Democrat Governor Deval Patrick is seeking reelection this year, and it seems knowing parents are in a bit of an uproar about the Provincetown School District’s recent condom policy, he’s appealing to the school to reconsider. The Associated Press reported Thursday afternoon that Patrick placed a call to the Provincetown, Massachusetts superintendent.
Despite this being a local issue, Patrick expressed his concerns about the condom policy, which would allow children from first grade through twelfth grade, to request condoms from the school nurse without informing the parents. Patrick told the Associated Press, “I expressed my concern about the counseling and access being age-appropriate, and, for young kids, that parents ought to be involved.”
School board committee chairman, Peter Grosso, noted he was shocked the amount of controversy that arose over the policy, which he still thinks is a great policy. Grosso told Boston Globe the board would revisit the policy.
Governor Patrick’s concerns are valid, as he noted, “I don’t want first-graders having access to condoms, but I don’t want first-graders to be sexually active. And, frankly, I don’t think the superintendent does, either.” Patrick also said he believes parents should be involved, especially when it comes children that young.
A number of people feel the policy itself is absurd, arguing it should be the parents’ responsibility and not the school system, and I agree.
It’s a fine line, as some parents don’t take the time to educate their children properly about sex, or make the child feel like they’ll get into trouble if they talk about sexual topics. Either way, not including parents in the information process for children below the middle school age seems like a crime.