No offense to any adoptees out there, but adoption isn't the same as having a loving biological mom and dad. I know several adoptees, including my niece and nephew, and they all have said, at one time or another, they felt a little cheated or felt a little like they didn't belong. They have learned to love their adoptive parents, but it is not the same.

Adoption is a better option than abortion though.

Let's see...what else can we do for our 11 year old middle-schoolers?

Some might drive a car without permission...driver's ed would be in order. That shouldn't be too objectionable.

A few might have access to guns; let's let teach them all (without parental notification, of course) proper gun safety, and how to properly aim, shoot, etc. (The NRA would go for this, but how about the Liberals).

One or two might try heroin...let's give them access to sterile needles.



Other suggestions? Nothing is too far out there? Let's illustrate the absurd with absurdities.

I am torn on this issue. When I was in middle school there were students that were caught having sex in the bushes during class. That was back then, I'm afraid to think about what is happening now.

I definately think parents should instill morals and values in their kids and be there to talk to them, but maybe it's better to have your bases covered and make sure they are prepared just in case. Should they be active that young? Heck no, but you just never know what outside influences can effect those type of decisions.

Would you rather you found out your 11 year old was on birth control or pregnant?

Black and white thinking... they shouldn't do it, so just tell them not to do it.

I graduated in '01. After I graduated high school, I went back to my 6th grade year book and counted how many girls (and guys) had at least one kid. There were 14. How many were in my 6th grade class? 130.

Although I don't agree with handing out birth control to girls in middle school, I do think it's important to teach more than just abstinence at that age. I didn't hear/see anything hardcore about STDs until I was a junior in high school. Had they shown us in middle school what they showed us in high school, I think *everyone* would have been more reserved about sex. It was enough to make me hold out until at least after high school.

I'm also fortunate enough to have a mother who is an RN. She put my safety over the comfort level of our conversation. Parents don't talk enough.

Just my (young) two cents.

Yeah as parents you accept responsibility for raising your kids.
Why don't we just install beds at the school so the kids can stay there 24/7 and the schools can take over parenting the kids.

Better yet, lets start the birth control in first grade - cuz you know jimmy has a crush on susie and we best be safe then sorry.

Incredible how we force someone else to do our parenting for us and how incredible stupid that there are parents who do not know where their kids are, let along with who, let alone doing what.

Sorry - I do realize that you said no offense to any adoptees out there. Nanwa - I am seriously offended!!!!! I don't even know where to start! No one has ever said anything so insensitive about being adopted before - not even in elementary school. LEARNED to love thier adopted parents????? Sounds like it's just slightly better than abortion in your opinion. I can't even say more - I'm pretty much speechless!

I think so much depends on what age the child was adopted.

Would not the same be true of the sexual behavior we're discussing? Or am I missing your point?

Where does the school get off stepping in a saying they know what is best for the medical well being of the students. This is up there with the national medical system c r a p. The schools are there to educate the students, to instill knowledge and give them some experience in intellectual matters. They are not there to force a certain set of values, to monitor the sexual activities of their students or to pass out controlled medicine to whoever wants it.

Where in our history did we decide nothing should have consequences? Why as anything that happens that isn't perfect considered bad and should be stopped at all costs. Where has learning from mistakes gone?

Government in all forms needs to stay the [censored] out of my home! And stop trying to make me live the life they think I should live.

BTW, all of this, "its for the children", is mind-numbing. There are 2 arguments that will make you lose any debate in my book; saying "its relative" and "its for the child/think of the children". Both of those arguments can be used in any situation, therefore they are irrelevant in debating.

OK first of all........for those of you that have sons, like myself, you are equally responsible for ensuring birth control is used. The responsibility does not and should not fall on the people that have daughters!!!

Secondly, lets be realistic. Kids will have sex when they want to...do you really think they are going to say "so mom...can I have sex?" Ideally, yes. Most of the time, no.

Kids will have sex when they want to and I think it is a good thing that they have the option of getting birth control if they need it. Would you rather have them use birth control behind your back or get pregnant behind your back?????

Oh, QB, I totally agree with you, but at least no one will be slipping him birth control pills behind my back (not yet anyway).

I prefer the option, but I still think it is the parent's responsibility.

Five King students, ages 14 and 15, reported having sexual intercourse last year, said Amanda Rowe, head nurse for Portland schools.

In the last four years, Portland's three middle schools reported 17 pregnancies, not counting miscarriages or terminated pregnancies that weren't reported to the school nurse, Rowe said.

The percentage of middle school students in Maine who reported having sexual intercourse dropped from 23 percent in 1997 to 13 percent in 2005, according to the Maine Youth Risk Behavior Survey.

Of 1,700 school-connected health centers in the United States, one in four provides birth control ranging from condoms to prescription contraception, according to the National Assembly on School-Based Health Care.

Contraception would be prescribed after a physical examination by a physician or nurse practitioner and would include follow-up care, Belanger said.

King is the only one of Portland's three middle schools with a health center, primarily because it has more students who get free or reduced-price lunch, Belanger said.

Some real key words there........

yeah, comp its like one of our schools in OHIO- the only thing that they are noted for is the pregnancies that have occured.

1992, When I was in HS a freshman at that..... over 15 girls were pregnant. The school decided to open a nursery so the girls had the option to stay in school. Very good decision in my book, that would've been 15 dropouts had the school not opened it. Just another testament to the school trying to deter dropouts!

Are you sure you want to be that absolute?

Do you live in Montana?

I was talking to a chick this past weekend who had a child when she was 15. She's from Miami, and they sent her to an alternative school which had a nursery & such. I know at that school, they taught a lot of technical stuff.. she got her CNA license & she's done really, really well for herself. She's 22 now with a 7 year old daughter that she has *always* taken care of. BUT.. she's on a different level than most women her age, and from what I understand, she was the same when she was younger. I know that program definately helped teenage moms get an education AND helped them care/learn to care for their children.

I'm sure lots of homosexuals think the same thing about the government's obsession with banning gay marriage.

Oh, and what about drugs? The government use a pretty heavy hand in telling us how to live our lives in that regard as well.

QB, I totally agree with your statement about the boys, I have raised 2 boys and both my husband and I talked to them and bought them condoms. We are now getting our 15yr old daughter through High School.And the three of us talk for hours about eveything. While it is different with boys than girls, I think the real key here is communication between parent and child. Although we think our daughter and two boys told us everything we know they left somethings out.
I personally do not want anyone giving my daughter birth control without mine or my husbands knowledge,(heavens, there would be funerals,jail time, you get the picture) And several might take offense to this next statement, but what the heck do you expect when they took prayer out of school. I know way back then, they had this issue too, but not like today.

I hope this will wake up some parents to get there head out of the clouds and really listen to what there children are trying to say. There does come a point and time when we as parents need to stop talking so much and really listen to what are children are saying or trying to say to us. And by all means getover this thought of "my child would never do that".

Just my opinion.....

Other things to think about...
Will the school know how the pills will interact with prograf (an immuno-supression drug). Will the school know what other meds the child is taking? Will the school be looking into the medical history of the child at all before giving them a pill to pop?

Why is it that the warnings always say, something to the effect of "youd should not take...birth control pill if you have ever had kidney, liver, or adrenal gland disease?" Will a medical history work up be done?

Sorry to freak. Sure my kid is only 4. But there is no way in heck that I want anyone at her school making a medical decision. Just looking at this from a different angle.

Communication is one of the key words for parents to do.
It is very important to listen to your kids and to talk to them about these issues.
Unfort. you have some parents who could care less about parenting their children, and some are like see no evil, hear no evil, don't get involved kind of parents.

Yes, a full physical exam will be done prior to prescribing the meds. Problem is, does an 11 year old know family history or perhaps even some of their own history?