It is one word, six letters, two syllables, and is not talked about at school. It is provocative, it causes some to feel uncomfortable; yet some feel it necessary for safety reasons. What is it? A condom.

For many years, condom distribution at school has been an unthinkable subject. The administration does not talk about it because they feel uncomfortable with the situation. Parents do not talk about it, because they feel if they do talk about it, they tell their kids that it is okay to have sex. The nurses do not talk about it, because it is not on their list of health problems. Teachers do not talk about it, because it is not in the �standards.� But a vast majority of people constantly talk about it�the students.


Even though sex is not talked about in the halls of the campus as openly as other subjects are, that does not mean it is not happening. Students show that teen pregnancy and birth rates in the United States remain among the highest in developed countries.

As one can see teenagers are having unprotected sex, and the main reason is that they are not educated about safe sex and do not have an un-biased source to ask questions because most campuses around the country consider condoms taboo. What they fail to realize is that educating students is different than saying sex is okay. So, the question is what can we do to inform the students and help them make the right choices?

Well, according to a recent report from the Alan Guttmacher Institute, pregnancy rates are declining largely as a result of greater use of contraceptives.
It is clear what the solution is: the nurse. The nurse�s office is a haven for many, where the nurse somehow makes them understand what is wrong. What better way to help students be safe than to provide them with condoms at the nurse�s office. The nurse can talk to the students of safety and if one is truly ready to make that big of a choice, the nurse can provide them with the essentials.
Some must be thinking, �how can one suggest this idea�? We do not want our kids having sex. Well, they are. Either help them understand what they are doing or deal with the repercussions of unsafe sex.

Some people strongly believe in abstinence, yet it is the people that do not believe in abstinence that one had to worry about. Even though it is against some religions to have sex before marriage. People do. Get over what is right or wrong and understand that this is occurring more and more every second of every day, even though it is kept �hush�hush.�

Condoms at the nurse�s office would prevent unsafe sex and unplanned teen pregnancies. Whether you are a parent, teacher, student, or you just strongly believe in no sex before marriage. The question is not whether �you� think condoms should be at the nurse�s office, but what will be the right decision for those students that believe that they are ready for sex.

Leave your inhibitions at the door and let us make a change. Try to give a safe choice to those that need it.

By: Staff Writer Suzanna Megrabyan