A Local Fight For Contraceptives in Schools
A school in Massachusetts is battling parental opposition to their contraception policy.
The Daily Item has an article about a high school in Revere that’s offering contraceptives in its nurse’s office. The school has allowed the handing out of contraceptives – including condoms and Plan B – since last winter.
Over the summer, parents opposed to the program gathered almost 2,000 signatures calling for the suspension of the policy. The recommendation states:
"Should the School Committee temporarily suspend distribution of contraception and ‘Plan B,’ known as the morning after-pill, at Revere High School and form an advisory council of parents and others to evaluate health risks and benefits of both contraception and abstinence recommendations submitted to the School Committee for consideration prior to the School Committee deciding whether to lift the suspension."
If the recommendation is passed by the school board, it will be placed on the November 3 ballot.
What’s especially frustrating about the opposition is that the policy is already fairly restrictive. It permits contraception only after parents enroll their teenager in the health center, and then only allows the distribution of contraception to them after parents check a box on the enrollment form. It would seem that any parents protesting the measure have very little reason to do so; if they don’t want their teenagers participating, they don’t have to allow them. It’s just another case of people forcing their strict, backwards morals on others.