Another Argument In Favor Of Separating Education And The State

This time from Portland, Maine:

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — After an outbreak of pregnancies among middle school girls, education officials in this city have decided to allow a school health center to make birth control pills available to girls as young as 11.

King Middle School will become the first middle school in Maine to make a full range of contraception available, including birth control pills and patches. Condoms have been available at King’s health center since 2000.

Students need parental permission to access the school’s health center. But treatment is confidential under state law, which allows the students to decide whether to inform their parents about the services they receive.

This isn’t about birth control or contraceptives, it’s about the fact that the school system has decided to take upon itself a job that, rightfully, belongs in the hands of parents. And, unless, parents can afford to send their children to private school, they have no choice but to accept policies like this even if they disagree with them.

There is every chance that parents will now be left out of the loop, unaware that their child could be having sexual relations. Does this also mean that fewer students will now use condoms, as there will be a variety of contraceptives readily available? This could lead to a spike in cases of STD’s, and if parents are unaware that their children are engaging in sexual activity, they won’t know that they need to take them to somewhere like Priority to get tested. This move by the education officials creates more problems than it solves.

The solution, it seems, is obvious. Get government out of the education business, let parents choose where they send their children to school. And stop this insane practice of turning teachers and school nurses into replacements for a Mom and a Dad.