Tell me, all your life, haven't you thought that middle school students are too young to have sex? Haven't you always thought that parents should at least know about, and have some say in, what their children are doing? If you have thought this way, and you probably have if you're not from San Francisco, how could you support something that's the very opposite of your beliefs?
A supporter, Richard Verrier, said it's not enough to depend on parents to protect their children because there may be students who can't discuss things with their parents.
Why would you make a law that's very bad for most people, just to protect a small number of students for whom lack of this law might be a problem? Just who are we helping by allowing 12-year-olds to get birth control pills without their parents' explicit permission?
I just don't understand these laws. I don't understand how this type of law helps us as a society. I don't understand how anyone who's a parent could possibly think that such laws are a good idea. I don't see how a thinking adult could support such a law.
And here's how they're going to trick people into falling for this scam:
Students treated at the centers must first get written parental permission, but under state law such treatment is confidential, and students decide for themselves whether to tell their parents about the services they receive.
Of course if my child has a headache, I want the school nurse (if they even have one) to give him an aspirin. Then something like this occurs. It's inevitable.
I'm not a big fan of the Republicans' social agenda, but if this is what they're talking about regarding family values, then sign me up.
9 comments:
"I don't see how a thinking adult could support such a law."
Thats exactly the thing most liberals have no sense of what reality is and live in a fantasy land of assisting and aiding everybody in the nation despite the cost and moral preprocussions of their actions ...
liberalism ... its America's biggest disease
Darren what planet do you live on where a school nurse could give anyone an aspirin?
You would have to bring the aspirin to the nurse and sign paperwork saying it was ok.
And if your child had smuggled in the "drugs" then zero-tolerence kicks in and bye-bye.
But I'm sure birth control will be easily obtainable. . .
sigh
My implication was that parents would sign the "treatment consent" forms, thinking they're allowing their kids to get an aspirin--never thinking in a million years that they'd be consenting to birth control pills.
well then they need to be that specific signing and consenting to each drug ... an initial after benadril, an initial after aspirin, no initial after birth control and so on
Excellent idea, Brook.
What I don't get is that we get almost daily warnings about blood clots, cancer all kinds of other side effects from estogen birth control pills and yet, we can give them to 12 year olds? As teachers, we can't even give a kid an Advil without permission slips and phone calls home. And we don't have a clue what that many hormones pumped into an adolescent body will do. I see reports all the time about how different medications are not permitted for use in children and teens, but some school nurse is going to issue a script for them thanks to your local traveling doctor. What about medical history? This was part of the whole dilemma with the abortion pill. Planned Parenthood along with the EU pushed how it was easier and more personal to self induce a miscarriage at home. But there are strict rules that must be followed. There have been deaths associated with misuse. I am sure that misuse of hormones could also be a liability down the line. Kids don't need any medications other than that to keep them healthy. This is the same as saying to a kid to go ahead and have sex. But while condoms prevent STD's all the pill will do is prevent pregnancy. So who is going to benefit from this policy? Are teenaged boys writing laws in Maine now?
I think the issue of middle school birth control is a very challenging one for educators given the roles expected of them in today’s society. As a former school superintendent, I had great concerns about the disdain shown for the school and the school board in this matter. I wrote about that aspect at:
http://www.openeducation.net/2007/10/22/did-maine-middle-school-stray-outside-its-appropriate-role/
It may be of interest to you or your readers. Thanks.
Tom Hanson
Editor
OpenEducation.net
Mr. Hanson wrote an interesting post, but one with which I disagree. I left a comment on that post, and recommend readers here to go read that post to get an alternate take on the situation.
This is one more example of society taking the power of parenting away from parents. If some parents aren't acting responsibly towards their children, they should be dealt with as neglectful. The rest of the parents shouldn't lose their rights because of them.
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