Another reason we homeschool

We have various reasons why we homeschool. Some of them are here. Usually, if I watch or read the news, I can find other reasons that completely confirm for me that I'm doing the right thing. Yesterday I saw this news story that made me so mad, I decided to blog it.

Maine school board approves contraceptives for middle schoolers

Here is a small part of what the article said and my reaction:

"Pupils at a city middle school will be able to get birth control pills and patches at their student health center after the local school board approved the proposal Wednesday evening. 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."

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

"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."

So, pretty much, if I sign a consent form for my 11-year-old to be treated at the clinic ("student health center"), I am also giving unknown consent for them to offer my baby birth control, in several varieties. If I don't sign the consent form, does that mean my kid doesn't get treated if he breaks an arm or pukes in class? Then does the school sue me because I was negligent in the medical safety of my child? How can parents let this happen? Are we letting the public schools dictate to us what our kids should or shouldn't be doing? Is no one putting up a fight against this garbage?

"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."

There may be students who can't discuss things with their parents? They don't even know? I wonder what that percentage would be if there were any.

"At King Middle School, birth control prescriptions will be given after a student undergoes a physical exam by a physician or nurse practitioner, said Lisa Belanger, who oversees Portland's student health centers. Students treated at the centers must first get written parental permission, but under state law such treatment is confidential, and students decide for themselves whether to tell their parents about the services they receive."

So the school is saying that my 11-year-old is perfectly capable of deciding whether or not to tell me about something as important as premarital sex. What's next? We might as well let them go ahead and move out and start making all their own decisions since we parents are not really necessary.

"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."

That's 3.7%!! I wonder if the numbers would be much lower if they weren't already passing out condoms to those students.