School caught in condom controversy

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. (WTNH) -- There is condom controversy in New Britain, as one school considers letting a group hand out condoms to high school students.

For 19 years, New Britain's Pathways/Senderos Center has worked with at-risk kids like Dennis Villanueva and his sister Davalis, teaching them, among other things, about the hardships of teenage pregnancy.

"You have those kids that talk about sex all the time, I mean it's mentioned in music a lot too," said Dennis Villanueva, New Britain junior.

New Britain has the second highest teen pregnancy rate in the state.

"Some young people believe that by becoming parents they will move themselves into adulthood," said RoseAnne Bilodeau, "it's like a rights of passage, for a number of people."

RoseAnne Bilodeau, director of the center, says the center teaches abstinence, but ending lowering teen pregnancy statistics must go far beyond that. She says her success lies in the hundreds of kids who passed through there, with only three getting pregnant.

"We are working with middle school youngsters then as they start to mature, go into high school, we teach about reproductive health care," said Bilodeau.

Unfortunately, not every student can come to the Pathways-Senderos program, but the school board has an idea to curb teenage pregnancy rates by passing out condoms to students.

"I think it's limited, by agreeing to distribute birth-control information, we should be distributing to boys and girls, more so to girls, because who's at greater risk, who's going to lose more in pregnancy," Bilodeau said.

The board will vote next month; another month of debate to see if condoms would avoid a story such as this:

"You have a friend who's pregnant right now," asked News 8's Jamie Muro.

"Uh-huh," said Davalis Villanueva, New Britain freshmen.

"How old," asked Muro.

"14," Davalis said.

"What do you think about that," Muro asked.

"I"m shocked, because she's too young," Davalis said.