Planned Parenthood already teaches about safe sex and helps with providing birth control. It's conservative ideologues who oppose birth control and teaching about safe sex and then whine about abortions.
You do realize kids have sex without their parents knowledge, right? Unprotected sex is the #1 cause of pregnancies.
So you think kids all across this great land of ours are waiting to get their parents consent to have sex?
This means (and you are not alone in your thinking here) that you think kids will have sex if they are given birth control, but will abstain if they do not have it. If this was the case, we would not have to worry about unwanted pregnancies amongst teens. We would just not give birth control and bam, no one is having sex. I would prefer the opposite, that all humans were given birth control at birth and it could only get undone when they had proof of job and mental capacity, but since that wont happen, lets at least make it available to those who want it.
I would say that I think it's prudent that the parents have, at least, some participation in the matter. After all, these are kids - and the children of the parents - we're talking about. Granted, there are many irresponsible parents out there. I get that. I'm not speaking of exceptional situations here. I'm speaking of responsible situations whereas the parents want to (and rightfully should) be part of their children's lives and, hopefully, guide them towards good and safe decisions. To me, arbitrarily excluding parents from the equation seems careless at best.
But they don't have any participation in the matter. Kids don't "involve their parents in the discussion" when they have sex with each other. So participation is not a possibility. Given that participation is not an option, do we want kids to practice safe sex or unsafe sex? Your current position (even if indirectly) is that you'd prefer kids practice unsafe sex.
In a perfect world, of course, parents and kids are lock step in every decision. Everyone would love if every kid under 18 just didn't have sex or if he/she did, parents were aware and they could have these great, meaningful conversations together and all risks were discussed. Instead, we have kids being normal kids, and doing things on their own. If one of those kids decides, hm, im going to do this, i can get protection/birth control and avoid a disaster and my parents dont have to know, thats a better option than 'i dont want them to know, so screw it, i'll just hope for the best and not get pregnant'.
I think that's inappropriate. They can watch quietly from the side of the bed, but they shouldn't try to make it a foursome. Give the kids space to learn at their own pace. barfo
I suppose it's easy for you to say that kids don't involve their parents in critical discussions. Happens all the time. At any rate, I'll agree to disagree with you and leave it at that.
