Instead of giving students contraceptives, teach them the risks and the responsibility of sex.

The actions of King Middle School in Portland, Maine are completely appalling. A policy recently passed this month that would allow middle school students, ages 11-14, to receive a full range of contraceptives from the school health center without parental consent.

Students must have parental permission to use the health center, but under state law such treatment as birth control is confidential, allowing students to decide whether or not to inform parents.

Signing children up to use appropriate health services such as diet, exercise, Tylenol and acne treatment should not entail automatic permission for unsuitable services like birth control.

The state is infringing on the rights of the parents who have the ultimate responsibility for the well-being of their children. Parents need to know if their child is being given hormones, since negative side effects can occur.

Thanks to the radical ideas of Planned Parenthood, schools are convinced that easily available contraceptives result in less teen pregnancy. It also results in more promiscuity among young teens.

Putting a handful of condoms in the hands of a pubescent male is asking for trouble. Birth control may prevent pregnancies, but offering contraceptives, including the morning after pill, to children sends the wrong message.

Adolescents get the impression that it’s acceptable to experiment with sex at a young age, because contraceptives are available through the school to correct any mistakes.

Instead of giving students contraceptives, teach them the risks and the responsibility of sex.

I am not so naïve to think sex won’t happen if it’s not addressed during sex education. Focusing only on abstinence is ignorance. Students are entitled to a comprehensive sex education program, but providing for irresponsible preteen behavior is completely illegitimate.

Any 11-14 year-old who asks for birth control should be referred to a counselor, parents or legal guardians.

These middle school students are still children. They are not psychologically, mentally or physically prepared to engage in sexual relations. Educators should be spending their time encouraging age-appropriate activities instead.

Unfortunately, middle schools offering birth control is not the worst part of this. Where are the parents of these children? There is no excuse for a pregnant middle schooler.

Parents have an obligation to know where their children are every hour of every day, especially at such a young age.

I fully support the mentality that children are capable of making their own mistakes and learning from them. But really, the line needs to be drawn somewhere. This is not a mistake they should be allowed to make.

This is irresponsible behavior from not only the school and state, but also from parents.

While young teens deserve to know about all forms of contraception, it should not be readily available. Since lines of communication between parents and children are often filled with tension, counselors should be available as mediators. Only then should birth control be given to middle school students, with parental consent.

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