KING MIDDLE SCHOOL IN PORTLAND, ME PROVIDES THE PILL TO 11 YEAR OL

Due to the rise of pregnancies among middle school girls, education officials at King Middle School in Portland, ME have decided to allow a school health center to make birth control pills available to girls as young as 11. King’s school committee voted 7 to 2 in favor of adding prescription contraceptives to the services offered at the health clinic. Condoms have been available at King's health center since 2000, however, the committee’s decision will make it the first middle school in Maine to carry a full range of contraception, including birth control pills and patches.

Many parents at King Middle School believe in the program wholeheartedly, citing that the students are finally being educated on how to take care of themselves. One faculty member added, “It’s an eye-opener for all of us, but when you look at the facts, why not?” Those facts are the 17 middle school students who had become pregnant in the last four years, seven of them in the 2006-7 school year alone.

On the other hand, many parents are concerned because the waiver and other parental consent forms do not clearly define the services of the new health clinic. Mr. John Coyne, chairman of the school committee, said that parents should have the option to enroll their children in all aspects of the clinic EXCEPT reproductive health treatment, stating that parents should first be made more aware of the state’s confidentiality laws. Parents are made aware of the school board’s new program by signing an annual waiver detailing the services provided by the clinic. However, under state law, reproductive health, mental health and substance abuse issues are CONFIDENTIAL between medical provider and patient, regardless of the patient’s age. Treatment is also confidential under state law, which allows the students to decide whether to inform their parents about the services they receive or whether or not they have received such services. Although the waiver is in effect, it seems to bear little upon the decision making process of the students or the ability to concisely articulate just what is meant by contraception.

Another growing concern is the effect that certain oral pills and types of contraception would have on such young students. Students will be written a prescription for oral contraceptives or be given them at the clinic, depending on each student’s situation. “I still don’t feel comfortable with this,” Mr. Coyne said. “There’s no talk about the health issues and the possible long-term ill effects on these young ladies.” Others feel that the proposal violates the rights of parents and puts students at risk of cancer because of hormones in the pill.

One woman whose daughter attends King, says she had mixed feelings about the decision to provide contraceptives to middle school students but thought it was the right one, whereas a former school nurse concluded “We are dealing with children…I am just horrified at the suggestion.”

Still, despite concerns ranging from age to possible side effects, many agree that although these students are far too young to be sexually active, there is too small group of kids who are reporting that they are sexually active for it to be considered an epidemic. Many believe that the availability of contraception is not encouraging kids to have sex but is rather about the kids who are engaging in sexual activity. Of the five students at King who actually reported to engaging in sexual activity, all of them were at least 14 years of age, which seemed to bode well with the Portland health commission, given that only one became pregnant in the last school year. Joshua Sharfstein, the city’s health commissioner, insists the program had helped to decrease teenage pregnancy rates. He was unavailable to comment on the effectiveness of abstinence in decreasing pregnancy rates.

25 percent of high school-based clinics provide some type of contraception nationally. Prescription contraception is available in as little as 1 percent of those schools said one spokeswoman for the campaign. She later declined to give the number of schools like King that provided prescription contraception. King is the only one of the city’s three middle schools that has a health clinic.

Students at King Middle School were not afraid to share their concerns about the board’s decision to let the independently operated clinic at their institution provide girls access to prescription contraceptives. The students say that they think it is “stupid” to endorse such a campaign because it endorses sexual activity among the 11 to 14 year olds.

“I know I've done my job as a parent,” one mother concluded, “but there may be a time when my 13-year-old daughter doesn't feel comfortable coming to me and not all these kids have a strong parental advocate at home. It brings home the fact that she has friends and people around her who are sexually active…but at least it’s a good alternative in a not-so-good situation. No one is going to stand up and cheer that 12 and 13-year-olds are having sex, but it’s not anything new…”

SLC wants to know that if given the fact that sexual activity among 12 and 13 year olds is considered “nothing new,” doesn’t that make it an epidemic? Respond to our comment forum now!