Birth Control At School? Most Say It's OK

AP Poll: 67% Of Americans Favor Letting Public Schools Provide Contraceptives

(AP)  Americans decisively favor letting their public schools provide birth control to students, but they also voice misgivings that divide them along generational, income and racial lines, a poll showed.

Sixty-seven percent support giving contraceptives to students, according to an Associated Press-Ipsos poll. About as many - 62 percent - said they believe providing birth control reduces the number of teenage pregnancies.

"Kids are kids," said Danielle Kessenger, 39, a mother of three young children from Jacksonville, Florida, who supports providing contraceptives to those who request them. "I was a teenager once and parents don't know everything, though we think we do."

Yet most who support schools distributing contraceptives prefer that they go to children whose parents have consented. People are also closely divided over whether sex education and birth control are more effective than stressing morality and abstinence, and whether giving contraceptives to teenagers encourages them to have sexual intercourse.

"It's not the school's place to be parents," said Robert Shaw, 53, a telecommunications company manager from Duncanville, Texas. "For a school to provide birth control, it's almost like the school saying, 'You should go out and have sex."'

Those surveyed were not asked to distinguish between giving contraceptives to boys or girls.

The survey was conducted in late October after a school board in Portland, Maine, voted to let a middle school health center provide students with full contraceptive services. The school's students are sixth- through eighth-graders, when most children are 11 to 13 years old, and do not have to tell their parents about services they receive.

Portland school officials plan to consider a proposal soon that would let parents forbid their children from receiving prescription contraceptives like birth control pills.

Teenage pregnancy rates have declined to about 75 per 1,000, down from a 1990 peak of 117, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research center. Still, nearly half of teens aged 15 to 19 report having had sex at least once, and almost 750,000 of them a year become pregnant.

The 67 percent in the AP poll who favor providing birth control to students include 37 percent who would limit it to those whose parents have consented, and 30 percent to all who ask.

Minorities, older and lower-earning people were likeliest to prefer requiring parental consent, while those favoring no restriction tended to be younger and from cities or suburbs. People who wanted schools to provide no birth control at all were likelier to be white and higher-income earners.

"Parents should be in on it," said Jennifer Johnson, 29, of Excel, Alabama, a homemaker and mother of a school-age child. "Birth control is not saying you can have sex, it's protecting them if they decide to."

About 1,300 U.S. public schools with adolescent students - less than 2 percent of the total - have health centers staffed by a doctor or nurse practitioner who can write prescriptions, said spokeswoman Divya Mohan of the National Assembly of School-Based Health Care. About one in four of those provide condoms, other contraceptives, prescriptions or referrals, Mohan said.

Less than 1 percent of middle schools and nearly 5 percent of high schools make condoms available for students, said Nancy Brener, a health scientist with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Underlining the schisms over the issue, those saying sex education and birth control were better for reducing teen pregnancies outnumber people preferring morality and abstinence by a slim 51 percent to 46 percent.

Younger people were likelier to consider sex education and birth control the better way to limit teenage pregnancies, as were 64 percent of minorities and 47 percent of whites. Nearly seven in 10 white evangelicals opted for abstinence, along with about half of Catholics and Protestants.

In addition, 49 percent say providing teens with birth control would not encourage sexual intercourse and a virtually identical 46 percent said it would.

The poll involved telephone interviews with 1,004 adults from Oct. 23-25. It had a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.

[hwy71so]

The poll/survey must have been conducted in downtown LA or NY.

I don''t guy that that high a percentage support the schools encouraging our children to have intercourse.

[thee0racle]

perhaps they should poll the kds and see if THEY prefer abstinence.

[toolmangler-2009]

Three polls I have seen have the exact opposite results. 68% against. 32% for. (avg)

[theusa1st]

As usually the headline is misleading. In the article it states most think it is o.k. IF there is parental consent....a BIG difference. But I agree with Hwy71So,
I bet this poll was taken in a liberal area.

[ecm1980]

If the schools are going to provide birth control pills for my kids, then they should only be allowed to get them with the parents consent. We can not take away the parents right to care for our kids...it is true that not all parents know what their kids are doing these days...some are in denial...but we have to allow them the chance to know, and to help their kids. Instead of just giving the pills to these young kids (even if it is after counseling) they (the school) should be encouraging these kids to talk to their parents, they could even have a school counselor come with the child to talk to their parents. At least this way the parents still have their rights as well.

[hwy71so]

I really love it when my finger hits the wrong button and I don''t catch it. "guy"????? How ''bout "buy". gracious!

[hwy71so]

I think if the schools are going to provide these items THEY should be responsible for raising the pregnant 13 year old. They should be held monetarily accountable for all parenting costs of the underaged teen as well as any medical and psychological care administered.

Even the condom is NOT 100% effective.

I''m not an ignorant either. I was also a teen once. Believe it or not. And I have a teen now.

[mcvet]

I think if the schools are going to provide these items THEY should be responsible for raising the pregnant 13 year old. They should be held monetarily accountable for all parenting costs of the underaged teen as well as any medical and psychological care administered.

Even the condom is NOT 100% effective.

I''''m not an ignorant either. I was also a teen once. Believe it or not. And I have a teen now.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by Hwy71So at 09:57 AM : Nov 01, 2007
+ report abuse

No you are just a tired old bitter person who can''t or won''t accept reality. Teenagers for the most part are responsible in todays society but they are NOT like those in my day... scared to death because they had been LIED to over and over. MORE lies and Boogie Men isn''t going to help, didn''t then either.

[mcvet]

Three polls I have seen have the exact opposite results. 68% against. 32% for. (avg)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by ToolMangler at 09:44 AM : Nov 01, 2007
+ report abuse

Yeah I''ve seen them as well. They come from groups like the Family Research Counsel and people like that. Not the most trusted people on the planet that''s for sure.

[mcvet]

As usually the headline is misleading. In the article it states most think it is o.k. IF there is parental consent....a BIG difference. But I agree with Hwy71So,
I bet this poll was taken in a liberal area.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by theUSA1st at 09:45 AM : Nov 01, 2007
+ report abuse

OH PLEASE! The ENTIRE nation outside the Fascist South is a "Liberal" area. You freaks don''t even know the MEANING of the word "Liberal" let alone have a solution to any problems... never have, never will.

[pbdb99]

while it is in the best interests for the schools to teach abstinence, having them also provide contraceptives is probably the best way to decrease the teenage pregnancy rate. As a Senior in high school, i have seen a number of my peers who are consumed with the desire to have ***. Having the school provide them condoms or birth control pills would not encourage them to have *** as much as it would ensure that they would not become just another statistic. If you want my opinion, i support any plans to have school-porvided birth control made availabe to high school students. I would also like stated that i agree with a number of other readers, of this article, who stated that these contraceptives should only go to people whose parents had pre-aproved them to be receiving them. I think that i can point out the fact that most parents have a pretty good idea if their child is responsible or mature enough to be granted this new idea.

[dovestar]

I am not surprised. In 1962 the Supreme Court began what was to be the systematic expulsion of god from the American classroom. And when God goes, His moral law goes with Him. We have tried to substitute our own laws but where has that gotten us? Columbine and copycats--that''s where.
According to God''s moral law, *** is reserved for marriage, the definition of which is in debate these days. If the homosexuals have their way, men will be able to marry men, women will marry women, and who knows what''s next? Perhaps one day you will be able to marry your favorite tree in the back yard.
School officials are supposed to be acting, "in loco parentis", or in the place of the parents when children are in the classroom. This does not give them the right to substitute their decisions for the parents, yet a growing number of them are assuming that right.
BTW, when my daughters went to school I had to sign a note authorizing the school nurse to administer an ASPIRIN to them. But they can have an abortion without my knowledge? How they can claim to teach common sense in the classroom is beyond me.
Some think we''re going down the slippery slope. We''re way past that.

[theusa1st]

OH PLEASE! The ENTIRE nation outside the Fascist South is a "Liberal" area. You freaks don''''t even know the MEANING of the word "Liberal" let alone have a solution to any problems... never have, never will.

Posted by MCVet at 10:03 AM : Nov 01, 2007

MCVet - You have once again proven yourself an ignorant individual...not everyone lives in the south.
You always have to resort to name calling...what''s the matter feeling a little insignificant. Most of America believes in traditional values and that includes not having other people raise their children. Especially when there are people outside of their house like you...I don''t want the village idiots raising my children. I doubt your mouth would be so big or you would be so brave if you talked to people like that face to face...

[dovestar]

Some assorted myths:
1. There is a God but man has advanced to the point where we don''t need Him anymore.
2. There is no such thing as right or wrong except in the eye of the beholder.
3. Minor children posess the wisdom to make their own decisions about sexual matters. Therefore, birth control devices, normally available to adults, should be made available to them carte blanche without the parents'' knowledge or consent.
4. Any Twosome Newsome is the right way to go regarding marriage.
5. Islam is a peaceful religion that does not advocate violence.

Jesus once said that you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. We have subscribed to the above myths with a vengeance and they have not made us free. It''s time to dispense with the lies and go with the truth.

[riggie3]

Drugs react differently in each body. These people will be giving drugs to children they are not made for. Will they give them additional drugs when the child is swooning ill from the birth control effects? What other drugs are they authorized to dispense that you won''t know about until your child is deathly ill, dead, or paying the consequesces later due to incompatability? How can your child tell you what they are being given? Most of us don''t even know the effects of drugs that interact on each other. You may give your child over the counter meds, not knowing what else is in their system.
This is bad all around.

[riggie3]

Drugs react differently in each body. These people will be giving drugs to children they are not made for. Will they give them additional drugs when the child is swooning ill from the birth control effects? What other drugs are they authorized to dispense that you won''t know about until your child is deathly ill, dead, or paying the consequesces later due to incompatability? How can your child tell you what they are being given? Most of us don''t even know the effects of drugs that interact on each other. You may give your child over the counter meds, not knowing what else is in their system.
This is bad all around.

[dovestar]

Did you notice that we have had a number of storms and fierce weather lately? You don''t suppose Someone is trying to get our attention, now, do you?

Note: You might be wise to listen to Him. His wisdom has worked for years.

[dovestar]

Dear CBS News:
Have we succeeded in throwing God out to the extent that we define morality by what a stupid poll says?

Remember when you had kids and they wanted to do something you knew was wrong or dangerous and they told you, "But, everybody''s doing it."

Now we use polls to tell ourselves the same thing. And we think that''s a substitute for Godly morality.

And we call that wisdom?

[alexma50085]

How ignorant you have to be to believe that giving out birth control would promote s ex. Our teenagers are already doing it, mostly unprotected because the conservatives don''t want to acknowledge progressive thinking. When you stop thinking forward you die, simple as that. Christianity has been the downfall of many advances of human society. Rome had running water, until Christanity said it was the devils work, and then what happened, people started throwing their waste into the streets, causing an increase in rat population, which in turn brought on the black death. Anything new scares the conservatives of this country. It''s a wonder that they can even use the internet, because the devil could get you while your surfing.
Let these kids have the birth control, not only will it help with teenage pregnancy, it also will help stop the spread of STD''s.
So all you conservatives, get your heads out of you as ses.

[mike71067]

AP Poll: 67% Of Americans Favor Letting Public Schools Provide Contraceptives

Sodom, Gomorrah, Rome, United States... I ain''t no fortune teller, but the future is clear as a bell.

[nolalou]

dovestar , It is because of people like you that I''m glad we have seperation of church and state in this country! It is perfectly ok for you to believe in god, but it is not ok for you to shove those beliefs down peoples throats, and mandate they be used to determine policy in public schools!

The Supreme Court did not ''throw god out'', they just followed the constitution. Anyone can still prey silently, but public schools cannot promote religion.

Then you go on to state that storms are god''s punishment? Give me a f-ing break! If god was trying to punish sinful New Orleans with Hurricane Katrina, why was the French Quarter, (where strip clubs and bars are located) spared any damage? Apparently your God has lousy ''aim'' !

[drivelphobe]

What contrived stats do we see next? It is obviously a lie that 67% favor the schools handing out contraceptives.

The schools have no business in this matter. Their function is clear, yet teachers, in their cozy little environment of synthetic power and tenure, can''t help themselves from the self-perception of deities.

They need to stick to the 3Rs, and stop meddling in the lives of young children in areas that belong strictly with the parents.

They could spend more time making certain the children learn the subject matter in their respective classes. Isn''t that a novel concept?

Most teachers, unfortunately, only strengthen the old adage that "those who can, do, and those who can''t, teach."

Leave the contractive business to the parents. Public schools use taxpayer money, and providing condoms and birth control pills is out of bounds. What''s next, gumball machines with Levitra, Cialis and Viagra? How about vending machines with tubes of flavored, personal lubricants?

[hwy71so]

Give me 5 minutes and I can find a poll that agrees with me.

Give me another 5 minutes and I can a poll that disagrees with me.

Give me yet another 5 minutes and I can find a poll that agrees with both sides.

Isn''t the media great at teaching us how to morally behave?

[hwy71so]

nolalou

So, you''re saying its NOT okay to "shove God down our throats" but, its okay to shove the lies of evolution down our throats?

Tell me more.....

...not.

[mahdeealoo]

Drugs are not the answer, never were. It''s called Parental Control. Parents are less and less involved in raising their children. Kids are plugged in to the living room babysitter - the TV. Ushered off to daycare, off to the babysitters, given fast food meals rather than nutritious home cooking, and generally left to actually fend for themselves. Then when the children act up, the parents will not take the blame for neglect of the worst kind; that of another human being, their own flesh and blood.

How about teaching parenting skills as mandatory as learning math is. Every year, from 4th grade up until graduation there should be skills taught in the educational system that is also failing our children miserably.

The answer is not drugging them. Teach them well instead.

[jumkey]

"It''s obviously a lie"?

Oh, OK. Don''t let the facts get in the way of your prejudices there pal. Rant on.

[antoniof123]

Give me 5 minutes and I can find a poll that agrees with me.

Give me another 5 minutes and I can a poll that disagrees with me.

Give me yet another 5 minutes and I can find a poll that agrees with both sides.

Isn''''t the media great at teaching us how to morally behave?

Posted by Hwy71So at 10:59 AM : Nov 01, 2007

No you can not find a legitimate poll. But don''t let the facts get in the way.

You know what the days of us in the middle just sitting a watching are coming to an end.

[mocalleo]

Buried in the CBS article, but should''ve been part of the headline


"Yet MOST who support schools distributing contraceptives
PREFER that they go to children whose PARENTS HAVE CONSENTED."

[antoniof123]

AP Poll: 67% Of Americans Favor Letting Public Schools Provide Contraceptives

Sodom, Gomorrah, Rome, United States... I ain''''t no fortune teller, but the future is clear as a bell.

Posted by mike71067 at 10:48 AM : Nov 01, 2007

Check your facts Sodom, Gomorrah no one has proven yet so that can''t be use facts not fiction. While they may have been cities find facts that God destroyed them oh wait facts getting in the way.

Rome gave the world 1.000 years of pace that is a fact. My God facts just keep getting in the way. All empires fall there are no exception, and you can not blame it on one thing that is a stupid notion and has no defense. All roads lead to Rome that helped in its down fall as well as so many other things. But in the end it fell because it was divided probably by like minded people such as yourself who refused to change and grow with the times.

Any other lies you want us to subscribe too?

[puppypop]

this is what happens when you pack your kids off to public (gov)school system and let them raise your children.
I''m tired of the gov and liberals trying to condition us and our children.
we have given the gov entirely to much control. I don''t need anyone telling me how to raise my children especially when they are going on stistics.
I''m tired of being grouped by faith, color, etc. that''s whats wrong with this country.
WHAT HAPPENED TO DEMOCRACY?

[condumism]

ANOTHER HUGE DEFEAT for the Republicon Nazi Party, aka: Pedophiles and Neocons.

[republic1776]

The big liberal agenda.
The Government "owns" us.
Big Brother herding the lost liberal sheep who are wimps at best.

[mike71067]

"Check your facts Sodom, Gomorrah no one has proven yet so that can''t be use facts not fiction."
-Posted by antoniof123 at 11:37 AM : Nov 01, 2007

Poor guy - you can''t even be reasoned with. You''re so far out there that no amount of logic can touch you. You assume that everything that scientists document is factual, and that everything documented Biblically is "fiction". You''re too closed-minded to even engage in this discussion.

[condumism]

Posted by republic1776
Big Brother herding the lost liberal sheep who are wimps at best.

Seems to me that freedom of choice equates to trying to control others behavior to you Fascists. Perhaps you should cnage your monicker to confederate1861. Much more appropriate for a White Trash Nazi as yourself.

Birth Control at school is NOT OK and anyone who says otherwise needs his or her head examined. Common sense people; I know it''s out there. Let''s try using it, shall we?

[erasmus6]

"Three polls I have seen have the exact opposite results. 68% against. 32% for. (avg)" posted by ToolMangler

Yeah and what was that, the TOOLMANGLER polls?:)

I continue to see this term "Fascists" used to refer to conservative Christians on these message boards. Anyone who agrees with that idea lacks any understanding of what a conservative Christian is.

In fact, that is a tactic of Fascists - to falsely label the "enemy" and then justify any actions against that enemy.

Christians and conservative Christians have absolutely nothing to do with Fascism no matter how much you may demand to the contrary.

You yourself may very well be that which you are claiming of others. Try engaging in a little self examination and see your true intentions.

"change and grow with the times"

Does that mean to reduce oneself to a gullible belief in evolution, devalue human dignity and live like apes and monkeys?

"Check your facts Sodom, Gomorrah no one has proven yet so that can%u2019t be use facts not fiction."
-Posted by antoniof123 at 11:37 AM : Nov 01, 2007

The Bible has stood the test of time. It claims that God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. If God did it, you can be sure they are destroyed. Lots of luck finding it!

[erasmus6]

"Most of America believes in traditional values and that includes not having other people raise their children." posted by theUSA1st

I am not so sure that MOST of America believes in traditional values. And as far as "raising their children" goes, if they were doing it, then no one else would feel it necessary to do it for them.

I am not for giving out the pill without parental consent BUT I am for education and condoms being available. Never mind pregnancy, if they get aids, they''re DEAD and who knows how many others they have passed it too.

[squirley4]

How ignorant you have to be to believe that giving out birth control would promote s ex. Our teenagers are already doing it, mostly unprotected because the conservatives don''''t want to acknowledge progressive thinking. When you stop thinking forward you die, simple as that. Christianity has been the downfall of many advances of human society. Rome had running water, until Christanity said it was the devils work, and then what happened, people started throwing their waste into the streets, causing an increase in rat population, which in turn brought on the black death. Anything new scares the conservatives of this country. It''''s a wonder that they can even use the internet, because the devil could get you while your surfing.
Let these kids have the birth control, not only will it help with teenage pregnancy, it also will help stop the spread of STD''''s.
So all you conservatives, get your heads out of you as ses..........HOW SAD AND HOPELESS THIS PERSON IS!

[condumism]

Posted by pilgrimsprog
Common sense people; I know its out there. Lets try using it, shall we?

You are correct, it is out there. 62 percent agree that birth control at schools is OK. Uncommon sense is held by the extremist elements in society that try to impose their ignorance upon others. Your kind of people, your Republiocn Nazi Party.

[random_radar]

The great thing about democracy is that the majority gets to decide what is right and wrong. Your personal conscience doesn''t matter. Too bad if you don''t like it, we voted to make you irrelevant. In fact, if you don''t go along quietly, we will put you in prison or maybe worse.

[republic1776]

Condumism said:
"Seems to me that freedom of choice equates to trying to control others behavior to you Fascists. Perhaps you should cnage your monicker to confederate1861. Much more appropriate for a White Trash Nazi as yourself. "

Republic17716 says:
It is NOT the Goverments role.
Our forefathers DID NOT want a Goverment that set SOCIAL policy. ie(Like KIngs and dictator''s)
Guess liberals don''t want choices and freedom. They want to be "spoon fed" and they think it is a choice.

[squirley4]

Dear CBS News:........Posted by dovestar
Have we succeeded in throwing God out to the extent that we define morality by what a stupid poll says?

Remember when you had kids and they wanted to do something you knew was wrong or dangerous and they told you, "But, everybody''''s doing it."

Now we use polls to tell ourselves the same thing. And we think that''''s a substitute for Godly morality.

And we call that wisdom?.......dovestar you are a very smart person,and I agree with you!cbs needs to get rid of their drive-bye and get some good reporters like you.

Ignorance is imposed daily in our public school system. The 62% statistic simply proves that the ignorance being taught is also being absorbed. Your words are perfect evidence of that. Keep talking; you reveal yourself very well. The shame is that you can%u2019t even see it.

[theusa1st]

Buried in the CBS article, but should''''ve been part of the headline
"Yet MOST who support schools distributing contraceptives
PREFER that they go to children whose PARENTS HAVE CONSENTED."

Posted by mocalleo at 11:34 AM : Nov 01, 2007

This is exactly what I stated before but the "progressives" only read the part they want to read...next time all the article.

[republic1776]

random_radar go back to school.
"The great thing about democracy is that the majority gets to decide what is right and wrong."

How about 9 white guys and a black man on the end of a rope.
A lynching is a democracy! (butthead)
Our forefathers made us a Rebuplic!

[hwy71so]

Our problem is the fact that we choose to give in to our base desires.

We feel that since it feels natural, it is okay. We allow ourselves to be led by our instincts rather than self control. It is in this that we find who walks with a higher value of oneself. I choose to reserve myself to a life of honor to the one who created me. I do not choose to submit to chaos.

It is in this that we should strive to teach our children that it is better to police ourselves than have someone else do it for us. In giving into this "you run my life" mentality, we become no longer individuals, but subjects with no choice.

So, allow the school to program our kids brains as though robots, sheep, subjects...

[soldat44]

Our problem is the fact that we choose to give in to our base desires.

We feel that since it feels natural, it is okay. We allow ourselves to be led by our instincts rather than self control. It is in this that we find who walks with a higher value of oneself. I choose to reserve myself to a life of honor to the one who created me. I do not choose to submit to chaos.

It is in this that we should strive to teach our children that it is better to police ourselves than have someone else do it for us. In giving into this "you run my life" mentality, we become no longer individuals, but subjects with no choice.

So, allow the school to program our kids brains as though robots, sheep, subjects...


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by Hwy71So at 12:19 PM : Nov 01, 2007

Beautiful and well written. Thank you.