Middle School To Offer Birth Control

 

PORTLAND, Maine (GNS/WCSH) -- In a 7-to-2 vote, the Portland School Committee has approved a proposal to offer a full array of birth control options -- including birth control pills -- to students at King Middle School.

At a the meeting Wednesday night, a vast majority of parents spoke out against the proposal.

The plan, offered by city health officials, makes King Middle School the first middle school in Maine to make a full range of contraception available to students in grades 6 through 8, according to the state Department of Health and Human Services.

There are no national figures on how many middle schools, where most students range in age from 11 to 13, provide such services.

Chairman John Coynie voted against it, saying he felt providing the birth control was a parental responsibility. The other no vote came from Ben Meiklejohn, who said the consent form does not clearly define the services being offered.

Opponents cited religious and health objections.
Diane Miller said she felt the plan was against religion and against God. Another opponent, Peter Doyle, said he felt it violated the rights of parents and puts students at risk of cancer because of hormones in the pill.

A supporter, Richard Verrier, said it's not enough to depend on parents to protect their children because there may be students who can't discuss things with their parents.

Condoms have been available since 2002 to King students who have parental permission to be treated at its student health center.

Five of the 134 students who visited King's health center during the 2006-07 school year reported having sexual intercourse, said Amanda Rowe, lead nurse in Portland's school health centers.

The school's principal told the committee the girls would be given an exam, and be warned about the dangers of sex, but their parents would not have to know if they're on the pill.
Parents have to sign a consent form for the students to be treated at the health center, but any treatment the students receive falls under doctor-patient confidentiality.

If two students decided to have consensual sex parents would not be made aware of the situation. However, if a crime is involved the school would contact authorities.

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