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Subscribe to RSSThe morning-after contraception pill, known as 'Plan B,' was made available to 13 New York high schools without requiring parental notification. WNBC's Roseanne Colletti reports.
New York City quietly launched a pilot program last year that allows a school nurse or doctor to dispense free emergency contraceptive pills and birth control pills to girls at 13 public high schools. High schools nationwide have distributed condoms for years, but the New York City program may be one of the first to provide contraceptive pills.
The program, called CATCH, or Connecting Adolescents To Comprehensive Healthcare, is aimed at reducing unplanned teen pregnancy. It began in January 2011, but wasn't publicized until the New York Post reported it over the weekend.
“In any given every year there are about 7,000 pregnancies to girls ages 15 to 17 in New York City, about 90 percent of those are unintended,” said Deborah Kaplan, assistant commissioner at the city health department’s Bureau of Maternal, Infant and Reproductive Health. "We wanted to make sure young people who are sexually active have easy access to contraceptive services and general reproductive health services."
Oral contraceptives, including the morning-after Plan B pill, have been available to students at most of the 40 schools that have school-based health centers for the last one to four years, depending on the school, Kaplan said. The centers, which serve about one-quarter of New York City’s public high school students, provide primary care health services and are run privately by separate institutions like hospitals.
For the first time, with the CATCH program, the Health Department is making the contraceptives available in schools without the private health centers. The program began in January 2011 in five schools, and is now in 13 schools. The schools were chosen because they are in neighborhoods with high teen pregnancy rates or with limited resources for young people to get contraception. City high schools have long provided condoms.
Parents learned of the program through a letter that gave them a chance to opt out, which 1 percent to 2 percent of parents did, she said.
“We’ve had no negative reaction to the CATCH program,” Kaplan said. “We haven’t had one objection. We’ve just had the opt-outs.”
The pilot program offers pregnancy testing, along with the Plan B morning-after emergency contraceptive pill, which helps prevent pregnancy when taken within 72 hours, and traditional birth control pills. To get Plan B, girls must see a nurse, who would obtain a doctor’s order for the drug, Kaplan said. For oral contraceptives, they would need to see a Health Department doctor, Kaplan said.
The Health Department is studying to the program before deciding whether to expand. In the last school year, fewer than 1,200 of the 12,000 girls enrolled in the 13 schools obtained the oral contraceptives. For the 2011-2012 school year, 567 students received Plan B and 580 received birth control pills, Kaplan said. Of the unplanned teen pregnancies in the city, about 64 percent are terminated, the city says.
Dr. Cora Breuner, a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Adolescence, called the program, “totally new. Totally awesome.”
Teens nationwide aren’t doing a good job using birth control to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, she said, and most do not have access to contraception at school.
“This is the first time that a school nurse can give both Plan B and oral contraceptives to their students,” Breuner said. “This is great because it improves access to contraception and promotes education on reproductive health.”
Dr. John Santelli, an adolescent medicine specialist and professor at Columbia University who studies contraception use, said the program sends a strong message to sexually active teens about the need for contraception.
“Kids that see that level of support for condoms and contraception are more likely to use it,” he said. “It’s a big deal in the sense that it’s going to help the young woman that comes in, or the young man in the case of condoms, and it’s a strong statement to young people that contraception is important.”
Santelli predicted that the program will be effective, and said it could be replicated elsewhere. “I could see other big cities doing this,” he said. “I hope they do.”
The program is not without critics, though.
Valerie Huber, president of the National Abstinence Education Association, saw the program as an expansion of sex education and said the school system is not providing “meaningful skill building for abstinence education.”
"This new service is kind of, no pun intended, a plan D for what to do if sex education doesn’t work," Huber said. “We think it normalizes teen sex and does nothing to prevent sexually transmitted diseases.”
Kaplan, from the Health Department, noted that 38 percent of teenagers are sexually active, and said the city is committed to keeping them safe.
“We’re proud to play that role in promoting and protecting the health of our young people,” she said.
More top health news:
Trampolines no place for kids, docs warn
Women born early may face difficult pregnancies
IUDs, implants best for birth control -- teens, too, docs say
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According to the article there are approximately 700 pregnancies in girls 15-17 that are intentional. WTF?!
Right? That comment really stood out for me too. WTF indeed.
they are called "keep a fella" babies FYI, they get pregnant to keep their boyfriend....
article...."This new service is kind of, no pun intended, a plan D for what to do if sex education doesn’t work," Huber said. “We think it normalizes teen sex and does nothing to prevent sexually transmitted diseases.”
Huber thinks wrong. The teens engaging in teen sex think it as normal and that "they" won't get pregnant, that only happens to "someone else". Even in "suburban" settings, over half of teens have had sex before high school graduation.
Preventing pregnancies and sex education is what public health should focus on - condom use and chemical prevention for those who are sexually active. Europe has a lower teen pregnancy rate than the US for a reason - those kids know the score and take precautions.
"According to the article there are approximately 700 pregnancies in girls 15-17 that are intentional. WTF?!"
Why do they see this as ok? Why is it that they feel a good time to have a baby is in high school??? What happened to the days when babies were born into... FAMILIES or at least a RESPONSIBLE parent? Why aren't these girls looked down upon for making stupid choices instead of embraced? "Here's your pills for sex have fun!"
I'd rather have them taking these pills instead of getting pregnant and having to support them with welfare.
It has been 20 years since high school for me so I know things have changed. One of the only things that kept me from having sex was knowing the trouble it could cause for me down the road if my girlfriend got pregnant. Remove that and kids will have sex more, and therefore will become more complacent about it as kids do. I predict only a small difference. Only in NYC where the liberal thinktank would 2% opt out. Try that in my district and less than 2% would opt in. This does not reflect the rest of our nation. Based on thier statistics almost 700 pregnancies in that district are planned high school girls getting pregnant. I think thier problem has more to do with the parents if that is the case.
Ho's keep them panties on, and legs together, that problem would take care of itself.
"I'd rather have them taking these pills instead of getting pregnant and having to support them with welfare."
Absolutely. But we shouldn't have to hand out free pills so these teens can embrace sex...
Frankly, the arguement that we need to teach our kids to be more responsible doesn't hold up. In a perfect world, this is 100% correct, but there are just too many parents who won't do this and too many taxpayers who obstruct improved sex ed in schools. Being a teenager flat out means you aren't an adult. By the very definition of this, we separate the two because a child cannot be expected to have the same responsibility as an adult. We do our best to educate and also provide contraceptives. Previous generations of teenagers abstained because of the fear of public shame that went along with embracing sexuality, not because they were any more responsible or aware of the real risks.
gsenhongva,.. "I'd rather have them taking these pills instead of getting pregnant and having to support them with welfare."
Umm, the pills only are effective when they ARE already pregnant... kind of pointless if they aren't.
Here are the list of problems, first... they didn't bother taking birth control pills, but taking "after the fact" pills is going to work?
Article listed approx 700 pregnancies on purpose, so they are going to FORCE girls to take these?
Cause and effect, can we all be allowed to "dodge" the consequences of our choices? Seriously, didn't mean to shot that man, here I take a "morning after".
Life is about choices and dealing with those choices. If you commit a crime, you should expect to go to jail.
If you choose to engage in the physical act of reproduction... you can't be surprised to find that you were successful.
The fact they are finding more and more "outs" for kids, and at the same time, breeding more of the "self" first mentality that also contributes to the other headlines news in the USA.
Some are being provided birth control pills--not just morning after pills.
And when a girl who is already pregnant, say 5-8 weeks in, doesn't have the money for an abortion, gets her friends to all request these morning after pills, and then ends up hemoraging because she's trying to induce her own chemical abortion at home by taking 5 or 6 morning after pills.... when this girl (because you just KNOW someone has already done this) ends up hospitalized or dead do the parents get to sue the city of NY for providing their under age daughter with medication without their consent? Hell I remember reading not that long ago that schools weren't allowed to let kids have SUNSCREEN with out a parental note. How is this legal?
They are handing out emergency birth control. Think about that statement. The word emergency indicates that there is a situation that needs immediate attention. I don't think that a teenager having sex qualifies. These pills being handed out to control the birth rate, when the attention should be turned to the problem: The teenage sex rate. Giving this type of pill the morning after to control a pregnancy that may not even be, is a sad situation. Besides, the school system will let you know if a heartbeat that it is your responsibility to control your kids, that they are not babysitters, why are they now not insisting that parents be advised? I, as a taxpayer, do not want to pay for this. If they want to have sex, fine, let them pay for the morning after pills. Do not make the taxpayers pay for New York City teenagers, their parents and the school system's inability do the right thing. I do not want to pay for anyone else's birth control pills, morning after pills, abortion, or raising an unwanted and unplanned child. Take responsibility for your own actions. Once again, big brother is watching.
With all the free sex ed, condoms, birth control pills, etc etc available to these girls, they must be as stupid as they come if they still are getting pregnant. These stupid cows are obviously incapable of learning. So, without consequences for this behavior, it will only be repeated. I say if it gets to the point they need a morning after pill or an abortion, give it to them along with forced sterilization. PROBLEM SOLVED!
So in New York, a teenage girl can get the morning after pill, but not a 32 oz. drink?
Perhaps if their mothers' had had these available, the democrat, baby/voter producing machine wouldn't have provided so many new little dems over the last 70 years.
I agree with Ryan...and also with ljstauth...you make a choice you deal with the consequences....don't tell me that these girls do not know what is going to happen when they have sex...of course they do.....Ryan is correct these girls, along with the boys, should be looked down...social out caste...only the parents, not all the tax payer through welfare, should take care of them. If a girl gets pregnant may be the "must be 18" rule be bent for her and should be allowed to get a job, so she can take care of herself and the baby. Teach them some responsibility. Don't hand them "easy way outs".
Conservative States actually have much higher rate of teen pregnancy than New York. http://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/TeenPregnancy/StateInfo.html
Sigh, this thinking is parallel to letting the financial indistry collapse because they "need to be taught a lesson". Teaching lessons is between individuals, not society as a whole. It is merely petty and is not solution-oriented. Sometimes what feels good isn't what needs to be done in reality, which, I agree, is unfortunate. I hate the idea of "too big to fail", but that's the cold, hard truth, just like teenage pregnancy. They've never been given the easy way out and all it's done is stifle young lives and place a tax burden on the rest of us. Get over it and do what needs to be done.
There's got be another way for these girls to keep their man than intentionally having their baby. The way I see it, the guy won't be around for long anyway not to mention, now we have "3" problems;
All these things add up to absolutely NO GOOD situations. WTF is wrong with these kids man! What happened to graduating high school, go to college or just get a job. Meet a nice girl (if you already don't have one). Work your way up at you job, get married "THEN" have children. I mean "really!"
in due time they will weed themselves out... even though their parents were clearly pro-life.
Yep, this is our wonderful entitlement system at its best. Reward the bad behavior and the more kids you pump out the more money we will give you. If this doesn't give us a reason to make some real change then we are doomed.
@zuksam. You can make it look any way you like. It is wrong any way that you look at it. This is a national problem, not just a red or blue one. But if you really want to look at facts, you have to look at the population. The rate is skewed because of the population. If you did any kind of math you would understand how that works.
All parents and legal guardians, showuld have the right to know what is handed out a schools or any place where there are underage children and teens, or it will undermine the teachings of those parents. But, if the parents and legal guardians, ignore the acts and actions of those children and teens, they will find themselves in situation like the Sarah and Bristol household...pregnant teenager, with a boyfriend who is not with another young lady, pregnant, and Levi, without employment, who wants to be Mayor of Wasilla!!
right? seems to me making her fat would be a better form of birth control.
/sarc
seriously though, as access to contraception goes up, teen pregnancy goes down and the number of abortions go down. This is just good policy.
D1cks, keep the zippers up, and the proplem will take care of itself. Takes 2 to tango.
That isn't how the morning after pill works. The prevent fertilization, and implantation if fertilization has already occured.
Only 10% of the girls even bothered to get oral contraceptives. Out of that 10%, half were for Plan B (kill a kid) and half were for traditional birth control (prevent a kid).
Plan B and oral contraceptives do nothing for the prevention of the spreading of diseases. Plan B does not promote responsibility, it fact it is the exact opposite. Since women can go and take that pill any time they think that they might get pregnant, many do. They will forgo normal birth control since "it makes me fat".
Duh, the pills trick your body into thinking it is pregnant, and of course you are going to want food to feed that fake baby. I had a young girlfriend (was with her for 3 years) and that was how she thought. That thought both pills were the same, used to prevent pregnancy.
(P.S. How much intelligence does it take to spread your legs, lay on your back, and let that dog who has been mindlessly chasing after you have his way with you? "I must be pretty and special for that dog to mindlessly chase after me..." We have not evolved that much and still act very much like animals. Why do men want to become rich? To get more/better P*$$Y.
@ TamL,
As you mentioned, it takes 2 to tango "BUT", they both have to agree upon an act.
I can whip it out all I want however, It's up to the her to keep her panties up and her legs closed to begin with.
Have a nice day...
It's harder and harder to instill any values in your kids today. All political and religious beliefs aside for a moment, what I'm taking from this article is New York is giving teenagers a basic approval to be irresponsible. So we don't have to support another teenage mom in the welfare system. It still looks like a dependency on the government to me. Teens can have sex and depend on the school district to keep them from getting pregnant.
@ljstauth - Plan B pill is taken within 24 hours following sexual intercourse and is NOT an abortion pill. It is intended to PREVENT pregnancy from happening in the first place. People commonly confuse this with an abortion type pill. It is NOT that - look it up.
Really? It's still the girl's fault? And if she decides to be the responsible one in the relationship and asks for birth control, or realizes her mistake, some would want to deny her access to birth control. Even though that option may stop an abortion down the road, or an unwanted, therefore uncared for child? Some of you make me shake my head. You don't want kids having sex, well guess what, they do and they have done since time began. At least now there is the option that a child of a child won't have to suffer because of a teenager's immature actions.
This is the stupidity of the liberalism. In order to receive contraceptives , woman need a Doctor Prescription but to avoid pregnancy after intercourse is not necessary.
Where is the feminist movement, why only girls have to take risk, taking those pills.
What are the consequences of a "frecuent user " of after coitus pills. What are the side effects. Who will be responsible for a bad reaction, or something goes wrong . The parents? LOL
Why not to have contraceptives over the counter, period.
Why isn't anyone looking at the bigger picture? In NYC they are up in arms about soda, but UNPROTECTED sex is okay?
So the thought process is soda is bad and a health risk, but UNPROTECTED sex is not a health risk? Ummm, anyone looked at the STD rates lately? I would say that is a big health risk.
There is absoltely no thought process with some people.
When I was a freshman in high school, one of my friends did get pregnant on purpose along with her friend (both freshman). Although her mom did take her to get birth control, she popped the pills out of the package and saved them in a jar. So she had a baby at 14 along with a case of herpes.
I'm going to do my best to drill it into my kids head to use condoms, but I do hope there is a male birth control pill by then.
"Conservative States actually have much higher rate of teen pregnancy than New York. http://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/TeenPregnancy/StateInfo.html"
That is because the poor and under educated folks who drive that statistic up, can't afford to live in the Liberal States.
Telling a teenage kid, with hormones raging, not to have sex is about as meaningful as telling their parents not to eat too much, no fat, and not to be overweight. They are both fighting natural drives and only a few will win.
Sex happens, always has, lets just prevent a tragedy.
(engesq) Wow, just got around to reading this - and it is a fascinating point (your WTF is really a Who (and a What! too) - is it a group or sect?). As Spock would say - fascinating. It isn't "a Mormon thing" is it?
I must be really great to have a great life. With both parents highly educated and both employed. You are counseled to be safe and be responsible, do your homework, don't take drugs, don't fool around, go to college, get married, have a nice family, with both parents highly educated, and employed. This pill is not for these people. It's for kids that don't have such an idyllic life. Kids that aren't so responsible, for whatever reason. If this pill and this program prevents only one unwanted pregnancy it's way worth it. And all you people that think this is too expensive, think about the cost of one baby that's on the neonatal ward trying to be kept alive, the bill can be hundreds of thousands of dollars or more, for just one baby.
Yes I am aware of the difference between Plan B (a progestin) and a medicated abortion (am anti progestin medication). My point (and you made it quite clearly for me) is that many people do not. I would assume that means that many young girls between 13-17 also do not know the difference. It wouldn't be the first time. Try Googling "taking birth control to cause a miscarriage" and you will see tons of girls trying to do this very thing.
I wouldn't want to be the nurse that gives a girl that pill, even with a doctor's written prescription, and have the parent's of the teenager sue because of a complication. Are the nurses really on board with this? Ridiculous.
Abortion is not health care, but I am beginning to think it should have been practiced on some people years ago.
All these comments and nobody feels compelled to b*tch about poor parenting??? Yep, just one more project the Govt. can run :0(
You can b*tch about poor parenting until you are blue in the face and it still won't change the fact that some parents simply will not or can not do the kind of job that "Ozzie and Harriet" or the Cleavers on the "Leave it to Beaver" show supposedly did. To try and make that kind of thing happen is frankly terribly naive. Meanwhile that attitude exposes the innocent children who have bad parents to a no solution environment where they can only suffer in silence. Not an option in my opinion. This is a good and intelligent program that is wisely being accepted by many of the parents of these kids. So we can complain all we want but they know best how to deal with their problems. All we can do is guess at best so don't be so quick to criticize until you walk a mile in their shoes.
Ryanb21....better to 'embrace sex'...a natural part of life...than to have thousands of unwanted kids living on welfare thet WE have to support...get over your stupid bible teachings and wake up.
It's called free government money.
Allen, sex is a "natural part of life" for animals - humans have a brain. And therein lies the problem - take away "welfare", instigate abstinence, let them figure the consequences of having babies in school. We have become an entitlement country, with everyone figuring, "if I can't make it on my own, the government has lots of programs I can apply for to get help". Stop the help, start teaching kids to be responsible. Let the family pay for their stupid mistakes, not the rest of the taxpayers. The more you "help" sopmeone, the weaker they will get.
Allen, our "stupid Bible teachings" actually are the ONLY solution to stopping so many unwanted teen pregnancies. Because people are getting away from God's laws, everything is becoming more complicated - more teen pregnancies, more suicides, less graduating students, lower standards, lower jobs, less jobs, lower wages, less pensions, medical coverage (that's why so many young people are for Obamacare). Our nation is becoming just what Roosevelt said we should never do - become a nation of hyphenated Americans - a bunch of little entities, all fighting each other for control, and nobody agreeing on anything (sounds like our congress, doesn't it?). We should get back to the "KISS" principal - "keep it simple, stupid". We should get back to becoming America once again.
Instead of teaching our daughters, to save their virginity for their husbands (#1 reason for divorce ) We give them contraceptives (which also goes against GODS will ) and tell them being whores, and whoremongers is normal . TV has absolutely ruined the moral fiber of this country. It openly teaches, and promotes, witchcraft and sorcery to our children (and we say they know it's make believe). Jesus said he hated the works of Nicklas , Nickjr starts them out with fairies and nomes ,teennick finishes by teaching them drug use ,homosexuality, and whoring are all normal . What NICK (synonym for Satan BTW ) misses, Disney makes up for ,with their subliminal messages and images. Just about every show on TV is occult related ,vampires,werewolves,ghosts, aliens , 1000 yr old vampire pedifiles sleeping with 17 yr olds , lost girl ,Sabrina teen witch , it's enough to turn your stomach . No wonder the Bible says the last generation shall not know GOD, Satanism is being pounded into us daily ,product logo's such as Monster drink...Unleash the beast with it's subliminal 666, Vav is 6th Hebrew letter, represented by the three nails(that hung Christ) on can. Enough to make you wanna puke !
Buddy Russell, Please spare us all, and stop trying to come across as some God-Fearing Christian, when what you clearly are is nothing more than a raging misogynist.
P.S. Try using spell-check.
I don't think girls become pregnant intentionally, in order to keep their boyfriends, so much as they do simply for the purpose of getting attention.
My only issue with this are the children that are going to be born having to deal with the mistakes their parents made.
Children don't choose to be born; therefore, they should not be punished for their parents failings.
My very quick initial thought was that I don't want taxpayers paying for this, not out of moral objections but I don't like how much our various local-federal governments spend, but then it, also very quickly, hit me that it will be A LOT cheaper than supporting another teen mother on welfare for the next 18 years.
Great I would much rather pay for a pill than a family on the system for years.
yes that is sooooo much better than teaching children to take responsibility for their actions! Don't worry you just do whatever you enjoy doing and we will make sure you don't have to suffer any consequences sounds like a great thing to teach our youth!
tlb1974, you have made an excellent point. However, children don't THINK. From the statistics quoted they are having sex. As a grandmother I would much prefer to pay for a pill because a young person was careless than paying for years and years of welfare.
so - actually taking a birth control pill, knowing you are planning to not get pregnant - is much more responsible that popping out a baby and having the rest of us take care of it financially for 18 years
So what human life comes down to is the COST of what it would be to take care of it? What about doing more to make the persons (both children, male and female - if they are old enough to choose sex, then they are old enough for consequences) and their parents be responsible for a life they create.
for a tatoo, a minor needs to get a parents approval, but not for medication? Who is going to be responsible for the child's medical bills if they have an adverse reaction to the medication? (obviously a hypothetical question, for we all know who)
Dont support any of them. Whats with all the free rides in this country. You spread them than you pay. You have the child than you pay. whats with all the free hand outs through out life.
Give me a break!!!!
Thank you! That's exactly the problem. With this, we're teaching kids that they can do whatever they want sexually without any consequences. You know the best way to avoid an unplanned pregnancy? Don't have sex until you're mature and able enough to know what might happen. I'm not against people using the pill, it just bugs me that through these, and other measures, our kids have been sexualized at such a young age. My neighbor's daughter facebooked my own daughter saying, "I'm 14 and still a virgin. FML."
.... It's really sad that our society has become THAT desensitized.
arnold..those leg spreaders can't pay...we do
far cheaper to buy pills than another life long welfare recipient
The problem is we of course would LOVE to stop paying for these unwanted kids that these teenage girls are having. But, if we don't pay for them who will? The teenage girl will fail miserably and the child will starve and go without...which is not fair to them b/c they didn't choose to be born to an irresponsible brat...not to mention they will almost certainly turn out like their parent. And while, yes, there are some situations like that where the child grows up to be quite successful despite the adversity that is WHY we use the word "despite" b/c most of these children don't get there.
I'm a big fan of people suffering the consequences for the dumb stuff they do. But in this case, the consequence is a baby, that will most likely be supported on the tax payer dime.
Ground the little skank. Take away her phone. Take away her car. But by god, don't stick a kid with a kid if you can at all help it.
ARNOLD--couldn't agree more. My saying is, if you're old enough to play, your're old enough to pay!! That would cut down on teen sex!! NO MORE FREE RIDES PEROID!!
Why is it only the girls who get called skanks and hoes and told to kep their legs closed? Why don't boys either keep it in their pants or learn how not to be afraid of rubbers or learn to use them. Do the boys now a day have no self control.
battletide-- I do not agree. My parents had to get married when they were 18. My dad was drafted to Vietnam and my mom was 17. They are still married to this day. My Dad was a successful small business owner and my mom was blessed to stay home with us. My Dad worked his ass off. The problem is, no one gets married and takes responsibilty anymore. Kids want it all handed to them! That is the problem!!
Breaking news: TEENS HAVE SEX!!!!! I had plenty of friends in high school who were able to have open, honest discussions about sex with their parents. These lucky girls were put on some form of birth control. Many held off on having sex until they were ready, simply because they could talk to their parents about the importance of waiting until they were ready. Other girls, like myself, were not able to talk to their parents about sex. We were sent out into a sea of raging hormones without a boat or a paddle. I'm not exaggerating when I say I would have been beaten had my mother found any form of birth control on me. Had I been able to have access to birth control, I wouldn't have ended up pregnant at 16. People like Valerie Huber need to get off their high horses! Educating teens about sex, giving them someone they can talk openly with, allowing them safe access to birth control... these are the best ways to prevent teens from having sex too soon and becoming pregnant when they are still children themselves.
Social engineering only lacks one thing: human responsibility.
The bottom line is that while this may look good from a birds-eye view, a minor should NEVER have the option to abort without parental consent, regardless of how new the conception is. This is, in my opinion, a case of the government infringing on a person's religious or moral beliefs. A child should not be given the ability to take a potentially harmful drug without parental consent. On top of that, this is a controversial drug. It aborts a pregnancy after conception. So now you have both the government taking the decision of a minor's health out of the parent's hands, and putting the moral choice of abortion in a the minor's hands as well. You are encouraging the child to be deceitful to her parents as well.
Saying that they will have sex any way so might as well give them the ability to have sex without consequences is similar to the argument that children will do drugs any way so might as well make it legal. Just because the kid's aren't paying enough attention to the consequences of their actions doesn't mean they shouldn't have any, especially at the moral cost that an abortion pill comes with.
You may not agree with religion or have any moral sense when it comes to un unborn baby, but you should at least respect the rights of parents who DO. This is their child, and if their child makes a mistake then the parents should have the right to decide what the best course of action is. It is NOT the state's decision, it is not the school's decision and it sure as heck isn't the child's decision. Taking the stance that the parent's failed in their responsibility is NOT a good excuse to just let the kid's do what they want.
At the VERY LEAST, this is encouraging kids to have unprotected sex by taking away the consequences of pregnancy.
Look at it this way: Cars are safer today than they were in the past, so there is less risk of injury due to speeding. So does that mean we should remove the speed limits? By removing the consequences of speeding, you are encouraging people to drive faster, and hence be less safe. Now take this a step further and say that since kids are all going to speed anyway, it is more reason to not have a speed limit, it just gives the cops and the courts less to do if we don't fine the kids for speeding. It is the same thing.. if you have a lot of sex, the risk is an STD and pregnancy. If you drive fast, the risk is injury and a fine. If you remove the risk of pregnancy, more kids will have sex because there is fewer consequences. If you remove the speed limit, more kids will speed because there is fewer consequences. An accident or an STD can kill you or permanently hurt you, but kid's don't think about that, they feel they are immortal and a hospital will always be able to fix you up, like on TV.
I just see this as not just flawed logic but also a a breech of parental rights that is unforgiveable.
Just to throw this out there: A lot of people may not believe in God, but if a kid believes he or she will suffer the wrath of God and end up in Hell by doing something like having sex, and the side effects are to be good to your parents and neighbors, to believe that it is better to give than to receive, and that you should treat others the way you want to be treated, is it really a bad thing to raise a kid with those kind of beliefs? By expunging morality from our schools under the guise of Freedom FROM religion (not something guaranteed by the bill of rights), we have laid the path for teen sex to explode into a massive problem. That is the real problem here.
The problem is, that no matter how well you promote abstinence, stress the risks of pregnancy or disease, there will always be some percentage of teenagers that will do it anyway. The problem I see with abstinence-only teaching is that it does nothing to serve that group of students, and thus does nothing to lower teen pregnancy rates. (and since high school years are full of peer pressure, I'm sure that group who will have sex regardless of the type of sex education they receive would be plenty good at pressuring the other students into it).
That being said, it was my understanding that people under 18 needed parental permission for plan B. I agree with having condoms available(don't need to hand them out to everyone, just make it known there are some in the counselor's office or whatever in a judgement free zone), as well a a more comprehensive education (can't even tell you how many myths I've heard from teenagers that are just not true "but you can't get pregnant your first time!"), but I feel mixed about the availability of medications without parental involvement.
BS, I was a teen mom, yes it took me longer to get my life off the ground, but it isn't impossible. No I didn't live off welfare, a few times I did have to get medicaid because the company I worked for didn't have health insurance. Even though my income qualified me for it, I seldom ever used foodstamps because tbh, it was a pain to deal with. I think they have made access too easy and it has lost its stigma.
It's just not a good idea to give teenagers anything without parental consent. Legally, they're not responsible for their actions. If my teenage brother is any indication of how teenagers behave, It would be better to start handing out chastity belts instead. Also, it's been my experience that they're not mentally prepared a majority of the time either. First, this action basically assumes that sex is going to happen regardless of what anyone says. There's really no benefits to teenage sexuality. Teen pregnancy is still a major issue as well as sexually transmitted diseases. Beyond that, there is emotional ramifications as well. You can b.s all you want to about being "ready" for a sexual relationship, teenagers aren't.
DaveK - I wrote a lengthier piece further down on why I totally don't believe providing birth control pills and/or the morning after pill makes kids more likely to have sex. I 100% think that you are wrong about this, and explained why -- and I am a woman, and know what I felt as a teenage girl, (not a teenage boy, as I'm guessing you were with the name DaveK.) But, your whole thing about the rights being taken away from the parents is completely off base because the article clearly states ANY parent can opt out of this if THEY choose. It is in noway infringing on your rights to parent your child as you see fit. And, what does believing it is better to give than recieve, treat others the way you want to be treated. etc. have to do with teenagers having sex?
Every piece of information I have read on this states clearly that these pills are being given to children without notification to the parents. Condoms are passed out and birth control pills given out without parental consent.
And I firmly believe that when you remove the consequences of an action you are encouraging it. Particularly when social media promotes it.
I don't and will never agree that pot should be legal, yet most teens and young adults (who have not watched a kid of their own struggle with addiction) believe that all the problems associated with drugs will disappear if pot is legalized. I say it is a bunch of BS. You will only make the problem worse. Particularly with kids.
Take away the consequences and you are encouraging it. And the "they do it anyway" argument doesn't hold water until you eliminate personal responsibility 100%, which is really the aim of liberals. Take away the personal responsibility and put it on the government. I choose to teach my kids personal responsibility, thank you.
It also helps to slow down the reproductive rates of the welfare generation.
Give the little tarts the drugs so they can't get knocked up and be done with it. We shouldn't have to pay to take care of them and their brood. Yes, they are skanks and hoes and that's a fact. They'll get pickle-tickled because they want to.
As for the parents not objecting, it's because they don't want to take responsibility for raising a bunch of little tarts, skanks and hoes. Too bad this wasn't available for the parents, who were also little tarts, skanks, hoes and pimps.
I'm a liberal and I support this policy. And, as a liberal, I get lots of other liberals mad when I point out the fact that young girls (or old girls) who put out are worthless skanks and hoes. I don't want them reproducing. I'm anti-choice. No skank or hoe should reproduce unless she can pay all the bills herself. If she can't, then she doesn't get the choice to have a kid. So, if these high-school hookers want to get pickle-tickled, they must do so in a way that doesn't cost me money. As a liberal, I want to see money going to those who deserve it because they've lost through no fault of their own. Skanks are without fault.
Sounds like a great plan to me. My granddaughters (17 & 19) attend/attended a high school where kids are/were educated by their parents about safe sex and motivated to plan for a future. Neither knows of any classmates who had babies or "have to weddings". This was also true of my son's 1980's high school experience. In my case, of the 150 kids in my freshman class, among the 15 or so girls who dropped out, only ONE (1) was not pregnant.
Teen pregnancy is very, very expensive on so many ways.
Sounds like your kids high school was dominated by a lot of poor parenting.
Malinda: Sounds like you did a good job on your son, as your son did with his girls. I've been a believer, from my Mom, that the payoff to Motherhood comes when your child(ren) have children. If you were a responsible parent, so will your child(ren). That's usually how it works. And thanks from a Mom who also believed in a strong, solid sex education in school and at home.
Warning 16 and 17 year olds about the danger of pregnancy is one thing but to expect a 16 year old to ignore the biological urges that affect almost all their thoughts and actions at that age isn't realistic. Quit reasoning with your 50 year old urges and remember your 16 year old ones.
Sex education is a must. Gone are the days that you could just marry off your daughter or ship her away until after she has had the baby so your neighbors wouldn't know. The most surprising thing I've learned about the older generation is the amount of fibbing done about their wedding anniversary's.
This is a good plan.
Honestly, paying for abortions in the first trimester would not be a bad idea either. We have to control these teen pregnancies. Kids will continue to have sex -- there is no point in trying to stop that. We need to save them from ruining their lives with unwanted babies while saving the tax payers from footing the bill for the next 18 years.
You are an example of a brain on drugs.
Skip - No, I am not on drugs. I just live in the real world. Not getting rid of these unwanted pregnancies will only result in more drug users for the tax payer to take care of for years to come.
Good try though :)
I don't care about your lack of morals but I do care about killing innocent human beings.
plan b is not abortion you moron
Human beings come into existence when they are BORN. Before that there are many different stages none of which is human - egg/sperm, zygote, etc.
Again, nice try but your "morals" and "logic" based on some fake nonsense in the sky will not help you prove your point. Most prefer science.
Even if it was abortion who cares?!?!
We must eliminate all of these unwanted pregnancies. There is no way we could ask kids to be responsible for babies. They have the right to have sex. And they have the right to end unwanted pregnancies.
It just makes me sick how someone can say "we need to save them from ruining their lives with unwanted babies". Put them up for adoption then, plenty of couples would love to have and care for these "unwanted" babies. It's not the baby's fault the teen was careless.
you must be the dumbest person ever. Did you ever take biology 101? A person comes into existence when they are born. A human comes into existence when they are conceived.
OK Skip just keep up the name calling. Really classy. Typical repug way of dealing with issues when they are wrong (most of the time).
Arguing that a human comes into existence when they are conceived would lead you to argue that abortion is murder is that is just INSANE. You wouldn't really argue that would you?
Abortion should never be a part of a Birth control program. Abortion should be the extreme example and only under certain conditions. Not being able to afford it or being too young is not enough reason to end a life. Birth control, condoms, abstinence programs should all go hand in hand.
Plus, This should not be happening without a parent's approval. Under 18, it's the parents responsibility to make that choice. If the kids are too immature to understand the consequences, then they shouldn't be given the authority to choose options after the fact.
No, but "Vote Out the Liars!!!!"'s comment that taxpayers should also pay for abortions in the first trimester is abortion, candace-2462556, "you moron."
Skip,
Plan B doesn't kill a human. It stops conception from happening. That's why there's only a 72 hour window.
If it has a heart beat is is alive and should not be killed because the parents is a lazy teen.
Actually, doctors have stated an unborn baby becomes aware after 6 weeks, so it is in fact a human being before it is born. And yes, babies shouldn't be punished or aborted for the teen's mistake. You want to know how to stop teen preganancy? Parents should teach them to wait until they're mature and able enough to know what the consequences may be.
My guess is that VoteOutTheLiars, is some teenager who thinks they're mature enough to have sex, but shouldn't have to deal with any consequences.
Yes, I guess teens have the right to have sex, but seriously what is the huge rush? Since when was it a bad thing to be 15 years old and still be a virgin??
How can you have it both ways. You say that the kids are too immature to be responsible but you want them to have the responsibility to end an unwanted pregnancy?. How can they be not responsible for the action that got them into a mess, but responsible enough to make a choice to get out of it by ending a lifeform. How about we teach morals, How about we stop discounting our kids and chalk up all bad choices to the fact they aren't old enough to understand, and yet give them the same options as Adults in deciding the fate of an unwanted pregnancy. why is it deemed impossible to stop the kids from having sex in the first place as it is for those advocating abstinence. What it comes down to is this is the easy way out. No one wants to make the hard choice. It's too easy to hand em a pill and say don't worry. And don't worry about changing your sexual habits. You keep makin em, we'll kee scraping em....Disgusting.
Vote out: Your words sound harsh, but that's reality. A young girl having a baby is not the best way. The process continues. Chances are the pregnant girl's mother was also in the same situation. Thanks for posting and you'll really be in for it from the anti-abortion religionistas who concern themselves more with vaginas than the baby after it's born. Hypocrites to the umpth degree.
Not a bad thing to be a virgin at 15, just it's a reality that about 25% are not - by that age. That percentage doubles by graduation day - so, to face facts, or to bury one's head in the sand? What to do, what to do.... ok - I vote for face reality, and provide accordingly.
Actually hambone plan B also
prevents implantation of a fertilized egg, so after conception has already occured.......
Finally a voice of reason. Don't worry, the CONS will be here soon enough
Don't forget to vote this Nov earthgirl. Otherwise the CONS will stomp out fantastic programs like this one.
Actually NativeHispanic,
Plan B does NOT prevent implantation of a fertilized egg.
DaFoo & NativeHispanic:
WHO CARES? Unless you have a better way to control these unwanted pregnancies were just splitting hairs on an issue that clearly needs to be more progressive.
From the moment of conception, the genes of the parents have already determined every physical and many personality and other traits and characteristics the child will have. The child is already everything he/she is ever going to be. Just because cells have yet to divide and the physical body to develop does not mean he/she is less than human. He/she will continue to develop those predetermined traits even into adulthood. It is all part of the same growth...just continues on the outside of the womb. So how can one determine at what point it is and is not okay to take a human life?
BTW - This is my own personal opinion, and I realize many will not agree with it. I also do not hold it against anyone who has made the difficult choice of ending a pregnancy. It is not my place to judge. Yes, I am a Christian, but do not attend church as I believe that in many cases "organized religion" gets in the way of a true relationship with God. I am also neither Democrat nor Republican, as my beliefs range from conservative to liberal or anywhere in between depending on the issue.
I cant believe that no one talks about abstinence anymore, I understand that things are very different now a days. I my self am only 33 years old and i have 3 daughters ranging from the age of 11 to 17 but i have dedicated a lot of time to teaching them about self respect and the importance of waiting. There are a lot of good reasons to have plan B, but pregnancies are not the only problems our children can encounter while they go out and have sex. Parents need to be parents and make all the time in the world available to teach and talk to your kids. If we dont do our job then is not only our kids making mistakes it ias also us who are not doing our job
Vote Out: EXACTLY!!! Teens have sex. This is not going to change. Let's stop all of the petty bickering and help these teens have safe, responsible sex! Do we really want more children having children?
And for all of you who are stupid enough to think that Plan B is an abortion, please educate yourselves. It is no more an abortion than a man masturbating, cleaning off with a tissue, and flushing that tissue down the toilet.
candace-2462556, SkipSmith, Literate One, you're each suspended for a day for violating #1 of the Code of Honor.
@ Vote Out the Liars!!!
You definitely need help, sweetie!
What ever makes the least amount of New Yorker's, is fine with me!
Not exactly true. Plan B works by preventing ovulation and if ovulation has already occurred, preventing fertilization. The mechanisms that prevent fertilization are also the mechanisms that can prevent implantation - so, there is a hypothesis that Plan B can prevent implantation. HOWEVER, all credible research has shown that this hypothesis does not actually occur in the real world.
NYC Motto: Less eating---More Sex for Kids
I am surprised that this is big news, St Paul, MN public schools have been handing out condoms, BC pills and even the morning after pill for about 10 years now, and no, they don't need consent from their parents to obtain it. In fact they don't let parents know. We are not setting a very good example for kids when we arm them with all of these contraceptives, and of course they also treat dozens of STD's on a weekly basis. They are at the point where now young girls are coming from the junior hs to get BC at the High Schools where it is available for free. BTW you better believe, the state pays for ALL of it.
Yes. These pills should be available over the counter to anyone who wants them.
my concern is if the parents are unaware of this will the school tell them if their daughter was raped the night before or just give her a pill to make sure she doesn't conceive from it and then wash their hands of the issue. Are we going to allow the rapists to go unpunished?
earthycat777 - shut the hell up.
If the teenage daughter just asks for the pill and doesn't report the rape to the school it wouldn't really make a difference would it? I'm pretty sure the school would be obligated to report a crime just as any doctor's office would. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Hypothetical: If a girl was raped, and did confide in the nurse, the nurse HAS to tell the child's parents, they are mandated reporters.
You are correct. Anyone that works with children is considered a mandated reporter.
It wouldn't even require the girl to confide in the nurse - and no, the nurse doesn't have to tell the child's parents. The nurse would have to suspect the rape (or other abuse) and would mandated to tell the authorities (usually child protective services and/or the police). They are under no obligation to tell the parents (what if the person who raped the child was a parent or family member?), but they are absolutely mandated to report to authorities.
Finally. It should be mandatory for every high school in the nation to do this. If they don't they shouldn't get any public funding.
You are a sicko. Most high school have some morals, something lacking in NYC.
And by 'sicko' Skip really means 'person living in the real world.' Skip just wants these babies to be born so that he and the 1% can worry about how they are not going to not pay taxes and how they are going to pass the burden to the middle class.
or maybe he wants them taught you do something wrong their are consequences!
So having sex is wrong? I believe what a woman does with her body is her own business. She has the right to have sex whenever she wants. Who do you think you are to tell her she can't. And who are you to tell her she can't flush out the unwanted pregnancy?
"flush out the unwanted pregnancy" Are you kidding me?! Do you have ANY idea when a child starts developing? You need to do some serious homework. Ignorance is bliss...
Abstinence and high moral teachings do not exist in inner city schools. Tried and FAILED, just like the war on drugs. Better to give abortion pills than pay to support another welfair baby's lifetime
I think by reading these comments that half these people have drank the "KoolAid" and the rest of you need too.
+1
There is no way anyone could think this is a bad thing unless they've been brainwashed by the teabaggers
O&Joe 2012 - F the 1%
@VoteOutTheLiars: "women" have the freedom to do what they want with their bodies. These are high school girls. There is a big difference between a 20-something woman and a 14-year-old girl. They are not old enough to do what they want, that's why they're still considered minors and under parental guidance and control.
No. Nice try though.
Way to try to take rights away from a certain segment of people. Reminds me of the repugs.
O&Joe 2012 - Tax the 1% Now!
Really @Vote Out the Liars!!! we are taking rights away by telling a 14-year old girl not to have sex. That is the most ridiculous comment I have ever heard. Are we taking a 14-year old kid rights away when we tell them they can't drive a car. Women have fought and received so many rights over the past couple of decades but I don't think the right to have sex in high school and supplying them with free birth control was at the top of their list. Why don't you spend your time and energy advocating more important rights for minorities that have not been achieved yet.
Also, to Vote Out the Liberals! ...I mean Liars!!! Last I heard two people, a man and a woman are needed for a woman to get pregnant and to create a human being. So why would you think that person, thing, consequence, zygote, bunch of cells or whatever the heck you want to call that thing inside your body is belongs to you alone. How would you like it if your husband destroys and burns down your house that both you and your husband contributed monetarily too? I don't like that hopefully should be your response, but wouldn't it be the husbands right to do that??
I truly believe that abortion is just an euphemism for murder, which must make me INSANE, but if it is going to be allowed at least let both "participants" make a decision about it first rather than just allow the woman to do whatever the heck she wants claiming its her right.
Thanks LathamDave. VoteOutTheLiars, this really isn't political, as I have no ties whatsoever to either party and loathe people who bring politics into every conversation. The fact is, children under the age of 18 are under their parents' guidance and authority. This is not oppressing them, but protecting them until they reach an age that they can make thoughtful decisions (or at least be held accountable for awful ones).
Btw, it's no one's "right" to have casual sex and get Plan B. That drug is a luxury, and the sex act is a decision. Let's not confuse basic human rights with the lustful nature of teenagers; you just start muddying the water.
amynoelle your comment #8.12 clings to the old tried and true argument that "it is the parent's responsibility to manage their children and their decisions and behavior." I do not disagree with that at all but I do accept the reality that many many parents cannot or will not accept that responsibility and the children should not be penalized for their own parent's poor guidance by contracting a life changing STD or becoming pregnant as a child. Condoms and birth control should be available to any child who makes the decision to become sexually active at an early age. We as a society actually owe them that option and protection. To withhold it is simply being very judgemental and condemning of children who make mistakes in their lives and it also generally causes an unnecessary burden on our society and its health care and social service systems. As the old saying goes "an ounce of prevention is always better than a pound of cure."
You also say that it is no one's "right" to have casual sex and get Plan B. That drug is a luxury, and the sex act is a decision. One can also say that automotive seat belts are a luxury and whether or not one uses them is not a right but a decision. So we have actually made it a law in most states that you must use them and their cost is mandatory for anyone purchasing a car today. Obviously many still don't use them despite this. The same is true of young kids and sex. You can warn them and tell them no until you are blue in the face but some are just going to have to find out for themselves.
I say that it is better to throw them a life preserver and give them a second chance than to simply let them drown in their own mistakes and mis-steps purely on a principle. To me that is very cruel and insensitive. Nature has built this reproductive urge into us and in some it is almost uncontrollable. It starts with the onset of puberty in both sexes and the pressure can become unbearable. In the past all we could do was shake our heads and accept the consequences which is why girls were often married as young as 12 years old just 100 or so years ago. Today we have the knowledge and the technology to prevent such social catastrophes and I say it is foolish not to use these resources for the betterment of all of society.
It is a sad truth that humans always resist change and fail to accept social evolution. In fact many don't believe in any kind of evolution which perhaps explains their reluctance. But evolve and change it does because of increased knowledge, ease of information exchange, new technologies both social and medical, and not the least influence is the changes in our economy and life styles. We can resist all we want to but to no avail. It will move on ahead with or without us as we choose. For me it behoves us as a society to try and adapt to these changes and make the decisions that best protect our future generations.
I actually do agree with you for the most part. They definitely should have full sex education and have easy access to birth control methods and condoms. That's the kicker: condoms are bought over the counter and any teenager can buy them. Many school offices even give them out. Kids need to use them. Birth control is a little harder to come by and requires a doctor's visit and sometimes a parent's permission. Plan B is similar to that method and should be controlled as such. It's not just a little d*&k slip you slide on and go. There are active chemicals which can react to your body and should not be given out like candy. That's the reason birth control pills are monitored. Put someone on the wrong brand and the side effects can be awful.
Plan B is not birth control, period. Like you said, it's a life preserver which will hopefully make them think BEFORE they act the next time. But when you dispense of them freely, kids will not take the sex act seriously because they can "just take a pill tomorrow" (all while forgetting about the infections and diseases the pill doesn't fight against). Just my opinion. I'm around teenagers a good bit and I can't see any of them taking that pill seriously. They'll use it as an escape route every time instead of practicing good forethought after a scare.
Liberalism is a mental disorder.
"bleedingheartoo". Time to change your forum name. I would recommend "bleedinglackofbraintoo".
so you hate welfare programs most likely but you want more kids to be born who wil most likely need that assistance to survive...interesting. You people care more about what amounts to a parasite (given that it can't survive outside the womb until nearly the end of the pregnancy) than you do about actual people living on this planet. Very interesting.
I completely disagree bleeding. We have been becoming more and more liberal for the last 100+ years. Liberalism has provided:
-Voting rights for women and all races
-Civil rights
-Increased taxes on the 1%
There isn't really a question about IF we need to become more liberal. The only question is how fast can we work together and get it done? Step 1: Re-elect Obama. He is exactly what this country needs.
O&Joe 2012 for a Stronger America
Will this not encourage the high school girls to have even MORE sex, knowing that they can prevent a pregnancy by simply going to the school nurse the morning after?
Clearly you haven't or don't know of anyone that has had to take this pill. My best friend had to after being sexually assaulted (and that's a whole different story) but it gives you severe cramps and pain for at least a day. It's not something you want to take every few weeks for each month.
Maybe if we taught our nation's teens (and adults, because let's face it, we all know some that still think women have their periods and urinate from the same place) how to properly prevent pregnancy in the first place, fewer would have to use these or go the abortion route. Obviously condoms break and accidents happen and it's wonderful that a girl can take a pill for that than possibly get pregnant and have to make the hard choice of terminating the pregnancy.
Pro-lifers can't have it both ways. If people won't allow women to terminate their pregnancies, then you have to at least educate them about how to prevent them and the necessary tools to do it!
@moonpie Just curious: Why is it that the availability of birth control/contraception always make people think they will have MORE sex? These kids are obviously already having enough sex to call for this program to be put into place, why not just be glad there is now a way for them to access the contraception they need to prevent teen pregnancy and continue with their studies? Sorry, just curious.
Very well said, twingal.
Moonpie - A girl can get pregnant the FIRST time she has sex. So wether she is having MORE sex doesn't matter. We need to teach these young girls to take care of themselves, even if this means go on birth control, or take a morning after pill. (Especially if they aren't being taught at home, or are pressured by their peers) I don't think that is encouraging them. I don't even think this condones it, but I think it is teaching them to be responsible about it.
Sterilization till 21, male and female alike.
For anyone who objects, would you rather have them get pregnant and have a baby? Believe me, fewer and fewer of these babies are given up for adoption every year (I worked in maternity), and most teens keep their babies, then may choose to go on welfare and get emancipated. So there goes school, college graduation, and a life that could have included financial security for both mother and child. Most of these girls have lousy choices in boyfriends, too. I saw a lot, I saw too much. I am for anything that will stop a teenage pregnancy. Only an idiot would force these girls to have a child if they thought it through.
Kate Well I was one of those teenage girls who got pregnant at 15 and then boyfriend was no longer interested and I had no way to get money for an abortion..... And guess what I am now the mother of a wonderful 21 year old daughter and you know what I'm a better person for the fact that I had to grow up and be responsible not only for myself but for someone else too. It wasn't easy but it can be done taking responsibilty for your own actions is a good thing to teach our children not a bad thing!
Kate...your answer should be posted at the top of the forum. You hit the nail on the head.
really we should teach kids that they don't have to be responsible for their actions? I hope you are not a parent.
Kate, you sound like someone hammered a nail in you head. Do you know that you are saying you are in favor of ending an innocent human life?
If we wish to stop teen pregnancy, why not teach what it means to have a real, successful, meaningful relationship where sex is not the purpose, but a by-product. If more people would keep their commitments, and not just allow a relationship to be a mulit-night-stand vs. a one-night-stand, things would change. But that takes work, and perhaps work is not what we really want. We want what we want when we want it and that is the demise. Perhaps it's about taking responsibility for our actions, which also have consequences.
tlb1974, you can be the best parent in the world, but kids and hormones will over-ride common sense.
Skip Smith, I personally believe life begins at conception. However, I also believe people have a CHOICE to make what decision is best for them. Then they can take that decision up with God. It is not YOUR place to judge.
All I'm seeing is the fact that there will be HUGE jump in STD stats @ these schools ~~ this just makes it harder to force their partners to wear condoms.
Actually she didn't say she was in favor of abortion. She said she was in favor of PREVENTING it! And I don't understand how that is not being responsible by using birth control? You all say they need to accept consequences for their actions, but by taking BC they are actively being prepared and acting like adults. A LOT of adults take BC even if they are married to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Again, in the real world this happens and abstinence is becoming much less practiced. Teaching responsibility is much better than "well you f'd up now you have to live with it".
Let's not forget that these "innocent lives" (which if the birth was just prevented you aren't ENDING anything, but anyway...) don't all grow up to live in a loving family and become a teacher or a Dr. I live in Colorado where we have one of the worst foster care systems in the country and when I worked at a group home let me tell you that those kids lived in a dozen foster homes by the age of 13, were abused or raped in half of those, and then many of them became criminals or sex offenders themselves. It is not their fault, but they were all "unwanted" and now that they are older with problems no one wants them still. I'm not saying they deserve to not be born, but unwanted pregnancies do not always end in happy-go-lucky families. I choose birth control over abortion. Oh and how is this any worse than using a condom? No one ever freaks out over the boys using condoms that's "responsible" but a girl using BC is a whore?
They are not allowed to hand out an asprin, but can dole out the morning after pill? I feel like I live in a parallel universe.
I hear that!
When I read stuff like this all I can say is we are living in very sad & scarry times.
Ok, let me tell you why. everyone thinks this is the best solutiion to the problem. All this is, is putting a band-aid on a cut that needs stitches because the band-aid will keep the bleeding stable for a while but eventually it will start bleeding again. The pill will not prevent children from getting pregnant. The problem is ourselves. When I was growing up maybe one in ten girls got pregnant and now it's like 8 in 10. Reason was because society itself made a point to teach young women that sex is something that needs to be done in marriage ( or in some cases when they become adults) and teaching them the bitter consequences that come from teenage pregnancy. Even when the parents weren't doing their job of educating their kids in this area, the kids learned it through the society they lived in.
We allow this everything goes mentality and not teach consequences and as a result we are in the mess we are in. That makes this world sad because the one getting hurt are our teenage girls. AND it looks like things have no intention of making it a priority of going back to this basic teaching and we are going to have even more of a mess in this area, hence making the world we live in scary. God help us.
Teach consequences? When the horse is out of the barn? (girl already knocked up)
How about preventing a pregnancy from the get go, and mandating sex ed over age 14? (I know, it is too late for some at 14, sadly.)
The only "consequences" these days are to the taxpayer - and the child who has a baby, and of course the poor baby himself, raised in a low income setting. And repeating this ad nauseum generation to generation. On the taxpayer dime. NO thanks.
Yvonne... "Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former." Albert Einstein
Yvonne: 8 in 10 girls get pregnant? A little skewed aren't you? That an 80% rate. Where is that, a birthing / selling baby center? The "everything goes mentality" has been the whine of adults since forever. Today there are no secrets hidden in that closet as there were even 20 years ago. Today we're recognizing that rape happens, even in the best of families; that sex in the teen years happen, even with kind, loving responsible parents. Still the best tool is education, in school, in homes and even in a religious setting. Teach the correct anatomical terms, teach the scientific facts of a woman's reproductive system and the male's system. Teach how conception happens, teach the growth of the cell groupings, the zygot, and how after approximately 24 weeks, the body produces the blood cell zygot to place the limbs and organs in the correct areas. Teach, teach. Show diagrams and pictures of the bodily changes taking place, the physical and emotional changes. After a couple sessions, all 'blushing' stops and the class is well on its way to accept the science of birth. After that comes the introduction of birth controls, from condoms to Plan B. This is important but still a part of the maturity process of adulthood. Then the BS on mutual love, relationship, those fuzzy, cuties that us women love to hear when we're 16 YO and up comes into play. The whole shot of parent resonsibility. Haven't seen it fail yet, except in cases of arrested maturity.
Anyway, kudos to NYC. There'll be a lot of changes, but it's a start.
P.S. It's easier to change condoms than change diapers.
x
For those who feel that the pill should not be available, I can relate my own story.
As a teacher substitute in a Jr high in Cleveland forty five years ago, the children openly talked about having sex, to them it was no big deal. This Jr high was in a very poor neighborhood. The girls were very aggressive about keeping their boyfriends and were willing to do anything to keep them, including sex.
The kids hormones were raging and there is damned little that adults could do to control them short of shackling to their bed at home. Church nor parents were going to stop these girls from having sex. Not what people want to hear but a simple fact that exists. Better the morning after pill than more pregnancies bring into the world unwanted and unloved children by children.
Sounds like the parents and teachers of these kids should have been arrested for child abuse.
Here's a thought....keep it in your pants.
kferrreira... Easier said than done. A friend of mine once said: "God gave man two heads and it's up to him to pick the one he chooses to think with."
I remember another old saying to, once the deed was done. You made your bed, now lie in it. Kids need to own up to the responsibility. Life is a bitch, time they learned it. Stop all the pansy assing around. Life is choices, you make the wrong ones, you just made your life harder.
The way I see it, we (taxtpayers) pay now or pay later. I would much rather pay $50-100 for them to each get the pills when needed, then pay thousands on welfare and foodstamps for the kids! The chances of a young teen mom graduating from high schood and going to college is very slim. I think if a girl wants the morning after pill, then she may have had second thoughts about her indescrition and, hopefully, has learned a lesson about unprotected sex. We'll NEVER stop teens from having sex, but we can help stop them from having unwanted pregnancies!!
so we just teach them that they can be as irresponsible as they want and someone else will take care of the mess they make?
What makes you think that teenagers are responsible. That is why we don't allow them to vote or drink. Taking responsibility does not mean being shackled for life with the weight of their mistakes. Responsibility is learning from you mistakes and knowing what they can or cannot handle. Plan B is not an abortion. It is a pill which prevent implantation of a fertilized egg on the uterine wall. There is no heartbeat, no fingers it is literally just a clump of cells at that point. If a girl in high school chooses to have sex and the condom breaks why should she be forced to have a baby that she may not be ready for when we have the means available to prevent that?
tlb - you kept your kid, good for you. Most teens do. But you know, as well as I, and anyone who works in an inner city school knows also - that MOST teen pregnancies do not end well for the baby.
The mother is usually on welfare - of course, she may not even have a driver's license, much less a job. Often the family of the teen mother is VERY unhappy, and not all that supportive. She is on Medicaid for health, and so is the baby.
There is not enough space to write all the stories I have to tell about the miseries that so many kids, of ALL ethnic backgrounds, have to go through - as their needs are not met, since their mothers are teens still trying to find themselves, much less care well and provide for an infant 24/7.
Sex ed and birth control of all sorts - bring it on.
My HS daughter gets caught with imodium in her purse and is interrogated by the police officer assigned to the school and the assistant principal and is threatened with suspension, but they have no problem handing out an abortifacient? What's wrong with this picture?!!
She needs less fiber?
I think obumer targeted the wrong age group on this one?
I think you are sad mean spirited person to inject your hatred for the President in this forum, as evidenced by your nasty name characterization. Try to say something useful for a change.
Obama 2012
spudson... In case you weren't paying attention (why am I not surprised?) this is about preventing teen pregnancies. Your political rants have no place here. If you can't stay on subject, why don't you just go away? BTW, Like him or not, you're talking about a sitting President who was elected by popular vote. Get it?
I think it could be a great program. Although I do not condone underage sex because I feel that children are not old enough to fully understand the consequences of their actions, I know that teenagers have sex. It is better to have protected sex, so that you are protected against disease but if a particular teen chooses not to, it is better that they have access to things such as the morning after pill and many teens are just not comfortable asking their parents because they fear their reaction. Would I want my kid to be given birth control pills behind my back, well no; but I hope that I have been the kind of parent that encourages open communication so that they do not have to.
SERIOUSLY??!?? So the fact is that you're not addressing the issue of teen pregnancy YOU'RE MAKING IT WORSE !!!!!!!! You are essentially saying that it is okay to have sex because you can get the pills at school if anything happens!! YOU'RE GIVING THEM A WAY OUT!!! How about we educate the PARENTS on how expensive it is to take care of a child and let them light that fire in their kids! Money aside, you'll RUIN YOUR LIFE! Unbelievable....
So... You are against a program that will give "THEM A WAY OUT!!!" of a situation which can potentially "RUIN [their] LIFE!"
"SERIOUSLY??!??"
People like Just would prefer to have teen pregnancy abound, this way allowing them to have more to b!tch about - abortion and teen welfare moms - it's a great way for them to really enjoy their b!tchfest.
No, you're not saying it's okay to have sex. You're saying if you're going to have sex, be responsible about it and use birth control. Just like Bob Barker used to say "Don't forget to be a responsible pet owner & have your pets spayed or neutered."
happytimes, your assertion that JustAGuy wants teen pregnancy to abound is just absurd, and disengenous, and you know it. How are people with opposing views EVER supposed to have civil conversations when these kind of comments are made?
Nobody in their right mind wants to see an abundance of unplanned, unwanted pregnancies. And pro-abortion advocates aren't in favor of millions and millions of abortions, either. They want people to behave responsibly and believe that abortion is a wise choice instead of proceeding with childbirth unless the mother is completely prepared for parenthood. I disagree with that, but I don't think that pro-abortion advocates are acting purposely as agents of the devil. People are being too mean-spirited to their opponents here. Cut it out.
I oppose the government getting so involved in our lives in general, because we can't even decide ourselves what's right and wrong, and our opinions change so frequently depending on the morality of the times, which also changes frequently. About all I want is for government to protect life, liberty and property and leave me the hell alone the rest of the time. Handing out the morning after pill doesn't do any of those things, so they've got no business doing it. If somebody wants to take it, they should have to take care of that themselves. For me, that's the end of the story.
Of course, Sweet, sarcasm always is.
The "head in the sand crowd" like yourself, will always say coulda shoulda woulda - meanwhile, those in the trenches, serving this hapless generation of babies, continue to see the realities.
I really WISH I lived in your perfect world.
what is wrong with you people, lets just just give them an abortion or a pill these are teenage girls, lets give them some kindness and knowledge so they can make good decisions. It takes everyones participation to raise a generation of responsible people. I am deeply saddened
I can't believe what you are writing is real!!! Children are not ready to have sex if they can't handle the consequences! Pregnancy, disease, etc.... Sex should be taken more seriously.
I am discussed by this, WHO DO THEY THINK THEY ARE. I am really sick of schools thinking they need to dictate and stick their noses into parenting of our children. If I want my child on birth control or having any medications I WILL TAKE CARE OF THAT. I do not need the school stepping in. If my child were to get pregnant I will be the one taking care of it not the school. If my child comes to school with tylenol that I want her to have and she needs and she can be suspended for bringing a "DRUG" to school.
The schools are in our parenting roll too much and need to concentrate on education and stay out of parenting.
What are they going to say if they give this pill to a child without the parent consent and it has an adverse affect and someone is damaged for life or dies, then are they going to point the finger at the parent????
Kids are not allowed to ride skate boards on school grounds because of insurance liability? What about insurance liability of handing out meds without parent consent? What is their liability in that?
I am totally against anyone butting in on my parenting. I am a single parent and have taken care of my kids just fine and don't need the school telling me I don't know what I am doing.
Then all you would have to do is sign the "opt out" form.
I think the WHOLE point of doing this is for girls who have no parent teaching them ANYTHING.
abstinence and morality lessons do not work
we do not need more welfare people
Should not have to sign anything unless I am giving up my right to be a parent. They should stay out of my parenting choices.
Kaylynnb,
You make a good point, however you are a parent who actually PARENTS your children. The schools have had to step in due to lack of guidance at home. I see many mothers and fathers who are less interested in teaching their kids right and wrong than focusing on their own selfish needs!
kaylynnb: It's a good thing you're involved with raising your children. Unfortunately, there are those who have children who are still children themselves and don't take responsibility for raising their kids. I don't know if this is the answer to the problem and it's distressing to see what our world has become.
Kaylynnb, here's a quote from your post:
" If I want my child on birth control or having any medications I WILL TAKE CARE OF THAT."
Oh....ok then.....so what if your daughter was raped, and decided to go to the school nurse about it, and the school nurse gave her a Plan B pill? Would you still be ranting and raving about "schools butting in".....yeah, you probably would. Nice.
Most parents would be RELIEVED and GRATEFUL if that happened and a nurse handled it that way.
AmericanCitizen, I agree with you on that, so many teens feel afraid to talk to their parents, or are not close to their parents, and their relationships are not open enough to discuss this sort of thing.....Kaylynnb, can YOUR children come to you with their personal health problems? And be honest. You sound very forceful.
Maybe they should spend the money on education of sex versious the pill.
I guess it is easier than teaching responsible sexual behavior.
That hasn't worked
Encouraging responsible behavior seems to have failed us as a country - no reason to expect better from our children.
Teach abstinence 'til you're blue in the face, kids will still have sex. We might as well take care of them, don't you think?
Correct bioparahti, teaching abstinence in certain types of neighborhoods, as well as most forms of teaching hasn't worked in generations. Quite possibly the only real alternatives in a Public School System that supports these neighborhoods would be vocational training (gunsmith) and Chastity Belts. And I doubt that would be much help either.
As an adult, isn't taking birth control responsible behavior if I don't want to get pregnant?
The champ of 'abstinence only' hasn't proved too well for her two daughters. 3 more kids to go.