Thursday, October 18, 2007

Mainely Idiots

So the city of Portland, ME has decided that contributing to the deliquency of a minor is a good use of taxpayer money...
PORTLAND, Maine - Pupils at a city middle school will be able to get birth control pills and patches at their student health center after the local school board approved the proposal Wednesday evening.

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 6 through 8, according to the state Department of Health and Human Services.

Read that again. Grades 6 through 8. People, we are talking about kids ages 11 through 13. This is insanity. And the best part is, this is all done without the approval or even knowledge of the student's parents:
At King Middle School, birth control prescriptions will be given after a student undergoes a physical exam by a physician or nurse practitioner, said Lisa Belanger, who oversees Portland’s student health centers.

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.

Got it? The parents sign a permission form allowing their child to be seen/treated by the school health center. After that, it's the honor system as to whether the kid tells mom & dad they're on the pill. My money's on not...

Wonder if anyone's thought about tracking the STD rate for Maine teens once this well-thought out program goes into effect?

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Jay,
Here's an idea . . . any child who signs up to see the school nurse must also see the school safety officer . . . for a course in the safe and proper operation of a firearm. Mandate that the safety officer also be certified to teach the NRA basic pistol safety class. I think that would fly about as well as a brick with wings.

Jay G said...

Yeah, that's one of my favorites. We can't teach the kids gun safety, because then they'll all turn into gun-crazed lunatics.

But we'll give 'em all sorts of sex ed training *and* free birth control and they'll never use it. Wink, wink, nudge, nudge.

I really would like to see a parent bring charges against the school - being an accomplice to statutory rape...

RW said...

WTF is the school doing getting its nose into this issue, any way? What, they're not too busy reading "Heather has two mommies" or teaching how much America sux in the history classes?

I mean, seriously, shouldn't they be focused on the pitiful education system we have in this country and try to teach our kids to speak some sense of the English language? Far be it from me to note that prospective employees have the linguistic or mathematical skills of Enos from the Dukes of Hazzard, but......

Man, another reason I'm glad I live in Georgia.....

Rabbit said...

They'll give them contraception but suspend them for an asprin, which they couldn't get at the nurse's office.

Common sense is such a rare commodity.

Regards,
Rabbit.

Lindsey said...

Birth control PILLS? Seriously? I know that things are changing, and that there are more than a few parents out there who are not taking responsibility. I also know that in schools that teach abstinance only that STD and preganacy reates are actually higher that in schools that teach a mixed curriculum. However I'm of the opinion that condoms are the only contraceptive method a school should provide. Birth control pills have some serious side affects not to mention they don't protect against STD's and have to be taken by someone responsible enough to remember to take them. Which I'm assuming most sexually active 12 years olds are not.

Bruce said...

You got a font size tag not closed in there somewhere?

knitalot3 said...

Here they are so conservative that they can't even teach good health practices, not about STD's or condoms.

Would it really be too much to teach kids it's okay NOT to have sex? Find a good constructive way to have a (friend)relationship with the opposite sex?

knitalot3 said...

Duh... I forgot to add that "that curriculum" is forbidden in high schools here.

Jay G said...

"Would it really be too much to teach kids it's okay NOT to have sex? Find a good constructive way to have a (friend)relationship with the opposite sex?"

Oh now, that's just crazy talk... C'mon, the kids are gonna do it anyways, right? Hell, why doesn't the school just mock up a couple of hotel-like rooms so the kids can get it on at study hall?

I mean, there's sex ed, and that's one thing. What these folks are doing is hand-holding these kids and giving them everything on a platter. *AND* making sure the kids' parents never hear about it.

Bruce, it looks fine on my 'puter here. Anyone else have a font issue?

RW said...

Yeah, I've had font issues for a while. Blockquotes somtimes get REALLY small. Just checked IE (I use Firefox) and it's cross-browser on my end.

Raven said...

Giving BC pills to girls who have not fully developed is dangerous. Plus, the girls doctors might not know of this, and say she gets an ear infection or some other infection and needs an antibiotic...the pill stops working when used while taking the pill. So we have more at stake here. There are other medical reasons why young girls should not be "given" the pill by those who do not know their health history, other medications being used, ect ect.

Frankly I would not allow the health center any access to my kids. If they get sick at school, they can go to the office and call me and I will come get them. Its much safer!

Raven said...

Hey Jay- out in Cali they have been doing sex ed extreme stuff for a few yrs now...check this out:
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=10728

I don't mean to send a religious link
but the facts are correct as I have read the actual medical journal
referenced.
Sick. And do they care? The people of Cali. No.