Family Planning Association of Maine :

October 25, 2007

MAINE VOICES

School Committee right on birth control

There's a long record of success from similar efforts in Maine compared to the rest of the country.

By Sherry F. Huber

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sherry F. Huber served as a Republican representative from
Falmouth in the Maine House from 1976-1982.

Thirty-four years ago, shortly before I was elected to the
Maine House of Representatives as a Republican, the state
Legislature passed the bill that made it possible for teenagers to access birth control without parental consent.

I recall that opposition to the bill from parents was as strong then as it is today in the face of the Portland School Committee's decision authorizing King Middle School's health center to dispense birth control to students in need -- students who are sexually active.

Thirty-four years ago, Maine had one of the highest teen
pregnancy rates in the country.

It meant that for thousands of Maine girls, they would not
complete high school, go to college, or fulfill their career
dreams.

Instead, it meant that 80 percent of them were going to enter the ranks of poverty and have children who were significantly less likely to do well in school and more likely to become teen parents themselves -- thus continuing the cycle.

LOWEST IN THE NATION

Today, after more than 30 years of teen-friendly access to
family planning, comprehensive sexuality education, and better birth control methods, Maine now has the fourth lowest teen pregnancy rate for girls under the age of 18 and the lowest rate for girls under the age of 14 in the nation.

And while Maine girls are no more sexually active than girls in other states, they continue to have the highest rate of oral contraceptive use -- clearly making a healthy decision to avoid pregnancy.

Based on published reports of the School Committee's
deliberations, the health center staff at King Middle School
believes that expanding their reproductive health care services is in the best interests of their students -- and for good reason.

Teen pregnancy is a problem we have not solved -- 16 percent of middle school students report having sexual intercourse, according to Maine's 2005 Youth Risk Behavior Survey.

Yes, those of us who are parents would like to believe that our children would talk to us before becoming sexually active or visiting a school health center for birth control.

The good news is that three in five students do talk to their
parents about their sexual health and birth control -- typically because teenagers told them or their parents suggested it.

But among those whose parents were unaware, 70 percent would stop coming to a clinic, and a quarter would continue to have sex but would either rely on withdrawal or not use any contraception. Only 1 percent of all teens would stop having sex.

It just doesn't make good public policy to force young people to talk to their parents.

Mandating parental involvement for contraception could also backfire, driving young people to have unprotected sex and putting their health and lives at increased risk.

That brings us back to the School Committee's majority decision allowing the student health center to expand their
services—student's wellbeing and health may be at risk.

Making family planning services available to teenagers is not the complete solution.

Providing students with medically accurate, age-appropriate instruction on both how to delay first sex and, for those teens who are sexually experienced, how to consistently, correctly use contraception.

A CENTRAL FEATURE

Comprehensive sexuality education is a vital component in this equation. The data are clear: When young people are provided full information, they make healthier decisions.

Case in point: Maine's abstinence rate among teens has
significantly increased over the past decade.

During the past week, parents and politicians have ridden an emotional wave that has swamped the needs of young people trying to navigate a world of difficult choices.

The Portland School Committee did the right thing for the right reasons and each of the seven members who voted in support of this rational proposal has earned my respect and admiration.

For those who seek to overturn this decision, I say the
consequences of being wrong are too great to ignore.

— Special to the Press Herald