Kids on the pill. What ever happened to making out with your pillows when you get lonely at the age of 12? It worked for me.

I consider myself a very liberal person, but this idea of passing out birth control to middle-schoolers strikes me as crazy and dangerous.

I was on birth control and got pregnant because I could not remember to take them daily. The pill is unforgiving. You have to take the blue pills everyday or don't bother at all.

12 year olds who can't remember to pick up their clothes off the floor are going to have to remember to take the pill. Give me a break! It is just introducing hormones into their bodies that don't need to be there at such a young age. And whether you want to or not you are condoning have sex at that age.

So kids now have to go to the nurse’s office to get their daily dose of Ritalin, Prozac and birth control pills. That is only way to guarantee that they will take it.

A little suggestion to that school passing out the pills. While there at it, how about they show the kids the proper way of sucking on a dick. It might be more beneficial. You know what they say. No 12 year old wants to suck at sucking dick on their first try. Let's not traumatize the kids with possible ridicule and just show them the right way and wrong way of dick inhaling. Bring in some porn stars and let them demonstrate the proper way to have intercourse too. What one more thing. The more tools in their arsenal the better.

Seriously, when you start giving pills to 12 year old because a hey are having sex, what are you going to do with 10 year olds when you realize they might be interested in it to. There has got to be a limit to this madness.

It would have been more economical and productive to just buy a whole lot of vibrators and pass them around. The girls get what they need (God help us all) and they don't run the change of pregnancy.

And why doesn't anybody ask the simplest of question. Who the frack are 12 year old girls having sex with? I am sure that it is not another 12 years old. Can a 12 year old actually keep it up long enough to ejaculate? Are they passing out condoms to the boys?

I can already see the pedophile out there using this as an excuse to have sex with kids. Crazy people don't need much help to do crazy things but you don't have to help them along.

"Come on honey you can have sex with me. You're on the pill, remember"

Is going to take off like a rocket as the catch phrase among crazies and young horny boys.

I have daughters and it scares me that some school is going to start giving them birth control in elementary school. Your kids graduates from Kindergarten and they are thrown into the world of adulthood. That is beyond my level of comprehension. Government would rather pass out pills than give kids access to art, music program.

Don't give kids adult responsibilities. They don't need the pressure.

And to the people who say that abstinence doesn't work. I say you are right when it comes to 16 year-olds. But do you really want anybody condoning your 10 year old having sex? Is being 10 that long ago for you that you can't remember what really mattered at that age? Let's not start putting ideas in our children's head.

Oh, don't you see, coolrepublica--you're being reactionary! Where's your compassion? You probably want Taliban-like control! Why can't you discuss this "rationally," like a "mature" "adult?"

Of course you're absolutely right. This is insane. I actually don't see it getting too far, but I am amazed people actually think it's a good idea. "Here darling, it breaks my heart that you're having sex, but since you are, here's my blessing--er, signature on the waiver for your pills. Remember to take your hormones every day. Keep on keeping on!"

According to the main thread about this subject, the girls were being offered depo prevera, which is an injection and doesn't require daily administration of oral contraceptives.

Middle school - from what I can tell - isn't elementary. Being paranoid about pedophiles isn't helping your daughters, and it scares me that people like you prefer to be ignorant and judgmental and raise your kids to be the same.

I would rather informed access be there for anyone who chooses to have sex than the results of the "faith-based" abstinence only sex-ed initiative where the incidents of oral gonorrhea, other STD's and pregnancy are actually rising in all those good purity pledging xtian teen population.

I am not necessarily advocating the use of "the pill" but all the alternatives as well. Legislating and predicting human morality is obviously a failure regradless of background and parental involvement. Why not shoot wide?

Jade,

Today middle schools tomorrow elementary schools. My daughters are barely 2 years old. By the time they reach the age to go to elementary, I am sure they will be giving them to elementary schools kids too.

And Jade there is a reason most women choose to take their chance with the pill, eventhough it is difficult to remember, instead of depro vera. Depro vera sucks. Too many side effects. Side effects that kids don't need to be dealing with. I think the drug companies have got to stop testing drugs on kids when they were meant for adults.

And Jade, I am a lot of things but ignorant is not one of them.

I know that people will call people ignorant when they don't agree with them. Even pedophiles thinks that parents that don't let their kids have sex with adults are ignorant of the "pleasure" the kids get from it

On Howard stern there was a guy from NAMBLA that came on the show and they were drilling him and guess what, he called Howard "Ignorant" for not understanding his view about why young boys should be allowed to suck his dick.

So thank you Jade for you comment. You are more than welcome to teach your daughters to suck dick and give them depro vera and send them out into the world ready to be fucked by everything with a penis attached to it. But I surely hope that the rest of us have raised our kids, boys or girls, with enough common sense that we don't have to worry about them.

"I think the drug companies have got to stop testing drugs on kids when they were meant for adults. "

Why not work on alternatives that are formulated for the maturing body and hormonal fluctuation of the developing body instead of the usual lower does based on age methodology?

Why presume that just because they are "children" they won't have sex at all? Esepcially when you consider that their matureing bodies certainly aren't legislating their good sense?

And what is with your rather mysoginistic view of a woman's role in sex? Especially if you have two daughters? Teach them to be sexually RESPONSIBLE for the choice to have sex in the first place and all the alternatives available.

jade:

Middle school - from what I can tell - isn't elementary. Being paranoid about pedophiles isn't helping your daughters, and it scares me that people like you prefer to be ignorant and judgmental and raise your kids to be the same.

It scares me more that you so easily mistake "having good judgement" for "being judgemental." But you can call it judgemental if it eases your lack of having good judgement. When it comes to having sex as a middle schooler, I sure hope my kids as horribly "judgemental." So here's my judgement: 11 year olds having sex = bad. "Bad" as in "societal taboo." Bad as in "shame." Bad as in "not good for society." You are free to enjoy the "nuances" of 11 year old sex and the chemical band aids that are supposed to prevent everyone from the horror of being judgemental. But keep it between you and your kids and out of my school.

11 year olds in middle school are mixing with peers who are older. I would rather the information and services be available to the whole range of the sexually maturing child/pre-teen-teen population than them relying on their older peers for information when their parents fail. I would rather that none of them die from STD's, pregnancy or a back street abortion than worry about what information and products to prevent such things being available to them. Or do you prefer death for said children?

"Kids on the pill. What ever happened to making out with your pillows when you get lonely at the age of 12? It worked for me. "

Umm....you may have been making out with yoru pillow but 12 year olds have always had sex. Pregnancy rates for 12-14 year olds have FALLEN for the past 20 years so it happened in the good old days too.

"I was on birth control and got pregnant because I could not remember to take them daily. The pill is unforgiving. You have to take the blue pills everyday or don't bother at all. "

This is true but fooish as well. If the kid remembers half the time they are half as likely to get pregnant. Isn't that a good thing?

"It is just introducing hormones into their bodies that don't need to be there at such a young age. And whether you want to or not you are condoning have sex at that age. "

First of all, they are already going through puberty so they are not "introducing hormones..." because they are already there. Second, study after study has shown that the availability of birth control does not encourage more sex. Period. If you can't accept facts then you should not be in this debate.

"So kids now have to go to the nurse’s office to get their daily dose of Ritalin, Prozac and birth control pills. That is only way to guarantee that they will take it. "

Not a bad idea. I would prefer to see them get Norplant or some other longer lasting form of bc.

I skipped an entire section of your post because it was devoid of any useful comments.

"It would have been more economical and productive to just buy a whole lot of vibrators and pass them around. The girls get what they need (God help us all) and they don't run the change of pregnancy. "

I seem to remember Jocelyn Elders suggesting that masterbation was a safe way for kids to satisfy their raging hormones without getting a disease or getting anyone pregnant but the Republican's burst a gasket in their outrage and got her fired.

"And why doesn't anybody ask the simplest of question. Who the frack are 12 year old girls having sex with? I am sure that it is not another 12 years old. Can a 12 year old actually keep it up long enough to ejaculate? Are they passing out condoms to the boys? "

They should pass out condoms and yes, very often it IS 12 year old boys. Did you develop late? Is that why you were making out with your pillow?

"I can already see the pedophile out there using this as an excuse to have sex with kids. Crazy people don't need much help to do crazy things but you don't have to help them along."

Ok, now you are showing yourself to be sick as well as ignorant.

"I have daughters and it scares me that some school is going to start giving them birth control in elementary school. Your kids graduates from Kindergarten and they are thrown into the world of adulthood. That is beyond my level of comprehension. Government would rather pass out pills than give kids access to art, music program. "

The school has to do something because you and other parents are not doing anything. You don't know what your kid is doing and wont' communicate with them to help them deal with such situations.

"Don't give kids adult responsibilities. They don't need the pressure. "

No one is giving them anything. They are making their own decisions and we are left to catch up because of poor parenting.

"And to the people who say that abstinence doesn't work. I say you are right when it comes to 16 year-olds. But do you really want anybody condoning your 10 year old having sex? Is being 10 that long ago for you that you can't remember what really mattered at that age? Let's not start putting ideas in our children's head."

Your naivete is both sad and frightening. This is the common argument of clueless parents afraid of talking about sex with their children. Get it through your head, they already know about sex at age 10. The problem is that alot of what they know is wrong because it didn't come from their parents. It came from the playground and that is dangerous.

Oh, and abstinence DOES NOT WORK. Again, this is a proven fact in study after study. When science contradicts what you WANT to be true then most rational people accept that and deal with reality. You seem to prefer to ignore science.

Heleva:

And what is with your rather mysoginistic view of a woman's role in sex? Especially if you have two daughters? Teach them to be sexually RESPONSIBLE for the choice to have sex in the first place and all the alternatives available.

Who are you people? Really, who are you? These are kids we are talking about. Kids as in children. There is a lot of things kids want to do but as parents and adults our job is to stop them from doing it. My daughter would love nothing better than to eat ice cream all day the long. She thinks snack is a food group. Just because she WANTS to do it doesn't mean I have to tolerate it. I am not just going to put the candy out and tell her not to eat it, but "just in case" she gets the urge to please feel free to take a lick.

Why are parents so fracking afraid to parent? Yes kids are curious about sex. As I stated in my first post, I used to have make out session with my pillows, but I also knew that having real intercouse was out of the question.

Nobody wants to see children have babies, but we don't just raise our hand and give up in trying to teach them why it is in their best interest not to have intercouse with anyone at that age. Allowing them to take contraceptive is as good as telling them to just go ahead and have sex. There is no "just in case" scenario. You are fooling yourself if you think that.

These are 11 and 12 year-olds we are talking about. This is not Africa or the 17th century. Women don't have to have sex at an early age so they can procreate before they die at the age of 20. This is America. If you want to help kids not get pregnant, keep them busy with things they care about. Tell a kid they have the choice to fill their time by either acting in plays, learning fun games, doing interesting things or they could be on their back getting fracked and giving blowjobs. My money is they would rather play.

Why is it so hard for people to keep kids interested in kids stuff? Why is it so much easier for us to just say "Well they are going to have sex anyway, we'd better make sure they don't get pregnant doing it."

I hope that this is not a liberal issue but a crazy person issue. I have been a proud to be a liberal person all my life, but I draw the line in the sand right there. I would hate to never have to contemplate becoming a conservative, but if there is an issue that is go down the conservative route, this would be it. I hope for the love of God that a lot of people who consider themselves liberal feel the same way.

"Why is it so hard for people to keep kids interested in kids stuff? Why is it so much easier for us to just say "Well they are going to have sex anyway, we'd better make sure they don't get pregnant doing it."

Because kids don't WANT to keep interested in kids stuff. There is nothing more attractive to a kid than doing what the older kids are doing. The fact that they often are not ready for it doesn't mean they won't try anyways. You strike me as the kind of parent who is so intent on not recognizing that your child is growing up that you don't talk to her about adult issues until it is too late. By the time you recognize that she is a sexual being she will have been a sexual being for a few years. Get ahead of the curve or face the consequences.

You can call it "death" because it dramatizes your case, but really what you mean is "consequences." Yes, unfortunateIy I do prefer consequences. Now, if a 12 year old has to go through an abortion, of course I hope her parents are part of that choice. Of course I hope that 12 year old, if she is foolish enough to have sex, and gets pregnant, is given some compassion. I understand people make mistakes, and that even the best parents have kids who mess up.

What she should not get is a "go ahead and do it if you're gonna do it," specifically not from a school, a public institution. If a parent doesn't know enough to find a way to lock their middle schooler (middle school, people!) in their rooms when they know they're out having sex, that beleagured parent can darn well figure a way to provide the birth control themselves, and/or ferry their kid to the abortion clinic. Rather than say "Do what you're gonna do, here's my signature, go get your b.c. from school."

We think we can "engineer" these problems into a manageable corner, but instead what we're doing is accepting defeat on another front. Before you write me off as some moral scold: I don't have a big problem with high schools handing out condoms. I'm not crazy about the message it sends, either, but on balance and given that stage in development, it makes lesser-of-two-evils sense to me, as this issue does to you.

But there is a line here I really, really don't think we should cross.

TJA:

"Kids on the pill. What ever happened to making out with your pillows when you get lonely at the age of 12? It worked for me. "

Umm....you may have been making out with yoru pillow but 12 year olds have always had sex. Pregnancy rates for 12-14 year olds have FALLEN for the past 20 years so it happened in the good old days too.

TJA, I was a late bloomer. I was a child. I was 12 years old. I wasn't supposed to be having sex.

No wonder kids in this country feel the pressure to suck dick at younger and youger age. People like TJA are out there calling them late bloomers because they are not getting fracked at age 11 and 12. We all know peer pressure works.

This is insane. What we need to do is start treating children like children. They are not adults they are kids. Unlike Mr. Slatetan, I think that just because a 12 year old looks like a woman, doesn't make her one.

I can't say this enough, they are kids. Oviously people who are looking for reasons to have sex with kids or to let kids have sex with each other doesn't care about their age. They will come up with 12 billion reason to give you to justify children having sex.

I was watching an epidode of POV on PBS it may have been another show, but in that show they were talking about kids in Africa and India that were pushed to marry by their parents. 11, 12 year olds trown into adulthood by parents who thought that the age of 12 was a big enough age for them to be taking care of a husband. These kids did not want anything more than to just be kids. To be left alone to play in the dirt and play with their toys, but no some adult somewhere thought that they were ready for sex.

And here in America a country with great opportunities ,and we are pushing our kids into sex by labeling names such as "late bloomers" because they don't want to have sex or not having sex when they should be playing tag. No kids wants to be the one that is not doing what the other kids are doing. So to fit in, they start having sex not because they want to but because they don't want to be made fun of by people like TJA.

How sad. How sad indeed.

TJA:

Oh, and abstinence DOES NOT WORK. Again, this is a proven fact in study after study. When science contradicts what you WANT to be true then most rational people accept that and deal with reality. You seem to prefer to ignore science.

Science has proven that abstinence doesn't work? Really? When girls are not having sex at all they are still getting pregnant and contracting STD's?

Of course I get what you were trying to say, that studies have shown that when only abstinence is taught kids defy the teachings. But I still don't think we should stop teaching it altogether, because no one can argue it is the safest way to avoid every sexually connected disease and problem.

I agree with those who have pointed out that parents need to offer their children better information about sex. Perhaps we should push that and offer education to parents instead of offering them a waiver that they can sign and then shrug off all responsibility. Because many girls are also not prepared for the emotional impact that becoming sexually active will have on them. And those who say that having such readily available birth control will not put more pressure on those girls to have sex have, well, never been a teenage girl.

When I was a teen age girl (lo, not that many years ago) it wasn't the birth control pressuring me to have sex, it was my peers and the messages I got from mass media.

And in all my sex education, from grade 6 through to graduation and into college, there was never a discussion of condoms or other forms of safer sex that didn't begin or end with "..Of course, this is safer, not safe. The only way to be completely protected is simply to not have sex."

And I got that message. I also knew myself well enough to grasp that I was the type of person who decidedly wanted to (eventually) be sexually active, and not abstinent for the rest of my life.