Poll: Mass. School Vote May Make Condoms Available at Age 12

One Massachusetts School Committee has voted to battle teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases by making condoms available to students as young as 12 years old, a Huffington Post article reported.

In Springfield, the School Committee voted 5-1 last Thursday in favor of the "Comprehensive Reproductive Health Policy."

Under the program, students would be able to acquire condoms from school nurses and high-school based clinics, The Republican reported.

The district would notify parents before the program takes effect, giving them the chance to opt their children out. Any students who receive the contraceptives would be counseled on abstinence as well as proper storage and use.

Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno called the policy "the smart move to make," according to a NY Daily News article.

A second vote of approval is required before the program is implemented.