Ballard High School in Seattle, Washington has triggered a dispute over parental rights when it arranged for an abortion of a teenage girl during school hours without notifying her parents. While the parents signed a consent form to allow her to use the clinic, they never agreed that such trips to the nurse would include an abortion.
The school put the teenager in a taxi and arranged for the abortion at a site another location.
T.J. Cosgrove of the King County Health Department noted that “[a]t any age in the state of Washington, an individual can consent to a termination of pregnancy.”
I have long opposed such a sweeping rule and denial of parental rights. In some states a school needs parental permission to give a girl an aspirin but not an abortion. For a prior column, click here. While I support the right of a teenager to seek a court exception for parental notification, I believe parents have a right to be informed of such a procedure at a minimum.
For the full story, click here.
I didn’t expect to be respected for my views. I expected respect as a human being. Sadly, it appears this blog isn’t the place for that.
Chris….
Here’s an idea, spring for a box of condoms then you won;t have to worry about the cost of an abortion!
If a woman can choose whether or not to keep a child then I should be able to choose whether or not to pay for it.
Lady Liberty:
“I realize my faith isn’t objectively provable or rational. It’s just something that has touched my heart. I am educated, and respect other viewpoints (and the right of parents to raise their children according to their respective viewpoints). I don’t push my views on people and I fully expect to not be ridiculed for mine.”
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In what forum besides religion could you (or would you) assert that your beliefs are true, for no other reason than, they “touched your heart,” and not be laughed off the dais. The problem is not, as you concede, that you believe things with no good reason to do so, but that you expect everyone to sit idly by and respect you for it. One need not respect those ideas unworthy of respect. To wit,if I firmly and sincerely believe that Angelina Jolie will leave Brad Pitt and all her children to come and live with me because she “has touched my heart,” can you think of any adjective to describe me except crazy? Maybe you kindly refer to me as deluded by wishful thinking or full of hope, but worthy of respect, I think not.
(Thanks to author-skeptic Sam Harris for the example).
Lady Liberty,
For an American to attack the Canadian health care system is a joke. It was actually a premier who went to the US for treatment that he was unable to get here, and yes that does happen occasionally and guess what…our government still pays for it!!! I believe that I also read that Sarah Palin and her family were known to come to Canada for health care.
Really you don’t believe in irresponsible consequence…ohhh that’s right, you believe that spanking is appropriate consequence, I forgot.
As for your other arguments, when you can respond without contradicting yourself I’ll be happy to reply
None, moron. If you actually looked at my example, you would see that I believe spanking should be used to communicate a danger they are too young to logically comprehend.
Also, I live in reality, not Africa. Please learn how to properly debate.
“For me, that means no abortion and, yes, perhaps an occasional spanking if it is warranted.”
– Lady Liberty
I missed that at first. How many spankings does the pregnant daughter get?
“First, Circumsicion IS a parental decision and, it just might save your child from contracting STDs, including HIV.”
– Lady Liberty
In parts of Africa people believe that circumcised men therefore do not need to use condoms to prevent HIV. Guess how that’s working out?
Should parents who learn that their daughter has the BRCA1/2 gene be allowed to order a prophylactic mastectomy to prevent a life threatening disease? Act now to save your adult daughter from breast cancer and your adult son from HIV!
After all, it’s not their body until they turn 18. It’s yours. Mutilate it. Drug it. Test it at will. Assault it. Love them enough to protect them. This is the obligation of a thinking parent.
Well, that’s just great. I live in America, where my insurance will cover my child’s circumcision, and should my child ever make a mistake (like the one you guys claim to be so forgiving of), he will be substantially less likely to contract a life-threatening disease from it. Furthermore, I don’t know a single person whose baby had a botched circumcision–maybe that’s a side-effect of you guys socializing medicine (the competent docs go elsewhere). Hey, didn’t you guys Prime Minister come to the U.S. for treatment? LOL. You guys are full of it….
“I believe in teaching children consequence, however forcing a young woman to give birth to an unwanted baby is not only an irresponsible consequence for that woman, but also to the baby.”
That sure is some sound reasoning. Except, there is no such thing as an irresponsible consequence, just irresponsible choices and, in this case, the choice was made when the sex was had. Can you please explain to me how committing a mortal sin would even be “an irresponsible consequence?” Adoption is a loving choice, and one she can look back on with pride, not shame.
Also, more importantly– exactly how is an abortion better for a baby than being placed with loving adoptive parents or being raised by the young, married birth parents?
It sickens me that this is even considered debatable (by some of the very same people who don’t think of human-caused “climate change” as such.
my issue would be that they took a minor child off school grounds during school hours without parental permission. if she is a minor, the story isn’t clear on that. i don’t feel that you can compell another human to carry a baby to term regardless of her relation to you.
Lady Liberty,
I was making no accusations, I was simply pointing out the facts. Children who come from homes with parents who feels that they have some type of ownership over them are typically the ones who rebel in adolescents. I agree, adults do not become parents to make friends, nor do they become parents so that they can own another huma being. A parent is given the wonderful gift of being able to pass on their experience and knowledge and to give 100% unconditional love to another human being. I believe in teaching children consequence, however forcing a young woman to give birth to an unwanted baby is not only an irresponsible consequence for that woman, but also to the baby.
” First, Circumsicion IS a parental decision and, it just might save your child from contracting STDs, including HIV. “..Lady Liberty
Perhaps you should read up on the facts regarding circumcision. In Canada, where we have universal health care coverage, circumcision is not covered unless deemed medically necessary. This procedure has been de-listed because it is not necessary, it can cause death in infants, and has been proven to decrease sexual sensitivity in men. Female circumcision, performed regularly in middle eastern countries, is a procedure seen as barbaric in western countries for good reason and yet there are people who still believe it to be necessary in men.
http://www.courtchallenge.com/papers/court1.html
In terms of STI’s…any person having unprtected casual sex not using condoms is leaving themselves in a position to be infected an STI. Once again Lady Liberty, the most loving thing that a parent can do for a child is give them the education needed to stay safe.
Lady Liberty,
Your prose illustrates that you are educated and I never doubted that aspect about you.
FFLEO-
C’mon man, don’t be insulting. I realize my faith isn’t objectively provable or rational. It’s just something that has touched my heart. I am educated, and respect other viewpoints (and the right of parents to raise their children according to their respective viewpoints). I don’t push my views on people and I fully expect to not be ridiculed for mine. I feel sorry for you that you feel compelled to do so.
Lady Liberty wrote:
“God gave people free will, so I am personally pro-choice– for adults, not my minor child.”
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You deserve credit for your recognition of the difference between adults and children with your pro-choice stance for adults, especially since you believe in an anthropomorphic man-god that disperses free will. You demonstrated that you could squeeze in some native reasoning between blind, irrational faith and belief in the supernatural.
CC- You’re hilarious! Luckily, not too many people around here would try it. Puzzling, calm down.
First, Circumsicion IS a parental decision and, it just might save your child from contracting STDs, including HIV.
Second, parents are NOT allowed to beat their children. Yes, they are allowed to spank, but there are a number of restrictions on how a parent can physically discipline their child. If spanking is what you actually have a problem with, just say so. We can disagree, but you don’t have to embellish your arguments.
Third, parents have a right to know if they’re child is on drugs. Parents aren’t there to be a friend. They are there to look out for the best interest of their child. For me, that means no abortion and, yes, perhaps an occasional spanking if it is warranted (like if my 2 year old develops a habit of running into the street every time he gets in or out of the car). I don’t know what is wrong with you that you have a problem with this, but my guess is misery loves company. Made some youthful mistakes, huh? Well, we all have, but I, as a parent, love my child enough to protect them while I can from making terrible mistakes.
Parents do not own the bodies of their offspring.
The government protects “parental rights” today by allowing parents to beat children at whim for two decades, to mutilate young bodies with circumcision, and even to coerce drug tests by children in hospitals.
Giving biological parents the authority to compel a child to give birth is monstrous. That decision is the child’s alone.
Lady Liberty:
you must have a very large cartridge box.
Queen of Sheba-
You are exactly what’s wrong in this country.
“When a teenager finds out she’s pregnant, she is panic-stricken. All she wants is not to be pregnant anymore. She should have the right to make that decision and carry it out without anyone standing in her way, including her parents and a judge.”
You sound like a damn baby. If she opened her legs to get pregnant, she can open ’em again for the delivery.
How dare you act like you know better for my children then I would. I would at least know enough to make them take responsibility for their actions.
“Why is it that you believe that you have the right to force your teenaged daughter to live a life that you have chosen for her?”
I think you mean the life she chose for herself. Pregnancy doesn’t just happen. There is an affirmative act involved (rape is a different matter). My decision would dictate one aspect of her life for 9 months—after which she would be free of the lifelong moral burden of having killed her child. Why is it you believe people should influence my child to do this? Sick.
“Sadly it is exactly that type of attitude that drives young woman to seek guidance from virtual strangers rather than the parents who love them conditionally.”
You have a lot of nerve to accuse me of loving my daughter conditionally simply because I would prevent her from killing my unborn grandchild. I can think of nothing that would make me prouder as a parent than to see my daughter own up to a mistake in a mature, moral way. God gave people free will, so I am personally pro-choice– for adults, not my minor child.
Concerned Citizen- Although I’ve received my education in Los Angeles and D.C. I will be raising my child in South Dakota, and my partner will be home-schooling to boot. It’d be hard for my kid to get any abortion. Not to mention, I’ve got a bullet for anyone who tries to destroy my child’s soul.