Under new Vermont law, all school districts must offer free condoms to students in all secondary schools, grades 7 through 12.
The controversial mandate, which is called "condom availability program" and was signed by Gov. Phil Scott last year, amending the Vermont Statutes to make contraceptives available to students in secondary schools, has taken effect this year.
"In order to prevent or reduce unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases, each school district shall make condoms available to all students in its secondary schools, free of charge," the new Vermont measure read in part, as reported by the Christian Post. "School district administrative teams, in consultation with school district nursing staff, shall determine the best manner in which to make condoms available to students."
The new Vermont law also mandates that "At a minimum, condoms shall be placed in locations that are safe and readily accessible to students, including the school nurse's office." The measure was signed into law in October 2020 in the hopes of promoting condoms as a means to diminish the number of unplanned teen pregnancies and abortions among the youth.
Republican state Representative Topper McFaun, who introduced the bill, explained that the mandate requiring middle and high schools to make condoms available to its students was developed to ensure that girls no longer "have to make the decision, that crucial decision, to have an abortion or not."
He told Vermont Public Radio last year, "That's what I'm trying to prevent and the way to do that is to provide ways to allow people to protect themselves."
However, the new measure was met with criticism from pro-life groups, including the Vermont Right to Life Committee, whose Sharon Toborg argued that the bill, which despite having been established on "good intentions," actually encourages sexual promiscuity among young people.
Toborg argued that when you "encourage sexual activity among young kids" and normalize sexual activity in those as young as 12 years old, "you are creating an atmosphere that will lead to more sexual activity and more unintended pregnancies."
According to CBN News, the Vermont Agency of Education (VAE) has provided guidance on condom distribution in secondary schools. It referred to the results of a 2019 Vermont Youth Risk Behavior Survey, as well as state data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in developing the guidance.
The VAE said that according to research, condom availability programs have several benefits, including "increase condom use in sexually active youth, promote delayed sexual initiation or abstinence, provide medical care costs savings, and reduce the risk of HIV, STD, and unplanned pregnancy."
The VAE guidelines said that no secondary student must be denied access to condoms through the new Vermont measure, as minors in the state "have a legal right to access a full range of reproductive and sexual health services without parent permission."
Moreover, minors are provided access to such contraceptives in other settings and are in fact able to purchase them without parental consent. CDC data also said that teen condom use has declined in the last 10 years.
