Distribution of Condoms in Public High Schools

Distribution of Condoms in Public High Schools

Coinciding with the onslaught of the new millennium, schools are beginning to realize that the parents are not doing their job when it comes to sexual education. The school system already has classes on sexual education; these classes are based mainly on human anatomy. Most schools do not teach their students about relationships, morals, respect, self-discipline, self-respect, and most importantly contraceptives. Everyday students engage in sexual activity, many of them with out condoms. This simple act jeopardizes these students' futures and possibly their lives. An increasing amount of school systems are starting to combine messages involving abstinence from sexual activity, and expanding availability of contraceptives, especially condoms. Schools are now stepping in to further equip their students for life. The distribution of condoms in public high schools will lower the rate of pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases among teenagers.

About one million teenagers become pregnant each year in the United States. There are more than 16,000 pregnancies in the State of Maryland alone. Ninety five percent of these pregnancies are unintended, and nearly one third of them will end in abortion or miscarriage. Miscarriages are caused by of lack of medical attention. According to a report by the general Accounting Office, teen mothers and their children cost the United States 34 billion dollars a year (J.A.N., page 1)

Eighty percent of teen mothers end up in poverty for long periods of time due to the fact that they never finished high school. They become financially dependent on programs such as Welfare and WIC (Women, Infants, and Children). Welfare provides money and food stamps for low-income families. WIC provides milk, cheese, eggs, cereals, fruit juices, dried beans or peas, peanut butter and infant formula for all participants. WIC also provides nutritional education and health care referrals at no cost. Programs such as these help millions of families every year.

Among all age groups, teenagers have the highest rate of sexually transmitted diseases. Every year one in four teens that have had sex contract a sexually transmitted disease. Common diseases among teens are chlamydia, gonorrhea, and HIV. Chlamydia can cause pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility in wo...

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...ofessionals, the school nurse and the local health department. Students who have access to condoms are likely to use them. In past cases, the program did not promote sex among the students of the schools. It did, however, provide important information to its students, and may have contributed to safer sex. The distribution of condoms in public high schools will promote safe sex among teenagers.

Works Cited:

Furstenburg, Frank , Mariarz, Geitz , Teitler, Julien , Weiss, Christopher ?Does Condom Availability Make a Difference? An Evaluation of Philadelphia?s Health Resource Centers? Family Planning Perspective Volume 29, Issue 3 (May-Jun.,1997), 123-127.

Kreiner, Anna Learning to Say No to Sexual Pressure New York: The Rosen Publishing Group

Mahler, Karen "Condom Availability in the Schools: Lessons from the Courtroom" Sexuality Volume 4, Article 63 1993-1996

Natale, Jo Anna ?The Hot New Word is Sex Ed? School Volume 5 Article 30, 1994-1996

"Sex education: Anything goes." Washington Times 1 Nov. 2000

Stewart, Gail B. Teen Parenting. San Diego: Lucent Books 2000

"Teens Regret Having Sex." Maryland Abstinence Education and Coordination Program. Summer 2000