by J.L. McKenzie

Created on: June 09, 2010   Last Updated: June 11, 2010

Giving contraception to teens is not only morally responsible but in their best interest. To be frank, children learn more about sex from music, movies and television than they do from their parents and it is sometimes up to the educators to step in and educate.

Promoting safe sex does not necessarily promote sex. It is up to us as the adults to prepare our children for the dangers they will face when they become sexually active. Teens are more than likely going to have sex, whether the adults like it or not, and it is up to us to educate them about what is out there that can harm them and protect them in any way we can.

A similar debate was made about giving the HPV vaccine to teens, that it was promoting sexual activity among teens. That is the same as saying that if we tell a teen that guns kill people the moment they get access to one they will kill somebody. Telling the teen that a gun will kill someone and show them how they can be safe will stop something horrible from happening. The same principle applies here.

Personally, I do not think that just giving condoms goes far enough. There should be access to free clinics, AIDS testing, STD testing and contraception through the schools as well as a reality-based sex education class. Do not just give the condoms to teens: Explain to them how to use them properly.

Promoting abstinence is always the way to go but we have to be realistic about teens and sex in today's society. Giving teens condoms at school is a responsibility of the school if they are modern thinkers on the board. It is not enough now just to say, “Don't do it and if you do, be safe.” What does that mean? Take a tazer on your date? Teaching abstinence, safe sex and giving contraception to teens in schools is the only way to go if we want our teens to become responsible for their actions.

There is so much out there that can harm teens in the sexual arena. They used to just have to worry about getting pregnant but now they can die from what they pick up from a sexual partner. To not warn teens of this danger and prepare them for sexual contact that is safe is irresponsible, plain and simple.

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