A Massachusetts elementary school could soon start giving condoms to first graders.
The school committee in Provincetown unanimously adopted a condom distribution policy for the elementary school and high school on Tuesday.
Under the new policy at Veteran’s Memorial Elementary School, which has students from pre-Kindergarten to the sixth grade, condoms will be available for any student of any age that asks.
“I don’t know a magic age to put on it, do you?” said Dr. Beth Singer, school superintendent.
Exposing young children to condoms raises questions, but what’s raising eyebrows is that parents can’t say ‘no’ to the new policy.
“I think that the parents should have some input into the decision, but that I support that education and awareness,” said Mark A. Peters, a parent.
“It just seems it’s a little too young. Middle School age might be more appropriate,” said Paige Perry, a parent.
Dr. Singer said she wouldn’t expect first graders or kindergartners to ask for condoms, except to possibly blow them up as balloons.
If a student, of any age, asks for a condom, they must talk to a counselor or a nurse.
“The fact that parents don’t know what their children are doing at times doesn’t mean that their children don’t need to be safe, and that we don’t have a responsibility to help them be safe,” said. Dr. Singer.
Some school committee members didn’t want to require students to talk to a school nurse or counselor before receiving the condom.
Eventually, they decided they would make that a requirement because of the young ages involved
