Green light for condoms, pill at school

The Guardian; The Telegraph, London ^ | June 29 2002 | Unknown

[fight_truth_decay]

The British Government has backed plans for free condoms and contraceptive pills to be made available in secondary schools, in a campaign to halve the number of teenage pregnancies in Britain by 2010.

Britain's rate of teenage pregnancies is the highest in western Europe and the second highest in the developed world.

The Public Health Minister, Hazel Blears, gave the first official blessing for school-based health clinics offering a full range of contraception, advice on sexual health, and counselling for bullying and stress. The decision follows experiments in about 20 schools.

The Department of Health said improved availability of contraception could help reduce the conception rate among pupils without encouraging more sexual activity.

A spokeswoman said: "None of the evidence suggests that if you give young people better access to advice and information they have more sex ... countries which have this kind of program running properly in conjunction with good sex and relationships education in the classroom have the lowest rates of teenage conception."

The opposition Conservative Party leader, Iain Duncan Smith, denounced the proposal. "Giving contraception in schools is a wrong move by the Government because it undermines parental authority," he said.

"Decisions are being detached from schools and parents and given to central authorities. These people do not have to pick up the pieces if this policy goes wrong."

Baroness Knight of Collingtree, a Tory peer, said: "You might as well say you will curb burglary by handing out jemmies."

The proposal for free contraception in schools was made in November by the Government's advisory group on teenage pregnancy. Guidelines will be issued in September by the Department for Education and Skills.

A department spokesman said there was no question of condom machines being placed in school toilets.

[fight_truth_decay]

Coming to a school near you..in the US soon???

[goodieD]

They aren't interested in whether they undermine parental authority, because in Britain, all children are considered property of the state (just about like here in the US). If free distribution kept the teen pregnancy rate down, ours should be non existent. But of course, the left isn't interested in facts. It gets in the way of their agenda.

[mindprism.com]

I thought sex was bad for children -- or is that only when an adult is involved?

[Drew68]

Britain's rate of teenage pregnancies is the highest in western Europe and the second highest in the developed world.

Is it safe to assume that we are the first?

[genefromjersey]

Jeez !

I've heard of "tophats" and "French Ticklers"
but condoms with green lights ???

Shades of Plastic Man !!

[valkyrieanne]

It's the welfare - you get more of what you subsidize.