Contraceptives’ being distributed at public schools reduces unwanted teenage pregnancies. Teenage pregnancy in the United States, compared to other countries, is at a high rate. The Alan Guttmacher Institute claims, “The rate of pregnancy among American women aged 15 to 19 was almost ten percent in 1981. … England, [where] the rate is less than 5 percent.” (Weisman 303). Society needs solutions to lower the rate of teenage pregnancies such as Johns Hopkins Medical School. In 1982 to 1983, the Baltimore Hopkins-run birth-control clinic, located near two high schools, reduced the rate of teenage pregnancy by 30 percent (Weisman 303). Clinics nation wide have helped, for example, “In St. Paul 33 percent of girls made use of the clinic’s contraceptive services, and birth rates dropped by 50 percent.” (Weisman 304). Opponents of contraception ignore these positive

results from clinics and try to promote abstinence. Abstinence only works on kids that are brainwashed by their parents or their religion. Futhermore, a study shown that… “In 1986, 57 percent of 17-year-olds [said] they have had sex.” (Weisman 303). From my own personal experience I believe teenagers are going to do what they want to do (sexually that is). If teenagers’ sexual activities cannot be controlled why not assist them by giving out birth control at school.

The convenience of having clinics, which distribute birth control, at school is the only way to assist teenagers to take advantage of them. Health services support school-based clinics because, “Teenagers are notoriously lazy.” (Weisman 305). As an example, NAS director Cheryl Hayes states, “If teenagers have to wait in the rain for a bus to take them to a clinic, there is a good chance they will never make it to the clinic.” (Weisman 305). During my high school experience it would have been impossible for me to make an appointment at a clinic at a time when my girlfriend a

Some topics in this essay:
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