Kent:

>Did you know a lot of pregnant preteens when you were a preteen, when
>children's access to birth control and even information about birth
>control was much more limited? If not, maybe your son has a valid
>point.

Times have, as the saying goes, changed. Kids are starting sex early,
very early. At ages where we'd have been thrilled by a kiss on the
cheek. They do so in spite of admonitions and advice to the contrary.

And they do so whether or not they have access to contraception.

>Parents do not need to be consulted in matters of drugs, mental
>health or reproductive health issues. They claim that the kids have a
>right to privacy. I have a problem with that when you're talking
>about 11 and 12 year olds.

The principle at work here is that laws should look out first for
the interest of the child. There is overwhelming interest that
a young person be able to get treatment for mental health, drug,
and reproductive issues without being inhibited either by fear of
parental response or by parental refusal of said treatment.
Indeed, the most important thing in such situations may be a
conversation with a competent professional--- and the availability
of confidential treatment in a clinical setting may be the ONLY
place where a girl asks for the pill actually has the opportunity
to have such an important conversation, rather than with a peer.

I find the whole notion of the sorts of 'rights' which people
sometimes think they can assert over their children to be
somewhat disquieting, in any case. Perhaps because the principle
is so often asserted in a blatant attempt to take away women's
reproductive rights.