It is a well-known tradition in the Catholic world that people practicing the religion should not use contraception. Abstinence, or self-restraint from sex, is preached.
Birth control, condoms and other forms of pregnancy prevention are not encouraged in this religion. If these are the beliefs of this faith, then technically Catholic schools are going against the faith when they practice contraception.
Disagreeing with this idea, most Catholic schools provide students with access to contraception in health services.
It is the school’s responsibility to keep its students safe and educated. Sex education is not required, but providing college students with the tools needed to practice safe sex, like STD testing, is essential.
With STD testing available to students, the school is keeping its responsibility of helping students be safe without directly opposing the traditional Catholic belief of being abstinent until marriage.
Ultimately, it is the students’ choice of being abstinent, but providing the option for students to be protected is more important than sticking to the roots of Catholicism. With the possibility of teen pregnancy or disease at risk, contraception in Catholic schools is necessary. The welfare of students should be the main concern of school administration, and not offering contraception or testing is not making students’ health a priority.
STD testing is beneficial to students in so many ways. Providing these tests can give young adults access to their own health knowledge that they might not have had before because of insurance or other personal issues. Health services should not have to ban certain tests to fit the criteria of the school.
Arguers might state that having STD testing and available contraception is disrespecting Catholic values because it is implying that college students are breaking the rule of abstinence and not waiting until marriage to have sex.
These tests and prevention methods are not meant to insult or disgrace the Catholic tradition. They are provided to fit the lifestyle choices of the average person attending college.
The ways of the world are obviously different than when the laws of Catholicism were made. Today people are more accepting of a non-abstinent person because it is not as rare as it was years ago.
Times have changed and universities and high schools are adapting to keep younger generations safe according to the evolving environment.
Contraception and STD testing in Catholic schools may not fit the ideals of the church it represents, but education is still the main importance of these institutions, so having these things available to everyone is critical.
