A middle school Portland, Maine has become the center of a heated national debate. The school board has proposed offing birth control to its students.
The school board committee voted 7-2 to allow the school health center at King Middle School to offer students prescriptions for birth control pills or the patch to prevent pregnancy. Students at the school range in age from 10 to 15 years old.
Some people, obviously think it’s a great idea. I say get ready for the lawsuits.
I agree that sexually active teens need birth control. No one would say that a pregnant 11 year old has a bright future. But the thing is, the school board doesn’t propose letting parents know that their child is on the patch or the pill. It proposes putting the health decisions in the hands of the children. That is the part that I disagree with. I think I have a right to know if my child is on medication.
If they start handing out birth control pills at the school it will be to students who request them who have parental consent to visit the health center. That means if a parent agrees that it is okay for their child to go to the nurse to get an asprin if they have a headache, they have also signed the green light for the school to prescribe birth control medications for the child. The school will not ask permission or notify parents if the kids pick up birth control patches or pills at school.
Also, I want to know, what happened to encouraging the use of condoms? Sexually active teens need to be informed and realize that birth control pills and patches will not prevent them from contracting sexually transmitted diseases. Sexually transmitted diseases have the potential to end, ruin or drastically change lives and by not giving the students who seek birth control access to condoms rather than birth control pills, the school is pretty much advocating unprotected teen sex. That is wrong.
And what about the health consequences of the patch and birth control pills? The school is saying it is none of the parents’ business. I disagree. Parents pay the health insurance and medical insurance expenses of these students. By not telling the parents about drugs prescribed to their children the school is violating the parents’ rights!
Look, I know kids have rights too. But let me tell you, my child’s health is my business. As long as I pay the bills and take care of medical issues, my child has no right to privacy in regard to medical treatment.
I would hate for my child to suffer from cramps or a headache at school and not be able to go to the health center for an asprin, however, if I had a child at that school I would not sign any health care waiver that would remove my right to know what is going on with my kid. I have a cell phone, my child can contact me if they need something. And if it’s an emergency, they can call 911 and let professionals care for my child until I can get there. I will absolutely retain my rights as a parent.
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