[Bryan]

Texas has restrictive birth control policy for minors | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News | Latest News

I find it ridiculous that teens need parental consent to get prescription birth control and that we still keep teaching abstinence only sex ed. It's a great idea, but let's be real folks. Teens are going to have sex. I'd much rather teach them methods of birth control along side abstinence; educating teens and helping them to truly understand the possible outcomes of being sexually active.

Oh sure, parents should be doing this. But I don't think we should wait around for parents to live up to their role and teach their kids. There are a lot of kids that never get "the talk" form their parents. So it should be taught in schools. Schools should leave it all out on the table and be totally honest about sex and safe sex practices and abstinence.

However, this still would not remove a parent's responsibility to do this themselves.

My concern with clinics and doctors requiring parental consent or notification is that parents will say no, the teen will have sex anyway, become pregnant, and then be faced with three difficult options (teen mother, adoption, abortion).

[scarlet.starlet]

Originally Posted by Bryan

Texas has restrictive birth control policy for minors | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News | Latest News

I find it ridiculous that teens need parental consent to get prescription birth control and that we still keep teaching abstinence only sex ed. It's a great idea, but let's be real folks. Teens are going to have sex.

(applauds) thank you. I completely agree.

Being an idealist is wonderful and all, but if your views are not contributing to a better reality, you need to do something different.

[OiBoyz]

Originally Posted by scarlet.starlet

but if your views are not contributing to a better reality, you need to do something different.

Does a better reality include sexually transmitted diseases? Because, you know... prescription birth control does nothing to address that. And that's without getting into the whole morality issue. Which I would hope would be more than just a passing concern on a forum such as ours.

[Bryan]

Government is not here to legislate morality. And yes, STDs are a problem as well, but we don't need to make it worse by having children born with HIV that could have been prevented by have a practical approach to rules regarding birth control.

[Epaphras]

I disagree; the schools are not (and should not) be the parents. Minors cannot get any other prescription without parental consent, BC should be no different. Condoms is one thing, but prescription medications is entirely different if you ask me. Next thing you know they'll be prescribing anti-depressants without parental consent.

My concern with clinics and doctors requiring parental consent or notification is that parents will say no, the teen will have sex anyway, become pregnant, and then be faced with three difficult options (teen mother, adoption, abortion).

That's life. You make choices and live with the decisions. You can't honestly tell me that teens don't understand the connection between having sex and getting pregnant, can you? If you treat them like animals, they will act like animals. If we treat them like adults (which means making decisions and living with the consequences), they will make forward-thinking, adult choices, or live with the consequences.

Adoption is always an option. I find it interesting that the waiting list for adoptive parents is just as long as the estimated number of abortions in this country every year.

[Bryan]

Originally Posted by Epaphras

I disagree; the schools are not (and should not) be the parents.

you're right, they aren't parents, and never can be. But what about those teens who have bad parents who don't care, or parents who are so busy working just to provide food and a roof don't have time for those discussions? Should we just tell those teens, "sucks to be you. We could tell you about safe sex practices and birth control, but that's your parents' job and we're not your parents. Have a nice life!)

Minors cannot get any other prescription without parental consent, BC should be no different.

Well in Texas there is no law against it, just some clinics require it and some don't.

Condoms is one thing, but prescription medications is entirely different if you ask me. Next thing you know they'll be prescribing anti-depressants without parental consent.
That's life. You make choices and live with the decisions.

by that logic we shouldn't be passing out condoms.

You can't honestly tell me that teens don't understand the connection between having sex and getting pregnant, can you? If you treat them like animals, they will act like animals. If we treat them like adults (which means making decisions and living with the consequences), they will make forward-thinking, adult choices, or live with the consequences.

so you want us to treat them like adults, except when it comes to prescribing BC? There we have to treat them like children. And no, I don't think most 12 year olds really understand the possible consequences of having sex.

Adoption is always an option. I find it interesting that the waiting list for adoptive parents is just as long as the estimated number of abortions in this country every year.

I don't think I said it wasn't in option, in fact I specifically said it was. But I'm sure that many mothers who get pregnant when they don't want to and choose adoption have a very hard time letting the baby go and it is a very emotional time for them.

To be honest, your attitude seems more like "we should punish them for having sex".

[Epaphras]

Originally Posted by Bryan

by that logic we shouldn't be passing out condoms.

When I was in school (not that long ago -- HS was 2001-2005), the same logic used to justify passing out condoms, is being used to distribute birth control pills. Obviously the condoms did not work, because the need for BC is apparent. So is the solution another form of BC (one that doesn't protect against AIDS or STDs, by the way), or going back and re-thinking the philosophy behind distributing birth control in schools?

[tlj009]

Why should there be a class to teach about birth control? Is it really that complicated of an issue? I would think that a simple pamphlet should give a person all of the relevant information. As for prescription birth control, you are altering the chemistry of the child. They should be restricted.

[Bryan]

Originally Posted by tlj009

Why should there be a class to teach about birth control? Is it really that complicated of an issue? I would think that a simple pamphlet should give a person all of the relevant information. As for prescription birth control, you are altering the chemistry of the child. They should be restricted.

who said anything about a class? Not everything taught in school has to have its own class. Though it makes sense that it be part of Health class.

Of course they should be restricted, that's why it requires a licensed DOCTOR to prescribe it.

[tlj009]

who said anything about a class? Not everything taught in school has to have its own class. Though it makes sense that it be part of Health class.

Then it would likely be a very short conversation. I had Health as a junior. At that age, I knew pretty much what any class could teach me. If I didn't know, I could ask pretty much anyone else at my school. Point being, I simply don't see ignorance being that big of a problem.

Of course they should be restricted, that's why it requires a licensed DOCTOR to prescribe it.

So all doctor's agree on the dangers of birth control? Or do the doctor's simply present the dangers and the child is responsible for making the decision? Just who is responsible for making decisions regarding the child? Is it the child or the doctor? The child can't legally make her own decision regarding alcohol, so I assume that the decision would fall to the doctor. The doctor can present facts regarding the child's body but likely misses many environmental, emotional, real life factors since they are basically strangers.

A woman (not child but woman) walked into a pharmacy to refill her birth control pills here in Louisiana. The pharmacist tells her that it has only been a week since the last time she had it filled. It turns out that the woman thought that she was suppose to take them every time she had sex. Don't you think that the doctor should have made it clear to this woman before prescribing the pills?

So do we really want a stranger making decisions that affect our children or do we want those responsible for the children to make those decisions?

[Kentl]

[QUOTE=tlj009;3463107]Then it would likely be a very short conversation. I had Health as a junior. At that age, I knew pretty much what any class could teach me. If I didn't know, I could ask pretty much anyone else at my school. Point being, I simply don't see ignorance being that big of a problem.


QUOTE]

trust me he is right i was in 6 th grade and i knew more then any one thought
we know more then they give us credit for
a lot of adults act like the girl did not know yet trust me the odds of a teen not knowing about what can happing are low

we know all about sex class before we even get near it
form

older friends
older family members
friends who know
tv
movies
internet
and unfortunately
first hand experience a lot of times
we see a friend who ends up getting pregnant and has to leave the list goes on and on

it is not teens\young adults (13-23) don’t know the price that is paid it is that they don’t care

every instinct in the body says to go for it
and even humans are animals who will obey their instincts
i am not saying it is imposable not to have sex as a teen I am saying it is hard not to

[Bryan]

Originally Posted by tlj009

So all doctor's agree on the dangers of birth control? Or do the doctor's simply present the dangers and the child is responsible for making the decision? Just who is responsible for making decisions regarding the child? Is it the child or the doctor? The child can't legally make her own decision regarding alcohol, so I assume that the decision would fall to the doctor. The doctor can present facts regarding the child's body but likely misses many environmental, emotional, real life factors since they are basically strangers.

A woman (not child but woman) walked into a pharmacy to refill her birth control pills here in Louisiana. The pharmacist tells her that it has only been a week since the last time she had it filled. It turns out that the woman thought that she was suppose to take them every time she had sex. Don't you think that the doctor should have made it clear to this woman before prescribing the pills?

actually, that's the pharmacists job.

So do we really want a stranger making decisions that affect our children or do we want those responsible for the children to make those decisions?

you're assuming that there is someone who is responsible. I'm mainly concerned about teens and pre-teens with parents who either don't care or don't have time to care. (I said this earlier, but you must have missed that.)

Originally Posted by tlj009

Then it would likely be a very short conversation. I had Health as a junior. At that age, I knew pretty much what any class could teach me. If I didn't know, I could ask pretty much anyone else at my school. Point being, I simply don't see ignorance being that big of a problem.

I guess parents don't need to have "the talk" with their kids then.

[tlj009]

actually, that's the pharmacists job.

Then the pharmacist failed. Either way, the point is the same.

you're assuming that there is someone who is responsible. I'm mainly concerned about teens and pre-teens with parents who either don't care or don't have time to care. (I said this earlier, but you must have missed that.)

And I find that to be an entirely separate problem. As you pointed out, the government can't take on the parent's responsibility. My question is why should they try. Why not focus on the problem (which is the parents) rather than the symptom? Addressing the problem with the parents is the only way to address the growing problem with the children.

[scarlet.starlet]

The birth control pill is a drug, it does chemically alter you, and you should certainly see a doctor and obtain a prescription before getting it. Barrier methods are an entirely different matter; as OiBoyz pointed out, STD's are not prevented by birth control. Why deny anyone access to something that's easy to use and can save both their lives and the lives of others?

[Bryan]

Originally Posted by tlj009

Then the pharmacist failed. Either way, the point is the same.


And I find that to be an entirely separate problem. As you pointed out, the government can't take on the parent's responsibility. My question is why should they try. Why not focus on the problem (which is the parents) rather than the symptom? Addressing the problem with the parents is the only way to address the growing problem with the children.

I say do both. That's the practical solution to both the symptom and the problem.