Week 14 Blog Post

If I were an advisor for a high school newspaper and a student came to me with an article that supported the idea of condom machines being installed in school bathrooms, what would I do? Would I allow him to print it? Would I advise him to write something else, perhaps? I doubt I would ever disallow someone to print anything, but I would sit him down and give him my opinion and advice on the matter. After that, I would consider it out of my hands. He has a right his beliefs.

I think the first thing I would do, is ask him why such a machine was needed. Of course, for protection against STDs and pregnancy in teens, but I mean deeper than that. Not necessary premarital sex – you can’t convert the world – but teens and sex is not a great idea. I would advise this student to bring that up in his article. If would also advise him to say that a machine is needed because of the irresponsible actions that have led to so many deaths and pregnancies in teens. He would need to explain that his support of a condom machine in the bathrooms is a last resort and he is in no way saying that because the machine is there means that teens can have sex with whoever they want whenever they want. Because teen sex cannot be stopped altogether, isn’t it better to offer protection than ignore the problem until more pregnancies and STDs are spread?

If my student, understood what I was saying and tweaked his article to encompass these things, then he would have learned a valuable lesson. If he did not understand what I was trying to get across, I still do not have the right to stop his article from being published and would probably see myself unfit to be an advisor for the school paper.