There has long been an erosion of parental rights in the United States as a byproduct of the decision in Roe v. Wade. Now, students who have parental permission to be treated at King Middle School’s health center in Portland would be able to get birth control prescriptions under a new proposal.

It would be the first middle school in Maine to make a full range of contraception available to students in grades 6 to 8. Under the state rules, students who have permission to be treated are given the choice to tell their parents.For the full story, click here

Even those of us who support the right to choose have criticized this effort by NOW and the ACLU to minimize parental notification and consent in the name of choice. This includes general opposition to parental notification before a minor can have an abortion. In some jurisdictions, a school cannot give an aspirin without parental consent but a child can secure an abortion without parental notice or consent. This is an issue that does not divide along the usual pro-life/pro-choice lines, since many pro-choice supporters favor parental rights in the best interest of the child as well out of a belief that the constitution protects such interests. For a prior column on parental rights, click here