Middle Schoolers Get the Pill

In "Teen Sex: Middle Schoolers get the Pill," one point of view is since girls are having sex at a younger age, they should have access to contraceptives. This view is supported in several ways. First, it is supported by stating that King Middle School is made up of lower class kids and immigrants. Since these kids are poor, the district is trying to make the same healthcare services, that higher class kids can afford, available. Also, the view is supported by saying that some of the girls are already sexually active and they just want to keep them as safe as possible.

Another view in this article is that giving contraceptives to young girls is not a big deal. This view is supported by stating that girls must "first travel a long--even arduous--road of counseling" before they are given the contraceptives. They are informed about the risks of underage sex and urged to talk with their parents. Also, they are told to notify the authorities if an older man victimizes them.

One counterargument in this article is that girls shouldn't be having sex at 11 years old in the first place. This is refuted by saying that girls are having sex anyway and it is not just happening in Portland but in other middle schools across the nation. Also, the article states that "there [has] been 17 pregnancies in Portland's middle schools in the last four years." This goes to show that girls are having sex anyways so why don't the schools try to do what they can to ensure the safety of the girls.

I feel that two very important perspectives were missing in this article. First, there was the perspective of the parents. Throughout the article not one parent gave their opinion about their kids receiving contraceptives at school. Sex is a very sesitive and serious issue to deal with alone, especially at a very young age. The parents should be involved in their child's life to help and guide them with whatever they're dealing with, even sex. Another perspective that was overlooked was the students. The students should have been asked how they felt about being able to receive contraceptives. Not all middle schoolers are sexually active so they should have some say about the matter.