The debate over schools providing contraceptives to students has been around for some time, but the age at which it's happening is on a downswing.
You may have heard the recent news of a Portland, Maine, middle school given the OK by its school board to offer both birth control and patches to students at its health center.
The students range in age from 11-13, and the vote was 7-2 in favor of the measure. Students getting treatment must first get written parental permission, though state law says such treatment is confidential. Opponents cited religious and health objections, supporters believe it's unrealistic to lay the responsibility solely on parents.
This school's example is definitely cause for some serious reexamination of what it means to be a maturing youngster in America. My sympathies go out mostly to the girls, because they ultimately pay a bigger price for a bad decision of this kind. Girls are considered the group less likely to shoot up their school.
They're not a huge liability until they're in trouble, but even then, it's not like they “knock” themselves up.
Adults would like to believe their middle schoolers don't ever contemplate, let alone go out and explore themselves sexually. We have to wake up and realize this isn't the Age of Innocence. Yet people still cling to the belief that our youth aren't curious, or even capable of courting affairs considered too mature for their age.
My reaction to hearing about this school's decision: Bravo.
I really frown on those who were quick to conclude the board's decision to offer contraceptives invites promiscuity among students. Folks, have you looked around lately?
Temptation is everywhere given our culture's obsession with youth and sexuality, and a media that peddles incessantly to those areas. I've a hard time understanding why some adults still maintain this neo-Victorian attitude towards teens and sex, treating it as taboo. All that invites is more curiosity.
Back to the deal of contraceptives, knowing the age of physical maturation in girls has been on a swift decline in recent decades, I see no foolproof way—outside of abstinence (which, let's face it, not everyone is capable of maintaining)—to effectively address this issue.
This brings me back to speaking from the girls' perspective on this issue, because I've been there—“there” meaning into it, between, through, above, and back again.
Too many young girls in early elementary school are going through awkward physical changes and developments when they're too young to even begin to understand the emotional symptoms that come with the onset of adolescence. Breast development and menarche usually happened at age 13-16 in the 1900s. Today, girls are more likely to start sprouting (literally) at age 9-12.
Physical and environmental factors top most experts' lists as far as explanations to early maturation in girls. Some researchers say it's the widespread exposure to pesticides and other chemicals whose qualities mimic the female hormone, estrogen.
Others suggest the culprit is the rise in childhood obesity.
More research has found early physical development increases susceptibility to certain emotional and social problems in girls. They're more likely to suffer from depression, moodiness, social anxiety disorders, experience problems in school, drink, smoke and use drugs.
At this age, environment is crucial above all other things for girls. As they tend to process their feelings inward rather than act out, the thing girls fear the most is knowledge they're a disappointment to their parents, even though they come off as headstrong sometimes. Girls need discipline, but not disciplinarians.
They need support, but not enabling. Patience, but not ignorance. And above all else, honesty that there will come a time when they can't be young anymore, and what they'll need to do to ready themselves.
This may mean broaching the taboo subjects a bit earlier than we feel comfortable, but I'd choose sitting through many an awkward silence rather than see kids having kids.
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