Minimum Student Age for Condoms Without Parental Consent?

[KAK]

Provincetown schools to clarify condom policy
June 30, 2010

PROVINCETOWN, Mass.—The superintendent of Provincetown schools is apologizing to parents for what she calls a misunderstanding of the district's condom availability policy.

Superintendent Beth Singer said in the e-mailed letter Tuesday that the district will revise the written policy, adopted June 8, to make it clearer that elementary school-aged students won't be able to obtain a condom if they request one from the school nurse.

The Cape Cod Times reports that she wrote it became necessary to revise the policy's wording after it was "so badly understood and misrepresented by the media."

The policy, set to take effect in the fall, appeared to set no minimum age for students to receive condoms without parental consent. The policy drew criticism from conservative groups as well as Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick

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Is parental consent necessary? At what age can a child get a free condom at school, without parental consent?

[KevinCarlson]

Can't they already get an abortion without parental consent? What's the best minimum age for that?

[Jack of Hearts]

Schools are primarily to educate students; and to protect them is a no-brainer. If kids are smart enough to protect themselves by asking for a condom, I say give it to them.

Abortion, (being you brought it up), is IMO a totally different matter.
The social stigma that a person may face, and it's significance, is alone, reason that an abortion should not be decided by the child, (O.K., adolescent), herself. Unless there is extremely extenuating circumstances, fully understanding the reason of why the pregnancy started, and all the ramifications of ending it, including other options, is to made known to the girl, and all her parents. I also feel that any medical professional, whose care she may be under, should at least be notified.

I'm not some know-it-all who can set the parameters of just what all that entails, nor even who is to be "in-the-loop", so to speak - "circumstances alter cases". But I do know that an hour's briefing, followed by an immediate decision, falls woefully short of allowing the vast majority of younger girls to completely understand the full weight of any decision.

[Dghs48]

I agree with Jack on abortion policy. Minimum age for condoms? Let's say 18.

[KevinCarlson]

I agree with Jack on abortion policy. Minimum age for condoms? Let's say 18.

I'm pretty sure they're starting younger than that nowadays - and at 18, they can get a job and buy their own...

[KAK]

Can't they already get an abortion without parental consent? What's the best minimum age for that?

The issue is getting a condom in a public school from a nurse. Obviously, the child will not be obtaining an abortion from the nurse at the public school.

[KevinCarlson]

The issue involves the broader issue of parental knowledge of their child's activities. It also seems bizarre to me that the "prevention" may be harder to obtain than the "cure".