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June 11, 2010
by Steve Dennis
The Provincetown Massachusetts School Committee has passed a new condom policy that will allow both its high school and ELEMENTARY school to pass out condoms to CHILDREN who request them.
The vote was unanimous but it does come with some controversy within the school committee– although not for the reasons you would think. Those who voted for the policy, but voiced some concerns over the policy are upset that the new policy isn’t liberal enough.
Dr. Beth Singer, school superintendent, argued that since there is no age limit on the distribution policy, she wanted to ensure that younger students requesting condoms receive information on their use.
The quote above is what some on the committee have a problem with. Putting aside for a moment– if possible– the entire fact that it is absolutely ludicrous that the school committee voted to pass out condoms to anyone regardless of age, what is even more ludicrous is the fact that the concern raised about this policy was because students are required to see the nurse to get the condoms.
I don’t like that students can’t be discreet about this,” said school committee member Shannon Patrick. “They have to go and ask for it. I’d rather them not have the conversation [with counselors] and have the condom than not have the condom.”
“I can see some kids opting out because of the conversation. I’m not against [the policy]. I’m just trying to put myself in that teenager’s spot
The concerns raised about this policy center around the fact that a child would have to ask a nurse for a condom; the opponents feel that the condoms should be available without a child even having to ask for them. Asking for them will put too much stress on them and scare them away from getting a condom according to these people.
But this story does not end there; it gets even worse. Written into the policy is the statement that the schools will not honor a parent’s request that their child not be given a condom. The school knows better than the parent and the parent has no say in this matter, that is the message that is being sent by the Provincetown School Committee.
The idea that a twelve year old can go to the school nurse and request a condom even after the parents of that twelve year old have told the school that they do not wish their child be given that condom is unbelievable on its own. But when you couple it with the fact that there are school committee members who believe that the twelve year old should just be able to get the condom from a free condom dispenser in the bathroom– or some other means like this– without at least having to learn how to actually use it is astounding to me.
Somehow educating a CHILD before they give that CHILD a condom is wrong in the minds of those that are supposed to be educating our children. Even having a conversation about sex and condoms is wrong according to some members of the Provincetown School Committee; they believe our CHILDREN are better left in the dark as long as they can get their condom, that is the important thing in their mind. But it isn’t surprising considering that the Provincetown School Committee decided it was okay to hand out condoms to CHILDREN in the first place.
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JMC Ministries Response
Written by Miranda Caverley
Why are they wanting to hand out condoms to children that haven't even hit puberty yet? The reason for a condom is to practice safe sex, to in hope NOT Get Pregnant and NOT get an STD or HIV.
Children in elementary school have not hit puberty and so cannot actually use the condoms. So why do it? In my mind all you will be having is a bunch of little kids running around with these condoms throwing them at each other or going up to complete strangers and saying, "look what my teacher gave me today." (with a wide smile on their face)
Is this what you want your 5-10 year old running around with in their pockets? Then in turn the School is wasting money on giving condoms out to children who REALLY don't know what they are and can't even use them.
Why does Society feel a need to expose children to things that they can't do and really don't even understand? When I was a child I didn't even know what a condom was until I was 15 years old and I am now 29. I also wasn't taught anything about sex or the changes girls go through until I was 11 almost 12. It did me no harm in being taught about the birds and the bees later on. So why do schools feel they have to give these things to little kids?
I also feel that public schools today really are not there to teach today's youth a good education. They are there to push their own agenda and to push whatever "they" think our children should be taught. It's sad you can't hand out a bible to a child in school but you can hand out a condom. Oh how far our country has fallen.
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