Abstract
Plan B essentially refers to a contraceptive that used in the prevention of unwanted pregnancies. Indeed, it should be appreciated that high school students, majority of them being minors, are not expected by law to engage in sexual activity. Therefore, at first instance, the students do not constitute the target market for Plan B. The societal gratification of sexual activities and the reckless exposure of obscene sexual activities to high school students tempt the students into sexual activities. The fact the law does not envision them as users of Plan B and other contraceptives do not justify deprivation of their inalienable human rights. As human beings, the students have the right of choice. Just like the other adult human beings who are allowed to exercise their prochoice rights, the students ought to be provided with the opportunity. In addition, the prevention of the pregnancies ought to be accepted in light of the conditions that face these young students. Their commitment to education, their immaturity and their economic dependence add up to make parenting a tough task. The children risk being neglected. Ultimately, the students ought to be educated on the best mode which is abstinence. For the ones who have committed the inevitable, assistance by Plan B ought to be availed.
I concur with the policy by the New York City Hall to provide Plan B to high school students for emergency purposes under the auspices of Connecting Adolescents to Comprehensive Health Care (CATCH). Plan B essentially helps to prevent pregnancies among females who have unprotected sex. My main argument is based on the constitutional provision that allows for the right to privacy and freedom of choice. High school students are also human beings. As such, they should enjoy the full rights guaranteed and provided by the constitution.
The whole concept of Plan B should be approached cautiously knowing the consequential implications it portends for the society. It is well appreciated that the majority of high school students have not attained the age of majority. They, therefore, fall under the category of the age of minority. Legally, the law does not envision the concept of high school students engaging in sexual activities. As such, the Plan B contraceptives are not designed for their consumption. They are considered too young to be able to understand the implications of sexual activities and hence even form the intention to have sex. The law was made using the moral understanding that the school students, being minors would not entertain the thoughts of engaging in adult activity. It is on this reasoning that high school students are at first instance prohibited from accessing and using the Plan B contraceptives.
Critics have taken issue with the decision by the City policy makers to allow the children access the Plan B alternative. They cite among other issues, the exposure of minors to use of drug without seeking parental permission. Further, they assert that the policy essentially excites the adolescents into sexual activity.
However, they should appreciate that no man is an island. Children, including high school goers are exposed to a lot of literature, images and actual incidences in which they watch live and indirect sexual activity. Therefore, students soon start to engage in sexual activity. They fail to take the necessary precaution for a number of reasons that range from ignorance, to fear and even at times to the peer influence. It is from this set ups that the students are compelled to use Plan B. One ought to approach the issue as a parent shouldering the responsibility and duty of dealing with a teenage at the onset of adolescence. It must be appreciated what societal gratification of sexual activities has on the teenage minds. The glorification of sex by the society encourages teenagers to try out the activity. This often results to regrets and colossal pains by teenagers.
Therefore, teenagers need help to enable them avoid getting into such situations. This help ought to be as timely as possible. Time factor determines whether a teenager could be prevented from taking the risky route that involves engaging in sexual activities. The misfortune, however, lies in the difficulty inherent in identifying students who necessarily need help, as opposed to those students who do not. In extreme cases, teenagers who need help go unidentified or cases are identified after their overindulgence, which possibly leads into sexual activities.
The question that begs to be answered in these cases is whether the teenagers who have already indulged in sexual activity cannot essentially be remedied from their situations. Is the engagement in sexual activity the ultimate sin? Is it an end in itself? Policy makers ought to consider this context while coming up with policies that address such problems. It should be essentially noted that two wrongs do not make a right. The society must act responsibly even in the face of adversity. The fact that a teenage has already indulged in sexual activity does not close the doors of help. Plan B comes to their rescue at such point in time. What are some of the implications of allowing teenagers in high schools to use Plan B?.
For starters, as human beings, Plan B allows them to decide on whether to proceed with their pregnancies or terminate it within the legal window of termination. The central idea in this context would be the availability to exercise choice based on the prochoice reasoning. The opportunity is presented for students to decide personally on an individual basis to decide on whether to retain the pregnancy or not. In most cases, it is advisable for students to opt for termination. This is because of the supervening circumstances that characterize the situations. The students are typically teenagers who have hardly attained the age of maturity. Therefore, these students cannot pass out as proper parents. From a social context, one would argue for students not to be allowed to have children.
In addition, parenthood comes with the necessity to commit some time to bringing up the child. Students, often due to their tight academic schedules, do not have adequate time to raise a child. From a professional point of view, psychologists and other humanists advise for the termination of such pregnancies. They posit that it would not only be in the student’s interest, but would go deep into addressing future societal problems of neglected children. It is an observed fact that the children born out of unplanned pregnancies and fundamentally young parents end up as neglected children and would probably settle in vagrancy. In avoiding these problems, the use of Plan B has found support from the mentioned quarters.
However, the use of Plan B by high school students should be allowed with caution. A lot of regulation should be put in place to contain the possibilities of misuse by the contraceptives by teenagers. In fact, it must not be seen as a ticket or permission for teenagers to misbehave and engage in risky sexual behavior. Amid the policy issues to be considered, is the need for prescription for the dosage for the Plan B to be sold to the students. This will go into addressing overdose cases, the misuse of the drugs, among other incidences that are often related to over the counter drugs.
In conclusion, high school students ought to purpose to maintain the highest societal conduct. Majority of them have not attained the age of majority. It would be prudent for them to behave in accordance with the societal expectations and requirements of younger ones. However, once the inevitable and unenviable situation catches up with any of them, it remains appropriate for them to seek remedial solutions. Plan B suffices for the provision of such remedial solutions. It would be vital for society to embrace the concept of allowing for Plan B use.
Works Cited
Alexander, Linda, et al. New Dimensions In Women's Health. New York: Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2009.
Aschenbrenner, Diane S and Samantha J Venable. Drug Therapy in Nursing. New York: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2008.
Crooks, Robert and Karla Baur. Our Sexuality. New York: Cengage Learning, 2010.
Hatcher, Robert A and James Trussell. Contraceptive Technology. New York: Ardent Media, 2008.
