Free condom plan for pupils as young as 12, Victoria, Australia

[spookyturtle 9,465]

And you guys thought stuff like this only happened here.

Family Planning targets years 10-12

Plan to keep condoms in common rooms

Push to reduce teenage pregnancies

STUDENTS as young as 12 would get free condoms at high schools in a radical plan to reduce teenage pregnancies.

Family Planning Victoria wants condoms made available for years 10-12 - and to younger students in special circumstances.

The taxpayer-financed group said they should be kept in student common rooms, or distributed by machines.

The plan has drawn a mixed reaction from school communities and parent groups, and the Department of Education has not ruled it out.

"We do know that there are some very young people having sex," said Family Planning chief executive Lynne Jordan, who added condoms should not be restricted to senior students.

"And having condoms more readily available - there's no evidence to suggest that actually increases sexual activity," Ms Jordan said.

"If a younger person who is sexually active gets the condom, I would think that's a better proposition than them actually having unprotected sex."

Ms Jordan said it would take several years of discussion between Family Planning Victoria, the Federal Government and schools before such a plan could be implemented.

She said it would be up to individual schools to decide whether to stock condoms and how to distribute them.

A Department of Education spokesman said condoms should be available only to year 11-12 students - and only if the school community supported the decision.

Parents Victoria executive officer Gail McHardy said the issue threatened to polarise schools.

"Some would think students year 10 and above were young adults and they needed to be making sensible choices about their sexual health," she said.

"At the other end of the spectrum people would be dead against it, and they don't see it as the school's business.

"And some parents would argue if they are making adult choices, they should be responsible adults and go out and buy their own condoms, and not get them for free."

Ms McHardy said condoms should be available only through school health professionals.

Stephen Franzi-Ford, of the Association of School Councils in Victoria, said it was not the responsibility of schools to distribute condoms.

Victorian Association of State Secondary Principals president Brian Burgess said more community debate was needed.

But, he said, it was a legitimate issue given there was a problem not only with unwanted pregnancies, but the rise of sexually transmitted infections.

"So it's not just about young people's sexuality and when they first start having sex. It's actually a health issue," he said.

Victorian Student Representative Council member Tiffany Chapman, 15, said the council supported the move, as it endorsed safe sex practices.

Australian Education Union state president Mary Bluett said it was a matter for local school councils to decide.

Recent research showed a quarter of year 10 students reported having had sex, and this rose to half by year 12.

A La Trobe University survey of 3000 students found they were also having sex with more partners than previous research suggested, with many having had sex with three or more partners in the previous year.

Sixty per cent of the young men and just 46 per cent of young women always used condoms.

About 5 per cent of female students became pregnant.

http://www.news.com.au/national/free-condom-plan-pupils-as-young-as-12/story-e6frfkvr-1225901882197

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Good. If the girl is young enough to get pregnant, she is old enough to learn how not to get pregnant.

Doesn't do any good to teach the boys anything, though. The sperm infects the brain at that age. Don't give them condoms. Give them girly magazines instead, and a box of tissues.

[Heracles 417]

You really stepped in it this time.

Year 12 means 12th grade. AKA 17 to 18 years old

Edited August 5, 2010 by Heracles

[Nagishkaw 510]

[spookyturtle 9,465]

You really stepped in it this time.

Year 12 means 12th grade. AKA 17 to 18 years old

STUDENTS as young as 12 would get free condoms at high schools in a radical plan to reduce teenage pregnancies.

Read it again, you missed something.

[Heracles 417]

STUDENTS as young as 12 would get free condoms at high schools in a radical plan to reduce teenage pregnancies.

Read it again, you missed something.

Notice how many times year is mentioned in the article? Eight. Hence, you cannot be 12 years old and be in the 11th or 12th grade; not unless I have kids out there I don't know about.

Edited August 6, 2010 by Heracles

[spookyturtle 9,465]

Notice how many times year is mentioned in the article? Eight. Hence, you cannot be 12 years old and be in the 11th or 12th grade; not unless I have kids out there I don't know about.

I know it says years 10-12, but it specifically says students as young as 12. I didn't post this as a bash, it was to compare to another thread here, that I'm too lazy to search for, that was about something similar here in the US.

[spookyturtle 9,465]

Looks like you were owned again. :rofl:

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

If it's the same as the UK

Year 10 = 15-16 years old

Year 11 is 16-17 y/o

Year 12 is 17-18 y/o

[elmcitymaven 9,711]

I read this as free corndog plan for pupils as young as 12. Also a bad plan.

[slim 1,514]

Doesn't do any good to teach the boys anything, though. The sperm infects the brain at that age. Don't give them condoms. Give them girly magazines instead, and a box of tissues.

Lubrication is important too. Road rash sucks!

I read this as free corndog plan for pupils as young as 12. Also a bad plan.

Corndogs are pretty tasty!