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If condoms had
sponsors, you
might find them
packaged like
these:
Condoms for
First Graders?
Elementary
school students
in Provincetown,
Mass., can now
acquire condoms
at school. And
parents can be
assured their
children will
receive proper
instruction
about the use of
those condoms.
Children as
young as grade
one will be able
to ask for
condoms --
without parental
consent --
thanks to a new
policy recently
approved by the
town's school
council.
The policy
requires
students talk
with a school
nurse or
counselor before
receiving
condoms, but
does not set any
age restrictions
for
distribution.
Also, schools
will not honor
requests from
parents who
don't want their
children to be
given condoms.
According to
School
Superintendent,
Dr. Beth Singer,
sexual education
is taught in the
district's
health classes,
but detailed
instructions
about condom use
are not part of
the curriculum.
Since the policy
does not set age
limits, she
wants to make
sure younger
students receive
proper
information
about condom
usage if they
request them.
No mention is
made as to
whether or not
children will be
counseled about
the perils of
sexual activity
at such young
ages; however,
Provincetown's
new policy does
contain language
stating the
district does
not approve of
students' having
sex. It goes on
to say it
recognizes the
fact that some
students are
sexually active
and, therefore,
should practice
safe sex.
Having never
taught in
Massachusetts, I
am unfamiliar
with their
mandatory
reporting rules
or training for
educators. In my
home state of
Iowa, teachers
were mandatory
reporters of
physical and
sexual abuse. A
first grader
requesting a
condom was
definitely one
of the things
that should have
sent a teacher
running to make
a report to the
appropriate
child protective
agencies.
My own daughter
is just
finishing grade
two. She studies
health at school
geared towards
her grade level.
Her dad and I
keep her age
appropriately
informed in
terms of her
sexuality.
Condom use, in
my opinion,
doesn't fall
under "age
appropriate."
And if any six
or
seven-year-old
requests one, it
should set off
alarm bells.
It's difficult
to please all
parents when it
comes to topics
covered in
school that fall
outside the
three R's.
Federal and
state
governments
often pass
legislation and
create policies
ignoring the
fact some
teacher or
school nurse way
down below on
the food chain
is going to be
the one
responsible for
making the
whimsical
requirements
workable.
And this is why
we end up with
rules that are
as ridiculous as
the Provincetown
condom policy.
Elementary
school students
are unlikely to
ask their school
nurse for
condoms. But
policies that
fail to take age
into account
force schools to
adopt stop-gap
rules that are
just as awful as
the bad policy
holes they are
trying to cover
up.
This
is Sad! Very,
very sad !
THERE'S A LOT OF
SADNESS IN THE
WORLD.
Right now, as
you read this,
17 Million
Americans are
having SEX!
And you're on
the computer!
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