It is the parents' job to teach their children right from wrong. At the very least, schools should not be making the parents' job harder ("Amid teen pregnancy decline, debate renewed about birth control in schools," June 6).
There is no birth control method that is absolutely foolproof. The only birth control method that also protects against STDs is the condom. All prescription medicines including the pill, patch, depo-shot, etc. carry a risk of side effects, and some may be serious.
Does anyone think having sex is the best decision teenagers can make?
By concentrating on pregnancy rates and STDs among teenagers, are we treating symptoms but not an underlying problem?
At the very least, considering the possible implications of teenage sex, the possibility of side effects or contracting an STD, permission to distribute birth control without parental knowledge should be clearly stated, so that a parent knows what he or she is signing. A parent should not have to sign away other medicine or health care that could be given in order to exempt their child from birth control. If current law forbids this, perhaps it should be changed.
Anne McKnew