Philadelphia has installed condom dispensers in 22 high schools throughout the city. Of the 6,500 Philadelphia students tested for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in the past five years, five percent have had STDs. Making condoms available to students will hopefully promote safer sex and reduce the rates of STDs among students. The dispensers have been placed in nurses’ offices where students can receive free condoms.

Parents were notified about the condom dispensers in the fall and given an opportunity to opt-out of having their children access the dispensers. The school district says they haven’t received calls from parents complaining about the condom dispensers. I can imagine some parents worrying that the schools are encouraging students to have sex, but this is far from true. Philadelphia schools are not promoting sex. They’re giving teens who choose to have sex one more reason to practice safer sex.

Photo via TakeControlPhilly.org

Should condoms be made available in every high school?

• Absolutely.
• Maybe.
• No way.
• I don’t know.

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