PORTLAND, Maine - The head of Maine's Roman Catholic diocese is expressing shock at the Portland School Committee's decision to make prescription contraceptives available to middle school students without parental permission.

Bishop Richard J. Malone said the decision will inevitably lead to more sexual experimentation among younger children. It also sends a message that the government should replace parents in certain parts of a child's life, even without the parents' knowledge, he said.

"I join the number of parents who have expressed their outrage and disbelief at the decision which affects young girls aged 11 to 14 years old," Malone said. "When contradictory messages are given to children from important authority figures such as parents and school officials, it can create more confusion and difficulty for children themselves in making this important life decision."

The Portland School Committee this week voted 7 to 2 to allow King Middle School to become the first middle school in Maine to make a full range of contraception available, including birth control pills and patches.

No figures are available on how many middle schools provide such services nationally, but the practice is very rare, according to the National Assembly on School-Based Health Care.

King Middle School students need parental permission to access the school's health center, but treatment is confidential by law, which allows the students to decide whether to inform their parents about services they receive.

School officials have defended the program, saying it can prevent unwanted pregnancies. Birth control will be given out only after extensive counseling, and no prepubescent children will get it.

Portland's three middle schools have had seven pregnancies in the last five years, officials said.

But the policy has also come under criticism. Malone urged parents to make their opposition known to the School Committee, hoping the decision is reversed.

"Everything about the decision gives kids the wrong message," Malone said.

Meanwhile, Michael Heath, executive director of the Christian Civic League of Maine said yesterday by phone that the league will ask the state attorney general's office to review the matter for possible criminal activity.


Article from http://www.boston.com

It's not the fact that the schools are being pro-active and going to hand it out. It's the fact they aren't going to tell the parents they are doing so. Who the hell do they think they are issuing drugs to children without there parents consent?

It's bad enough they are giving young kids the message that you can have sex just make sure you take this so you don't have babies.

Since I live right next door to Maine in NH this actually kinda shocked me when I read this this morning. Ah I love it when state/government butt into my parenting decisions

The parents should be shocked. The last time I looked the School Board is responsible to the parents not the other way around. Wake up Maine

As I have posted elsewhere on this site, our young people don't use safe sex practices. Adolescents experiment with sex whether we like it or not. It is what they do in our homes when we are away at work. What I think is happening in Maine is the schools figure by making condoms available those adolescents having sex will then practice safe sex. They are doing what parents should be doing, but in some cases, possibly many cases, are not doing.

I can see your point of view OldGuy... yup here it is BUT.... they are over stepping there bounds when coming into the decisions that I need to do with my children. Yes there may be some parents out there that just don't care what there kids do but there are some that do care. And this goes with the same thing of letting kids have an abortion without parents consent.

Hey if a agency wants to run my kids life then by god they need to take FULL responsibility for all of there actions and the parents are in no way shape or form responsible for anything that they do. Schools and government need to stay out of peoples personal lives.