on with the counselors though.

 

[groundpounder]

...GP and PP are right on...

I love it when you point out the obvious!

Me ruv you rong time!

 

[GraceAbounds]

They already do here, you can go to sexual health nurse and get condoms and/or be put on the pill, without your parents knowing. And I think its a great idea

Then parents should be allowed to sue the school should something happen to their child due to them possibly having an allergic reaction etc. to the medication.

Also if many years down the road it is proven that the pill the child was on was the cause of some sort of disease/negative side effect they should also be able to sue the school.

And if the child has sex because they think that they are now protected with the pill from getting pregnant, (because that is what kids think) and they end up getting pregnant, then the school should help provide support for that baby since they saw fit to get involved. If you (the school) are going to take on the responsibility to involve yourself in such an intimate way then you best be prepared to see it through to the end. Don't just hand out medication and then walk away like you had no responsibility in the child's decision to engage in an activity that they are not prepared to deal with the possible consequences.

Schools are failing miserably. They don't need anything else to distract them. They already complain enough as it is about what they have to do. Our arts and physical education programs have almost been totally cut since I was in school, yet the schools now want to take the time and the money to be able to hand out condoms and medication to my child. It's bullsh*t.

 

[Peter Parka]

Then parents should be allowed to sue the school should something happen to their child due to them possibly having an allergic reaction etc. to the medication.

Also if many years down the road it is proven that the pill the child was on was the cause of some sort of disease/negative side effect they should also be able to sue the school.

And if the child has sex because they think that they are now protected with the pill from getting pregnant, (because that is what kids think) and they end up getting pregnant, then the school should help provide support for that baby since they saw fit to get involved. If you (the school) are going to take on the responsibility to involve yourself in such an intimate way then you best be prepared to see it through to the end. Don't just hand out medication and then walk away like you had no responsibility in the child's decision to engage in an activity that they are not prepared to deal with the possible consequences.

Schools are failing miserably. They don't need anything else to distract them. They already complain enough as it is about what they have to do. Our arts and physical education programs have almost been totally cut since I was in school, yet the schools now want to take the time and the money to be able to hand out condoms and medication to my child. It's bullsh*t.

Dont you think a nurse is more qualified to know about the side effects of the pill than your average parent though?
I do think that is is ultimately the parents job to know about these things but thats an ideal situation which isn't always going to happen and there are also a lot of parents who will make mistakes over this. It's good to have a back up plan in case and even if the parent is handling things better, it's still good to have somewhere the kids can turn for sound advice if they arn't going to tell their parents. Maybe it's wrong of them not to tell their parents but its society who pays the penalty when we have to cope with single teenage mothers struggling on benefits.