Massachusetts Elementary School to Distribute Condoms to Students

Perhaps Dr. Singer should also hand out pregnancy test kits and STD (used to be known as VD) test kits. Condoms are not 100% "safe", so perhaps 1 in 100 of the young girls will become pregnant or come down with Aids, Syphilis, or Gonorrhea.

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All you people that are fine with this, ARE YOU INSANE? Is there something in the water on the east coast that breeds stupid in so-called educators? Not only should parents object, they should call the police and have the school superintendent arrested for child endangerment.

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Don't teach children morals, teach them how to have safe sex. ......... I D I O T S !

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The fisrt response people useually say when they see a young child pregnant is that they must have bad parents or its the parents fault,i have three children if i ever found out that the school gave them condoms at that age and didnt tell me i would be very upset.its hard to parent a child when the school system hides things from the parents.

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That's just sick. Despite the fact that 10 or 11-year-olds in 5th grade are still very young, I suppose there are some children who are sexually active by age 11 or 12. But 5-year-olds?? As someone else pointed out, the only situation where condom use would arise that young is through abuse. Not only are condoms being distributed to much too young children, but there's no parental notification, and the details as to what type of discourse or counseling occurs are non-existent, leading me to believe that they are minimal to none. You can't just arbitrarily hand out condoms and give yourself a pat on the back for a good day's work; there's no attempt to educate these children about sex or what healthy sexual behaviors/relationships are--though personally, I honestly do not think any pre-teen or even middle-school aged child is fully mentally, emotionally, and psychologically equipped to handle a mature, healthy sexual relationship. Sure, kids "grow up fast"--they may be exposed to sex in the media, they may start to go through puberty and have hormones messing with their bodies, but that does not mean they're ready to be sexually active. Teen sexual activity is a multi-faceted issue that requires active intervention and education, not anonymous condom distribution. Why are so many people so willing to hand out condoms like candy, but unwilling to give children the information and counseling they really need?

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So, I didn't read everyone's responses because they were really more of the same but... to the person that said a first grade male cannot get someone pregnant, you're wrong so long as the kid's balls have dropped.

To the people saying 'teach abstinence' - I went to a middle and high school that taught strictly abstinence. Do you want to know how well that worked in this Christian town?

Well there were at least 5 babies born my first year of high school, for one. Most of my friends lost their virginities at the tender age of 14, regardless of strong moral background and even good parenting.

Children start having confusing sexual feelings sometimes before the age of 7, and most of the time feel ashamed and confused because parents don't explain anything to them until they are much older. Even then they don't explain very much. I know someone who is almost 26 that didn't know precum actually contained sperm...

Due to all the hormones that America has let companies put into our food, and the tendency to be overweight which triggers puberty, girls and boys are becoming acutely sexually aware much earlier than in previous generations.

I don't agree that giving condoms to kids this young is a good idea, but I also know that research shows that 'abstinence only' programs only result in more teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.

Look up some research studies before you condemn these teachers as perverts. I don't want my 13 year old sister having sex, but if she was going to do it regardless of what I said I'd want her to be safe.

People are such ignorant idiots...

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Do they make a condom in a 5yr old boys size, and are 5yr old girls even physically capable of having intercourse. What is the world coming to when 5 to 11 yr olds need condoms? For what UN-God-LY reason would anybody even suggest this program? If this school has 8 year old kids having sex, then this school needs to be shut down and a new one that teaches Morals to our kids should be started in it's place. What kind of Demons do they have in charge of that school in the first place? Now we know what happens when you separate God and State, Worst plan we ever had.

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Do you even have ANY IDEA at what age girls are usually able to HAVE KIDS?

good grief

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This is absolutely unbelieveable!!!! We've allowed our society to throw morals out the window because we, as a society, have forgotten God.
Years ago the public school teachers were concerned about kids this age chewing gum in class and running in the halls. Now they feel the need to pass out condoms? Does anyone see the downward spiral? Do you realize the correlation? Let's not teach our children right from wrong, let's just teach them how not to "get caught." Let's not teach them abstinence until marriage and one marriage partner for life (which, by the way, is male with female - not male with male or female with female) because we don't want to be politically incorrect. We'd rather be right in our own eyes than to submit to the standards (morals) of a holy God. Can anyone imagine what the next generation is going to be like? Can it get much worse? We reap what we sow, and this country is in BIG trouble!

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Will a condom fit a 10 old's penis?

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Please people I'm all for kids practicing safe sex. However, I do definatley think that the grades(ages of these children) is way ,way too young. It's like taking away their innocence. Whatever happened to kids believing in "Santa, the Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy" and the like? Childhood is for innocence and fun and simple memories. Not all of this stuff about adults.. Teach and warn your children well at home and at school. Have talks with them as to why to abstain. My God in Heaven, there has just got to be a better way than to passing out rubbers at this age. Are we trying to educate and maintain health safety for our kids by going to this extreme at these tender ages or are we just helping to create an even more promiscuous generation? There's got to be a better answer than this! This is pretty bad.Pretty rank. PRETTY PATHTIC!

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How about a little outrage here, Parentdish. Try this:

http://culturecrusader.wordpress.com/2010/06/24/gem-of-the-week-condoms-for-kids/

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Big group of idiots here. I'd like to cover most of you with condoms to keep you from spreading your stupidity to my children.

Removing the age cut off simply deletes all need for debate over appropriate age, and it enables us to instead concentrate solely on protecting our children. It assures that ALL kids who choose to have sex also have access to protection from pregnancy and STDs. God forbid we only hand condoms to kids of age 12 or over and then have a 10 or 11 year old contract HIV because he/she had no access to condoms. And, yes, like it or not (and I don't) some kids do have sex at ages 10, 11, and younger.

First grade is too early? Why? They've simply removed ridiculous age restrictions; they aren't suddenly going to begin to encourage sexual activity. In fact, if a young child wishes to obtain a condom, he/she must meet with a counselor. Why do you think that is? Perhaps we might find out that a child wishes to put one on Daddy, and be able to assist him/her in avoiding additional abuse?

Provincetown's plan is getting far too much attention, and as a parent of 3 children who attend Provincetown schools, I would much appreciate your keeping your narrow, pig brained views on your own side of the border... as would all of my friends and neighbors.

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A great amount of people on this need to relax for a second. This article is almost funny. I'm in highschool and i have a brother in 5th grade. Look a kiss at that age group is considered the highest form of sexual activity. MY age group needs those, what is a 5th grader or lower gonna do with a condom? Use is for a waterballoon?

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Go to the School Board meeting and raise hell. This issue will go away. The governing board are elected officials and will probably move or fire the principal. Kids, for the most part, are not sexually mature by the 5th grade, so what good would they do any ways? They are probably needed at the middle/junior high level, but why put suggestions in their heads? We need to teach abstinence when they are of an understanding and relevant age.

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You've got be kidding me!!!!! Kindergarten through fifth grade? Are these peope completely insane? If your kid needs a condom at those ages, then you have done something seriously wrong! This is so extreme is borders insane!!! Any children I know in those age groups has no idea what a condom is, let alone what it's for. This country is getting too liberal with sex.....it must be too much to bother teaching your kids about waiting (abstinence) and just go with the "flow"....I hate that this going on in our country. Parents...DO YOUR JOB!

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all i have to say is...."stupid", first of all these are NOT the years to do this, why not do this in middle and high school? or would that make too much sense?
I'm 20 and know from many of my friends who have gotten pregnant, it surely didn't happen in elementary school.

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Your kidding me right? This is ELEMENTARY school? Come on, at their age talking to a counselor should be the only thing they are pressured to be doing. Condoms should be given to the parents to distribute since they obviously aren't talking to their young children once again about the important stuff. I am shocked that this is even an option in those grades. Hell, as a parent I have to sign a permission slip for them to even "talk" to my children about sex education classes, never mind hand out a condom. Not a solution and whose idea was this anyway? Of course irrate people like RM needs anger management before attempting to address this issue. Calm, cool headed people usually listen first and act, before opening their mouths, oh that's right, it's a "free" country.

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