Vermont will be the first state to require schools to provide seventh through 12th graders with condoms by law.
The state’s “condom availability program” was conceived to prevent unplanned pregnancies and the spread of STDs among teenagers, according to a state statute.
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“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,” says statute 16 V.S.A. § 132. Secondary schools; provision of contraceptives. “School district administrative teams, in consultation with school district nursing staff, shall determine the best manner in which to make condoms available to students. At a minimum, condoms shall be placed in locations that are safe and readily accessible to students, including the school nurse’s office.” The law was signed by Republican Gov. Phil Scott last year.
The Vermont Agency of Education issued guidelines last month on distributing condoms for the program.
“Research shows that condom availability programs 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 guidelines said, citing data from the 2019 Vermont Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS).
The agency said that access should be provided to all students without “barriers to obtaining condoms or stigma surrounding access.” It also stated that information about proper condom usage should also be made available.
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“Minors in Vermont have a legal right to access a full range of reproductive and sexual health services without parent permission. Minors are provided access to condoms in a variety of settings and may purchase them without parental consent,” the guidelines continued.
