(http://www.flickr.com/photos/riekhavoc/2569245154/)There has always been some type of controversy surrounding the issue of having condoms distributed in school. This article in the New York Times discusses different viewpoints of different school districts and what is going on regarding this issue. The article states that poor neighborhoods see the condoms as a salvation from AIDS and unwanted pregnancy, while more thriving neighborhoods see the condoms as a catalyst.
One side of the debate here is that the condom distribution goes against religious morals. Other parents say it goes against their attempts to persuade their children to postpone engaging in sexual activity. Others feel that the condoms will just encourage the students to go out and have sex earlier than they had planned to. The truth is, in my opinion, students are going to have sex when they feel they want to. Placing a condom in someone's hand does not make a student crazy and think, "Well hey, I have to use this right away, let me go have sex with the first person who shows an interest in me." I think having condoms readily available in high schools is a good idea. Many kids do not have money for condoms, or are afraid to purchase them. By having them available at school, at least these students will be protected against diseases and unwanted pregnancy.
The article states that about 80 percent of high school students are sexually active, and we should not close our eyes to the fact that this is happening. If the students are not handed condoms but find themselves in a sexual situation, they may engage in intercourse anyway. Wouldn't you rather equip them with the knowledge and "tools" for these situations? Or would you rather have them rely on rumors such as "You can never get pregnant the first time" or lies like "I swear I am a virgin." Parents may like to believe their children are not engaging in risky behavior, but the truth is, they are. I would rather protect and inform students than leave them in the dark and have something that could of been prevented happen.
Hi Marissa, I am agree that the idea of distribuiting condoms in school is very controversial. Is true do that most of students in high school are sexually active. What is worse students start to have sex in middle school. if they do not know how to protect themselves then the result will be an unwanted pregnancy or a child with one of those venerial diseases. Such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, worts, trichomonas, etc. So is better to equip them with the knowledge, and tools for this situation. So distribuiting condoms in school will help alot the students to protec themselves from a venerial disease or what is worse to protec from having AIDS. Parents must be happy when their children are in a school where not only worry about their abc but also about their sexual issue.
ReplyDeleteThis kind of ignorance really upsets me because as a Department of Education employee i see a lot of cases of teen pregnancy and STD and HIV screening (results remain confidential) the point is, the destribution of condoms is seen, among the ignorant people, as something that is similar to a disease. However, ironically that is the purpose of the condom to prevent venerial diseases and lower the cases of teen pregnancy. I believe we should educate and expose teens to information about condoms, without the intention of making them sexually active, but to show that there are other methods of staying safe. And also to care about their health even if a simple condom is not their choice at the moment of heat.
ReplyDeleteI am a teen myself and I think that if schools actually handed out condoms It would be a smart move. Girls would come to their senses and think twice before having unprotected sex. It Would decrease dramatically the results of diseases and teen pregnancy!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in high shcool which was 3 years ago, there were so many of us pregnant teens that my school had a teen pregnancy program that substituted for our PE class. there were 30 of us in total. And alot of us girls agreed that had we been offered the condoms by our school or parents, we would have used them. I don't say that my child is a mistake, but I just had him to early. But these students need to be given condoms to preent unwanted pregnancies and STD's. It can also educate them on safe sex.
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