Persuasive Essay On High School Contraceptives

High schools are meant to be a support system to students and their education. The time spent in grades nine through twelve are supposed to prepare teenagers for their future. Most schools don’t bother with putting in an effort to prevent the consummation of a child or the spreading of a sexually transmitted disease. This negligence not only affects the individual involved, but also the families surrounding them. High schools in the United States should provide contraceptives discretely to their students through a School Based Healthcare Center (SBHC) to prevent unwanted pregnancies, diseases, and to protect students’ health.

When a teenage girl becomes pregnant, her world shatters knowing she might have to raise this child on her own. According

In places like the South, where sexuality is not a comfortable daily conversation, some parents fear that their child will be “forced” to be educated on sexual activities that they do not condone. These places do not want their children learning about sex or other occurrences that are involved, nevertheless their children having access to contraceptives for free in school. “The South, which has the highest percentage of schools (55%) that require abstinence be taught as the only means of preventing pregnancy, has the highest rate of teen births,” (Welsh). This fact has clearly shown that parents forcing abstinence instead of teaching sexual safety are causing more negative feedback than it is positive. Much of this fear of contraceptives comes from the parent’s personal beliefs. Religion plays a major role in whether or not a child will be taught by their parents about sex. Due to their views, some might protest the installation of having an SBHC at their child’s school and cause a disruption in other surrounding high schools. This is why the health centers that distribute contraceptives will only be placed in public high schools where religion is not permitted to overrule. Parents also fear that if adolescent teens are given a choice of contraceptive, it is as if given permission to engage in sexual activities. Although this is a very common opinion, it is only a misconception of the real facts. By “…age 15, 27% of girls and 33% of boys have had sexual intercourse,” (Singer). Most of these parents want to blame these statistics on the schools having contraceptives readily available, but they are clearly wrong. The truth is, adolescent teens will engage in sexual activities if and when they choose. The difference is whether or not the teens are protected or at risk from diseases and pregnancies. Another reason that parents are concerned is