Birth-control prescriptions pitched for middle school

[Erva]

I absolutely cannot understand what these school officials are thinking. It feels as though the world has gone completely mad!


http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/18/us/18portland.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin
http://www.sunjournal.com/story/234353-3/MaineNews/Birthcontrol_prescriptions_pitched_for_middle_school/

[mainegreen]

1. Mixed feelings on this one. I would support passing out condoms, but the pill?

That requires a prescription and the parents really must be involved in that. What's the difference between that and the school proscribing your child Xanax or some other drug? None.

This is not about abortion and the right to choose. This is a school board stepping into the role of medical adviser to children that aren't theirs. They made the wrong choice.

[high density]

2. This is a front page story on MSNBC now

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21358971/

What a bunch of idiots.

[mainegreen]

3. I think this is going to cause a huge public shitstorm here.

Nice going guys. Not like our city and schools here in portland don't have more pressing issues to deal with.

[Erva]

4. I agree, Mainegreen

We look like a real bunch of idiots. I am for choice and birth control, but my son is 12 and in seventh grade and I find it mind boggling that they feel that this isn't condoning sexual activity among teenagers. They don't give out alcohol and a safe place to drink and I am sure there are at least as many drinking as there are having sex. It most assuredly DOES condone the activity. Pregnancy statistics aside, the kids see this as the official stamp of approval.

[Maine-ah]

5. I think people are in denial here

if you don't think that your teen is thinking about sex then you're nuts. Seriously. I know plenty of kids that were having sex in jr high school, and one girl that got pregnant. If kids are sexually active, then they need protection in any form they can get it, and it's most likely something they are not going to talk to their parents about.

on edit:

I would also like to say, that I think BC pill ought to be an over the counter deal.

[luckyleftyme2]

6. what a dilemma

being a parent in this day and age certainly is a chore. by this I mean trying to maintain your ability to guide your child's moral standard,your ability to Gage when you think they're old enough to learn about the birds and bees,to ride a bike,to be disciplined for mis-behavior.I spanked my daughter twice,once when she was 3,and damn near burnt our house down in calais(she decided to cook breakfast) thank god for smoke detectors. and once when she was 12, and decided that the menstrual period was an excuse
to be a tyrant.(but I barked a lot)
The boy was easier to handle,he was more laid back.but if you set him in a chair it was worse than a beating.
we told our children about birth control when they were approx. 10. we told them we could come to us at any time with questions. they turned out pretty good.
the point=its the parents job! no child under 18 should get any type of medical pills without the parents knowledge.(this is children living with parents)
no doctor should write a prescription with out the parents knowledge regardless of the law.
I also think that if any school personnel knows a child under 14 is sexually active they should inform the parent.
and that portland parents ought to storm city hall and over turn this foolish move!
p.s. i'm not against birth control,I am against giving it to children without the parents knowledge. why increase the birthrate of unwanted children? what happens when the child (forgets) runs out of pills. it happens

[ticapnews]

7. I'm torn on this.

I would much rather parents educate their own children when it comes to sex, birth control and the dangers of STD etc. On the other hand, parents are often a) unwilling to do it and/or b) uninformed on such things.

For example, if a parent listen to Senator Frist (a medical doctor, after all) they might be under the mistaken impression that AIDS can be passed through tears. Imagine Little Bobby and Little Susie sitting uncomfortably while Mom and Dad told them the dangers of being near a classmate who was crying...

In a perfect world, there would be no need for this program. Parents would be well-informed and would be looking out for their kids (regardless of personal embarrassment). Sadly, this is not a perfect world. What I hope happens is that this program causes parents to be more proactive in dealing with their children and gets them more involved.

What we can be sure of is that many politicians (mainly on the right) will use this as an example of The Nanny State while completely neglecting the responsibility of parents. After all, parents are also voters. "Hollywood," "video games" and "MTV" are easy scapegoats for the ills of society.

And politicians don't win elections by criticizing their voters.

[luckyleftyme2]

10. sorry -I DON'T AGREE

SOUNDS GOOD BUT: the parent should still be notified. that is the main problem with this.once the parent is notified he or she or they can act. the problem with the parent not knowing is two fold.
we had an incident in our town where one of the teachers son was a dealer. he overdosed
and the parent was completely unaware.
I know most people think its low income children,nothing could be further from the truth. many children live in a two working family household with incomes over $100,000 and their 12 year olds are home alone.
we had an incident of bully,or gang picking on my grand child of 10 in scarborough.
one of the kids dad was a lawyer,and the ring leader who was left alone many times until
9:00 at night.
my son-in-law who is 6-5 went through the proper channels and nothing was done.this went on for 2 months,they was afraid of a lawsuit.(the teachers)
my son made a phone call to a friend and it stopped immediately! my grandson is in the upper half of 1% in school. this year he is in a different school and the others are separated. he is 1-2 years younger than his peer group but he will top out well over
6' and 230
mother nature is on his side now!

[ticapnews]

11. Uh. OK.

The kid is going to bring home the waiver for the parent to sign. The parent will either sign it (in which case they are aware that their child might be receiving medical care that they won't necessarily know about) or they will not sign it.

What this presents to the parent is an opportunity. Knowing what options are available to their child at school, this is the time for the PARENT to step up and have THE TALK. Or, if they are not going to sign the waiver, then they have a responsibility to make sure their kid knows what's going on.

You're a parent. When your kid was learning to ride a bike, did you just give them the bike and tell them to start riding? Or did you start out with a tricycle, or a bike with training wheels, and you helped him learn how to steer, how to pedal, how to remain upright? When it was time to learn to drive a car, did you just hand him the keys?

I'm not sure what drug dealers or bullies have to do with this. I suppose if we wanted to get into wacky hypotheticals, I could talk about the girl who is the victim of incest who wants the pill so she doesn't end up giving birth to her own brother or sister.

But this places the responsibility squarely on the parents. Not the schools. Not the nurses. The parents. It's their job to raise their child, not merely to provide a roof and a couple of meals a day.

[luckyleftyme2]

13. thats exactly what I said

thats exactly what I said tippycap-re-read it,you would sign!
p.s. as far as frist goes he's a wacko he argued the president was right on the medi-care drug bill;you know the gift to the drug companies.

[crim son]

8. I'm torn.

We have seatbelt laws because people don't use common sense. Apparently we provide condoms. Why not the pill? Especially, as I understand, parental consent would be required before the school could offer this form of contraception. I do understand the argument that this is not a matter of education but hell... we have the schools feed, medicate, entertain and socialize our kids. Where do we draw the line?

[Erva]

9. I am not torn at all

These are not high school kids, they are in Middle School. The response that they are having sex so we should keep them from getting pregnant is not enough for me. Some may be smoking and drinking as well, but I don't think we should be helping them do it. There is no safe way for an 11-13 year-old to have sex. Some may be doing it, however, it is inherently medically and emotionally unsafe.
My son is 12 and he says that he doesn't know anyone who is doing this. I believe him. He also said that the school in Portland is sending a message that it is sanctioning this activity. My kid still plays with GI Joes for crying out loud.

Not all of our children lie to us while leading sordid secret lives. Some do, but that needs to be addressed individually and not with sweeping programs of this nature.

[Maine-ah]

12. bullshit.

if they're gonna do it, they're gonna do it regardless of whether or not they have protection of any kind. Smoking and drinking are not the issue here, and it's certainly comparing apples and organges. They can get condoms, why shouldn't the girls be able to get pills too? Why not give them every option available to protect themselves from STD's and pregnancy? Your son may not know kids having sex, but it doesn't meant that some of them aren't or at least thinking about it, and that includes him regardless of what he tells you. He's had to have had some sort of sex ed class by now, or a "health" class, where basics are covered.

So maybe not all of the kids are "leading sordid secret lives", but some may, so don't you think we should offer up every option available to protect themselves?

Doesn't anyone here remember what it was like in jr. high? Some were just starting to date, holding hands at the movie theater, maybe a first kiss? Some kids going beyond that first kiss was certainly not out of the ordinary.

[luckyleftyme2]

14. 17 kids in portland over the past 3-4 years

yes it will still happen,but having the parent involved may help.like I said being a parent today is tough.
I think many parental rights have been lost over the past 20 years,slowly but surely we are moving toward a controlled life.
but latch key kids are as much at risk as lower income. remmember your child doesn't have to be but may hang with one that is.
and for the rabbit with his head in the sand,gangs or clicks often are the cause of misbehavior.
and in private I could tell you more about the incedent with my grandson. you see he wasn't the only one they picked on! so as usual you got half the info and spouted off!

[Maine-ah]

15. who the heck are you responding to anyway?

[luckyleftyme2]

16. anyone who responds

to you if you think its you. the great thing about this is people are voicing their opinion.
they are starting a recall petition today in portland,I think this is great,it may work,it may cause the board to overturn their vote,to delay the program or even give it to the voters.
the voters should make the final decision on this one.

[Maine-ah]

17. oh, just fuck it. why do I even try with you

even when you agree with someone, you still turn it into an argument.

[ticapnews]

19. Now look, you came here for an argument!

[mainegreen]

22. !!!!!

:rofl:

[luckyleftyme2]

23. oh tipicat

seems you would like to paint me black,but i'll still say what I WANT-PARENTS SHOULD HAVE THE FINIAL SAY UNTIL THE AGE OF CONSENT! which is 14 in this state!
and your response to my thread was strictly to create a slam. (my grandson)
i've handled your kind all my life,your a joke!
tipicat news(simply a rely from somebody elses repoting!)
perhaps I should take that monitors job!

[Maine-ah]

26. so, this is the right room for an argument.....

:rofl:

one of my favorites too.... from the begining...


Shut your festering gob, you tit! Your type really makes me puke, you vacuous, coffee-nosed, malodorous, pervert!!!

[Erva]

18. Not so much

No, actually, I don't think we should offer up every option. I don't think they should be providing condoms in middle school either. I don't think sex education has anything to do with providing contraception. Those are apples and oranges in my opinion.
Of course I remember what it was like for me, apparently very different from what it was like for you. That still doesn't make this a workable solution to 17 kids in Portland versus an entire middle school population.
BTW:It's a lot nicer to argue with people who don't curse at you!

[Shorebound]

20. One question ...

... I haven't seen addressed. Is it medically safe to prescribe birth control pills to children this young? Has there been any research, any double-blind studies, any medical reports on the effect of this medication on pubescent and prepubescent children? All morality aside, that would be the first question I would want answered, yet I haven't seen much comment about it.

[Erva]

21. Good Point!

I have not seen any studies one way or the other. It is a very good question. I think that my feelings are less about the morality of the issue than the physical and emotional repercussions.

[luckyleftyme2]

24. i agree with you

I AGREE THEY ARE TO YOUNG TO HANDLE THE MEDS OR THE RESPOSSIBILITY!
DOES IT HAPPEN,YES,WILL IT CONTINUE TO HAPPEN YES.
IS SCHOOL THE PLACE TO DISPENSE THIS? THATS THE REAL QUESTION!
I DON'T THINK SO,COULD THEY BE PART OF THE SOLUTION. MAYBE BUT NOT THE LEAD ROLE!

[Maine-ah]

27. hey Shorebound, here's some info that can help you

http://www.youngwomenshealth.org/oral.html

[Shorebound]

28. Thanks

for the info, but it doesn't really address the question I asked above. The link doesn't mention ages, other than "teen," and doesn't address the medical advisability of prescribing b.c. pills to pubescent or prepubescent girls.

BTW, I really don't have a dog in this fight. I was just surprised to see that no one was addressing the medical side of the question.

[luckyleftyme2]

29. shorebound-I think most of us who oppose it have

I think most of us who have opposed it have raised children threw this age of hormones and peer pressure.
to take it head on most of those who are for it seem to have never experienced it.
by that I mean raising a child through this period.
many grown women can't handle the pill,either because of schedule,body rejection or plain forgetfulness!
my fear is that mishandled we would have a rise in pregnancies,cancer or venereal disease in this age group.
thats why i'm against it unless the parent is involved and approves.
today I am glad to see that the school will now have to report a case if they know
a child is sexually active under the age of 14!
Having raised 4 children I know that every child has a different outlook on life. and the maturity level at age 11-14 is different in each one.
I also know that children's back grounds vary in any community,as well as the guidance and moral standards taught.

[Maine-ah]

31. yeah, but have either of you ever been a

a girl?

[Shorebound]

32. Are you saying ...

... that I have to be a girl to worry about a girl's health? Do I also have to be an African to worry about the AIDS crisis in Uganda? Or a Peruvian to worry about poverty in the Andes? Or a Canadian to worry about global warming in the Far North?

Your "question" is designed to stifle debate, not add to it.

[Maine-ah]

34. I guess you don't get my sense of humor.

http://www.drspock.com/article/0,1510,6127,00.html

here's some more info that may help you. Google is your friend. You can probably find some of the answers you are looking for if you just look.

Myth: The Pill poses health risks to teenagers.
Truth: The Pill has many health benefits, including less severe acne outbreaks, milder menstrual cramps, lighter and more predictable periods, and a lower risk of ovarian and uterine cancer. Because the Pill cuts the risk of ovarian cancer almost in half, some experts recommend that all young women take the Pill for at least five years, just for this benefit alone. Perhaps just as important, the Pill has not been shown to increase the risk of any type of cancer. For most girls, the health benefits actually outweigh any health risks caused by the Pill.

Myth: Younger teens' bodies are too physically immature to handle the hormones of birth control pills.
Truth: Once a girl has gone through puberty, with its breast development and periods, her hormones are in the adult range. There is no reason to think that the Pill would be any more risk to her than to older girls or women.

Myth: The Pill causes infertility.
Truth: Research has shown that by one year off the Pill, menstrual cycles are the same as they would have been anyway. If a teenager is taking the Pill for irregular cycles, though, she may once again have irregular cycles when she goes off the Pill later in life, and this may indicate irregular ovulations and diminished fertility. These sorts of fertility problems are usually treatable with medications.

Also, while the Pill does not directly lead to tubal infection or obstruction, sexually active teenagers may participate in other behaviors that put themselves at risk. For example, having multiple sexual partners and using condoms inconsistently (which unfortunately are the norm for some sexually active teenagers) puts future fertility at risk, since the sexually transmitted infections chlamydia and gonorrhea can lead to permanent damage to, and obstruction of, the fallopian tubes.

[Maine-ah]

25. na, let's not provide them with protection, that's a good plan.

series.....

the part you are not getting is that they're gonna have sex. Your child may not, but someone elses child may, and you could apparently care less whether or not they get pregnant or std's. Abstinence ed does not work.

your gonna have to get some thicker skin around here. Many of us have "potty" mouths. Shit.

[MaineDem]

30. Remember, the parent must give permission before the student can go to the clinic

It's not the same as the school nurse.

[luckyleftyme2]

33. I GUESS I'VE BEEN MIS-INFORMED

I was under the impression that if my daughter played sports or took phys. ed. you had to sign up. and that qualified her to be eligible.
I was under the impression that several people have called the atty. generals office
to see if this could be separated so the parent would have to be informed.
But I have been busy the last few days getting things done so I could enjoy the hunting season.(deer)
most of my info has come from the t.v. you see I'm one of those who stopped the portland paper when brunswick won the class A basketball championship making portland
look bad. and got poor or little press!
even today all of mid -coast gets poor coverage! from freeport to rockland!