March 25, 2010
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Abortion at 15
A parent is upset because her 15-year-old daughter received an abortion with the assistance of her high school nurse.
He daughter was given a pregnancy test at the school clinic. She was informed by the nurse that she could get an abortion without her parent’s knowledge.
Someone called a taxi for her daughter and then the mother is saying that Planned Parenthood discouraged the girl from telling her parents. Here is the link: Link
According to the article, a “girl of any age can get an abortion without her parent’s being notified.
Is 15 too young to get an abortion without parental consent?
Comments (177)
No.
Uhm, 1st amendment infringement.
Parents should know that their kid is sexually active though. Get involved parents!
Damn straight.
uhm wow. how can you NOT tell your parents? who pays? that can’t be cheap, for one thing. second, that’s just wrong.
I’m surprised that everyone encouraged her to keep her parents in the dark about it…
@laurenmaureen - Universal healthcare! Or not.
The girl is not a legal adult yet, so the parents/guardians should be informed.
15 is too young to be having sex, let alone have an abortion… but i’m shocked that the nurse/whoever encouraged her to not tell her parents… terrible.
Yes
How much different, as far as maturity and being able to handle a situation like this, is a 15 year old from a 16, or 17 year old? 15 years old is too young to get pregnant. The real question is, why is this 15 year old pregnant?
All I have to say is let somone do that with my daughter when she is that age and see what happens..My family is very old school you play you pay so thats not an option in our home sorry
@love_tifferz - 15 is way to young..i agree! I would like to be informed..that’s down
right ridiculous they didn’t tell the parents.
I have to give permission for my daughter to take her inhaler at school. Surgery? Uh, yeah, I’d want to know. Taken off school grounds? In a taxi? I have to give permission for daughter to ride a school bus five blocks to the bowling alley for PE class unit on bowling.
Start them off as young killers. Prepare for the next war!
She’s a minor, so her parents should definitely be informed.
In most states girls are technically emancipated when they become pregnant, therefore they are legal adults. Should people have encouraged her to keep it a secret? Hell no. Should she be legally permitted to keep it a secret? I’d have to say yes.
Things are pretty backwards when someone under the age of 18 cannot get a piercing or tattoo without their parents’ consent, but can get an abortion without their knowledge OR consent.
How would parents not notice that their daughter is pregnant?
No. What if its the dad that impregnated her, or the mom who pimped her out.
Shit happens. Its so awful that most people don’t think about it.
Yes.
Some responsible adult in the girls household needs to know. Abortions can have rare but serious complications following the procedure. If the girl began hemorraging or something she could easily bleed to death and her parents would have no clue what’s going on. Also in the event that something goes wrong like hemorraging or infection the parents are responsible for the follow up treatment, ER bills etc. If the parents are not fit to know then they are probably not fit parents in the first place yet those who say they care enough to help the girl get an abortion still send her back to live with parents that horrible? All they care about is that she not have a child they are showing no concern whatsoever for her welfare. It makes me sick.
No. I’ve read stories about young girls getting severely beaten or even killed because their parents found out about their daughter’s pregnancy &/or abortion. It’s not an issue to me about sex or the baby right now, it’s also about the girl’s overall personal safety.
I DO agree that if the girl is under the age of consent, the police should be notified because of possible statutory rape charges. Rape victims are protected from the press so even then the girls will still have privacy.
No. It is not.
15 is too young to be having sex… But to answer your question, Yes!!!
@DilogicalDisorder - Interesting. I’ve always wondered that. Are you actually emancipated when you have a kid? Or just when you become pregnant? Do you have any info on that? It’s always made me wonder – how can a child’s parent not be a legal adult?
its her body.
If she wanted to do it alone that’s her choice.
I think the girl only ended up telling her mother because she didn’t have a choice,
She had to go to the hospital and they had to know.
A girl that young shouldn’t have had to make that decision alone though.
Is it wrong; no.
Did it happen to quickly to where I don’t think she had enough time to consider her options; yes.
yes i think that since abortions wont ever be illegal that parents should have to sign a paper if they arent 18 or over
@musicmom60 - HAHA i know, right? i feel like when i was in public school (last year) you needed a permission slip for EVERYTHING.
I think we need to focus on the fact that the school put the girl in a cab and sent her off campus without permission.
The parents should have been at least of all informed.
Yes 15 is too young. She couldn’t possibly understand what she is actually doing, and the psychological repercussions that go along with having an abortion. Her parents should have the right to talk with her and influence her decision.
@musicmom60 - I should have read your comment before I commented.
@RawrCarolann - Good point; it sounds like the whole episode took place in a single afternoon. She probably *didn’t* get a chance to weigh her options.
It was up to her, but she did have the right to think about it if she needed to. I hope it’s actually what she wanted.
@love_tifferz said it best
yes.
Thats illegal… It says that they have to have parent consent in order to have one… jeeze FAIL for the parents for not being involved and EPIC FAIL to the school.
Those parents should sue the shit out of that district. I know my mother would thats bull. WRONG
@laurenmaureen - It’s free where I am.
@KcGivesHi5s - And where I am it is completely legal, at any age, to have an abortion without parental consent.
@am_i_tiny_yet - That just seems very strange to me, no offense. Abortion shouldnt be a form of birth control, and shouldn’t be something seen as the “only way out”. I mean, hey that’s how it goes sometimes.. But her parents should have been involved instead of some school nurse pushing her to do it.
age matters. we don’t think we changed/matured much from year to year, but looking back, we’ve all matured. some more than others.
i agree with many others here who propose that her situation should be investigated.
i don’t think any girl, regardless of age, needs parental consent to have an abortion, but they should have guidance, be it from friends, siblings, parents.
the school nurse should’ve have had the girl explain why she didn’t want her parents to know and evaluate the situation. if there seemed to be potential harm from her parents if they knew about her abortion, then she shouldn’t tell them. but if she’s just really embarrassed and scared that she’d get into big trouble (which she should), then her parents should know.
To leave school grounds, the parents should have been notified, but it should not have happened during school hours. There is a confidentiality that nurses can be sued for if they break it.
@DilogicalDisorder - I agree with you.
@EilisAngelos - You make a valid point. I guess some would say it’s not permanent, whereas a tattoo (but not piercing) is. BUT, in fact, abortions ARE permanent…maybe not physically, but emotionally.
@KcGivesHi5s - No offense taken, I didn’t make the law.
But I agree, while she had every right to have this abortion, I think a 15 year old on her own would have told her parents, and then other options would have opened up. The nurse pushing should definately be evaluated.
Yes. This conversation has been had. She can’t give consent if she had any other surgical procedure, to get her ears pierced, get a tattoo, or anything else. I think in this case her parents needed informed. I think she needed to be better advised and she shouldn’t have just been given the option of an abortion right after she found out she was pregnant. There should have been the chance to think about it.
yes…
This is an issue of school vs parent. Mom should have been talking to her dauter about sex and what not prior too her daughters fear of telling her mom she’s making babies. THEN school nurse should know that a 15 year old is NOT old enough to make that decision on her own.
Nurse playing mom.
Mom playing nurse.
Daughter trying to figure out how to live on her own… lame. lame lame lame.
And now she has scars. But I hope they are all well and moving on with their lives knowing that, moving on is possible.
@DilogicalDisorder - you took the words outta my mouth.
If the kid knew she was ready to have sex, and did, she obviously is old enough to make her own decisions when it came to an abortion. That’s all I have to say!
Wow. Thats all I have to say.
@KcGivesHi5s - people don’t just use abortions for a form of birth control. Why shouldn’t a 15 year old be able to make her own decisions when it comes to a baby? If she didn’t have an abortion, it would just be one more girl out there who can’t afford to have a baby, and just one more mouth to feed. People need to get over this whole ‘teenager’s are stupid, and adults are smart’. I know plenty of adults out there who are less responsible than 15 year olds.
This article royally pissed me off. And so are most of the comments. Lets just leave it at that.
Her parents should be informed. Yes.
@dlmcniel - 1st Amendment?
If she (or my son) is still living within my household, fully supported, I would want to know. The difference is that the public school systems, (Government controlled) and planned parenthood feel that it is acceptable to demean the parent’s will in the matter. All for the sake of “freedom of choice”. Yet we, americans, will be forced without choice to adopt and finance this new healthcare bill. To hell with them all…I will die before I let them control the lives of my own family. I will not let them influence my children at such a young age.
@SKANLYN - well shoot man how else would the parents find out if it weren’t for the media?
“…the worker told her that if she kept quiet the procedure would be free, but if she told her parents they would have to pay for the abortion.”
What the crap?!? Is that even legal?
@LissaMcneil -
She couldn’t possibly understand what she is actually doing
Doesn’t understand the medical procedure she is having yet you expect her to know how to raise a child?
@KcGivesHi5s - Sue them for what? The loss of child rearing expenses for the kid their daughter can’t afford to raise at her age?
@EilisAngelos - Tattoos are permanent. An abortion prevents something that’s permanent. Piss poor analogy. Try again.
I think so. 15 year olds are dumb. I’m sorry, but I remember being 15 and being stupid and doing stupid things.
Plus abortions are expensive…where did she get that much money?
if you have a 15 year old pregnant daughter and you don’t know it, ……………………you could be a shitty parent !
if youre old enough to have sex then youre old enough to make that decision and no one else should influence it or persuade you to do, or not do, it.
Well, I’ve read stories (from people directly involved in the situation) of parents forcing their child to have an abortion or forcing them to give birth to their child. I can sort of understand where this girl is coming from, but to discourage her from telling her parents is wrong, IMO. I do feel that 15 is too young to have an abortion, but it’s also pretty young to be having sex in the first place. Not the appropriate way to deal with the consequences in my mind, but I’m not this girl.
no
Do they need parental consent to get pregnant?
It’s her life, her decision to make, her choice to tell or not to tell whomsoever she pleases.
Some parents would force them to have the child, while others would force them to have an abortion, while in either case it should have been the childbearer’s choice. Of course there’s the matter of capacity to care for the child, but of course this is a nation where we require licenses to test one’s capacity for driving but not child rearing.
No. If she does not choose to destroy the rest of her life, that should be her option.
@RawrCarolann - Depends on how you look at it. Assuming she used medical insurance to help pay for the abortion, I wouldn’t say it should be her choice at the age of 15. Since her parents are paying for her medical insurance, they should definitely know if she’s planning to get a procedure done to fix a condition that she herself inflicted (again, assuming she wasn’t raped).
In the end though, too many holes in the story to really come to a conclusive opinion. I can see both sides of the argument, I suppose.
15 is too young to be having sex. Period.
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Yes
No one should be having sex b4 marriage, or if they did, they shouldnt have an abortion.
I wonder what the situation was. If it was an “oops we messed up and I’m pregnant, so I’ll just get an abortion” situation, I think that yes, the parents should have known, and I’m rather surprised at the behavior of the nurse.
The question is, is 15 too young to be getting pregnant point blank? Answer: yes.
yes
Abortions without parental consent shouldnt even be legal… Parents, should most definately be informed. Period.
Um, hello, regardless if 15 is too young or not to have an abortion, everyone is just okay with letting a public SCHOOL handle this like it’s no big deal? Is the school going to be the one to mentally and emotionally help the girl through the aftermath? Are they going to pay for and help her should she have some sort of complication or infection as a result of said abortion? Will they help her with the 2nd, 3rd and 4th should she need one?
You REALLY want your family’s decisions in the hands of a school? And acting on them during school hours when you think your kid is safe at school?
BEER! Ummm…what was the question?
She made the choice to have sex.
Therefore, She has the right to make the choice to have an abortion.
Her body, Her choices.
something seems wrong, doesn’t seem like a responsible use of freedoms…
the parents gave the school permission for the 15yo to receive off campus medical care. 15 is young for an abortion, but much too young to have kids. hopefully this experience has taught the kid to keep her damn legs shut. unless of course the fetus was a result of a non-consent. the article didn’t say.
The responsibilities of a child are going to be around a lot longer than her time under mommy and daddy’s roof. Are they supposed to make a decision for her that, at the very least, will consume 18 years of her life? When she’s 35 she’s still supposed to be living with their choice?
if your old enough to have sex your old enough to make a decision like that. i dont think that they should but i understand.
Well, look… The kid GOT pregnant without her parents knowledge… She is the one who has to live with her decisions.
She may have very good reasons for NOT telling her parents. Just because “Parents” are adults, it does not mean they are all safe and sane and mentally healthy and able to be rational about stuff…
That said, it is always such an individual case that it has to be handled on an individual basis.
.
I suspect that the 15 year old girl should be in counseling or therapy…. that should be a requirement for teen pregnancy anyway….
.
.
I don’t think 15 is too young.
And I’d have to agree with @DilogicalDisorder , while I don’t think anyone should be encouraging her to keep it a secret I think she should be allowed to if she wants.
I got my abortion at 17 and no one in my family knows about it. I don’t see why any girl should be forced to share that sort of private information.
@Lithium98 - That’s an easy one! She was having sex.
Hope that answered your question.
Sex is a choice. Just a little’ol choice like driving a car. You risk the chance of a car accident… but you wanna drive yea?
Abortion is a choice. Life or death. Who decides life or death? who? I can’t speak for every woman in the world… but I can speak for me. I choose life. Damn the consequences. But that’s just me. I’m not a 15 year old girl anymore. If I was having sex at fifteen and got pregers, I prob still would choose life cause… well, I’m all “mommyish” like that. I don’t like the idea of babies dying. And that’s abortion whether we like it or not… life happens. It happens all the time. So does death. This is life… life is to live. This is death… death is to sleep. We are either awake and living or sleeping… and we make choices everyday with those mindsets.
Dear 15 year old,
Life goes on
*truth*
passby^^
There’s a very strange stigma attached to being preggers, I’m not certain on the issue of parental consensus, but it were suddenly enacted, I can see people “self-aborting” or getting ostracized from the family.
Yes. What a sad story.
It makes me sad that she had to hide her pregnancy and I certainly hope she wasn’t “talked into” going through with the abortion. What must her home life be like? I pray that mother and daughter can be reconciled through this. Now that 15 year old is going to have some serious issues to have to work through for the rest of her life. Poor thing, my prayers are with her…and those involved.
I’d want to know if my teenage child was pregnant, hell I’d want to know if my adult child was pregnant, so that I could offer support. Now what I don’t like is the fact that the school nurse got so involved in the matter.
Yes.
It’s sad that she didn’t want to tell her parents. But it’s a hard lesson to learn and I doubt she’s taking it “lightly”. First ammendment rights would have been infringed upon if she was forced to tell her family. I do hope she gets help.
At 15 I couldn’t even get a temporary driver’s license without my parent’s consent, or any medical procedure. Why is abortion (another medical procedure) different?
My sister is 15. I can’t even imagine her having sex, much less getting an abortion.
@ShimmerBodyCream - totally. Always gotta be prepared!
15 year olds should be given a choice.they have to live with the consequences and face facts- parents always right. What is right to you isn’t to everyone so let the kid decide. i’m prolife but, I understand from the teen’s point of view and that’s what most of society needs to do. At 19 when I got pregnant I was scared shitless- how do you think a 15 year old feels? Don’t scrutinize her for it. The nurses actions? She was trying to help. There need to be more places and people like that.
Perhaps if her parents had been much more vigilant in their parenting, she wouldn’t have been in such a perdictiment.
The fact that this question even has to be debated makes me sick.
Yes. Any age under 18 is too young to get an abortion.
I think schools should be obligated to inform the parents whenever their child takes a pregnancy test, whether it be positive and negative. And in no way should the school persuade a student to get an abortion especially by telling them that their parents dont have to know. what if something goes wrong? what is she has a bad reaction? Parents should also be informed of everything reguarding their child. Think about it… teachers send home failing grades to be signed so that parents know… the principal informs parents when their child has a detention… both are minor offenses compared to have a medical ‘procedure’ on your child without your knowledge.
I am extremely PRO LIFE so any age to me is un acceptable to get an abortion.
If you “mature” enough to have sex and stupid enough to do it unprotected then you should be mature enough to accept the consequences.
The mother in this situation has every right to be upset. If you said that 15 year olds have a right to go behind their parents backs and get an abortion you are out of your freaking mind. And I pray you never have kids.
@sarahb_86 - thats not true. kids do whatever they want and it really doesnt matter what atmosphere they are raised in.
@elrobinson57 - “kids do whatever they want and it really doesnt matter what atmosphere they are raised in.”
Permit me to disagree. Children who grow up in stable homes are much less likely to get themselves in compromising positions such as this. Just as children who are not are more likley to end up on the street, doing drugs, and as underage parents.
Claiming that kids will do whatever they want is just an excuse used by poor parents to excuse their shitty parenting skills. If you truly care about your kids, you will be close enough to them to discuss things, in relation to this incident, such as contraception and even abstinence, should your views go that way. Parenting is about trust between the parent and the child. Unfortunetly, if you are unwilling to establish trust and teach your children respect, they will end up in a similar situation as the girl in the story.
@sarahb_86 - Well I dont have kids… I’m 20 years old and I know the kids will do whatever they want. I understand that your opinion is based one majority. And we dont know what kind of home this girl was raised in, but the fact the her mother cares about the issue tells me she comes from a relatively good home. I know that there were girls I want to school with that came from healthy, happy homes that still snuck around their parents backs to drink, smoke, and have sex. Its a teenager thing. I’m sure you did things when you were a teen that your parents didnt know about…
I know from personal expereince that the home life you have doesnt nessesarly matter in cases like this. I come from a very tight knit family, we are all very close and open with each other. On that same note I also come from a strong christian home (pentecostal specificly) my grand father is a preacher and my father is a youth minister. However, my sister got pregnant her senior year of high school. yes.. my parents were upset and disappointed but they gave her suppor and now shes is a wonderful wife and mother of 2 handsome boys.
I do appreciate your opinion. I think its a agree to disagree situation…lol
I personally could never have an abortion, and think it is “wrong” but there are obviously times when it’s the woman’s only choice. It doesn’t make anyone who gets an abortion a bad person in my mind, so don’t get me wrong. And 15 isn’t too young to get an abortion if she is too young to be a mother, of course she should have thought about the consequences and hopefully used protection and it failed instead of not using protection at all. People make mistakes. But to be encouraged not to tell her parents? Maybe it’s just me but I would think having an abortion might cause certain emotions to surface, and to not tell the people who care for you what you’re going through? Wrong. She needs their support.
Nope.
@MangoWOW - Thank you! I was this close to hiring the Scooby Gang to help me figure it out. Fred and Daphney would’ve figured it out in no time. Velma… not so much. ;D
Can she get her appendix removed in that state without parental consent? If pro-choicers are right then this question reduces to that question.
The case is much clearer if pro-lifers are right. Who should be notified when a mother kills her child?
Recently one of my fave TV shows did an episode or two with this whole scenario, only it was the guidance counselor giving out the info. She was actually ordered to give a written and oral apology to the community, but she refused. The school board fired her, or tried to, she actually asked to be moved to a rival school, and they allowed it.
@SKANLYN - Oh get off your high horse. It was merely ONE example. My point was that I think it’s ridiculous to require parental consent for non-medical procedures (I notice you didn’t mention permanence of piercing, or lack thereof) that are far less invasive than abortions and take a far lower emotional and physical toll on a person. There are many medical (setting emotions aside) complications that can arise from abortions, and leaving parents in the dark about it can hinder their ability to care for their child.
I didn’t make my comment to call anyone out on anything, merely to comment on an aspect of this that I find to be disturbing. Stop accusing people of making poor analogies when yours don’t hold much more water themselves. Can’t we just agree to disagree?
@DilogicalDisorder - I agree with this.
Moreover, we don’t know the whole story. We don’t know what this child would have had to face when she went home nor do we know who the father is etc. We are all looking at it from the perspective of what if it were my daughter. We would be disappointed in our child, but we are not going to beat her, disown her, or anything more than make her face the consequences of her choices.
@EilisAngelos - You are obviously a stupid idiot. I left out piercings because, like abortions, I see no need for parental permission there either. An abortion allows a 15 year old girl to finish school and get a decent job. On the other hand, if you start letting these bitches get all inked up during their emo phase, when it comes time for them to go into the work place no one will hire them. Consequently, my taxes are raised to pay for their sorry asses (as well as those of the illegitimate kids they failed to abort because mommy and daddy wouldn’t allow it).
@ChaoyD - Planned Parenthood told the girl if she did not tell her mother, and kept it quite the procedure would be free.
So i’m guessing no payment was necessary because she did as PP told her.
@SKANLYN - Oh yes, missing your lack of implied point makes me stupid.
You’re making an awful lot of assumptions about me merely based on the fact that you disagree with something that I said.
By the way, I never said that I thought the age of consent for tattoos should be lowered. You’ve missed all of the points I was making, assumed that I disagreed with every one of your points, then bashed me for having my own opinion. Oh yes, it’s all so clear now. I AM a fool.Thank you for showing me the light.
@EilisAngelos - Exactly.
I’m sure they didn’t make her not tell her parents. I doubt she wanted to tell her parents and they simply told her she doesn’t have to if she doesn’t want to. 15 is too young to be having sex in my book but honestly until fathers’ rights improve I could care less.
Are you kidding… 15 years old is a minor by law… yes, the parents should know… this is a child we’re talking about here, whether she’s sexually active or not…
you already asked almost the same question.
http://thetheologianscafe.xanga.com/721701898/underaged-abortions-without-consent/
no its not. she was old enough to get pregnant so she’s old enough to get the abortion.
It’s a legal thing. Personally, I think 15 is too young to be having sex, let alone getting an abortion. But that’s just my personal belief, not the legal system’s. Parents should be involved with their kids and know what they are up to, at least to something of this extent (how could you not know your kid was having sex? The signs are there).
About the article: It sounds like the nurse was just doing her job. When a student comes to the school nurse, the nurse is obligated to give all options available to the student. In this case, the clinic was one of the options. It’s not like the nurse said “You should go to this clinic and abort the baby.” The school can’t be held liable for what the girl did. All in all, despite the age, she made the decision to get in the taxi. The story is too vague to tell if the school actually had a hand in sending the girl to the clinic. It clearly states that the girl called the taxi. I think the mother is probably more upset that her daughter got pregnant in the first place. I think most people are missing the point of this one.
If her parents can’t her to HAVE an abortion, then they can’t force her to not have one either.
I came from the plug about Stephy…. who is Stephy?
Yes, I think it is.
Okay honestly everyone stop saying fifteen is too young to have sex, I do agree yes. But that’s no the point, the point is she was pregnant. Of course she should not have to tell her parents, it’s her body.She is the one who is going to be carrying the baby around, it’s her baby. Fifteen is old enough to understand that kind of decision.
Simply, yes.
Yes. There are serious emotional and physical consequences to an abortion, so the girl should inform her parents of what she is doing.
It’s her body, she should be able to do whatever she wants with it. The parents have no one to be upset with other than their selves for being crappy parents.
15 sounds young, but it’s her own right, she is not obligated to tell her parents.
Yes. You’re a minor until you’re 18.
this country is so screwed up. i have to call my mom for permission to take motrin at school, but i can kill my baby and not say a word?
to answer the question, yes. if you are under your parents’ rules it is THEIR decision if you have an abortion or not.
No It is her body, and it would be her heartache if she were to give it up for adoption or her responsibility if she decided to keep it, so why should it NOT be her choice? It is not a mothers problem to deal with…So the daughter has every right to privacy and choices made with her body no matter what her age, we are not talking about a piercing or tattoo we are talking about an un born child….HER un born child…so parental consent would honestly violate her rights as a citizen, a patient, AND a mother…. so I say NO
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Parents should be informed. I’m not sure about consent, but the parents should have a chance to talk to her and the option to go with her. At 15 she is still a minor and her parents should be involved. What if she had medical complications?
The girl is way to young to be having sex and should own up to her mistakes , but in the end it is HER body and HER choice. Her parents cant force her to have a baby.
She is a child who belongs to her parents and not to the school. The school has no business procuring an surgical procedure to kill her child without notifying her parents. I would hope they file criminal charges against the nurse.
Yes, 15 is too young, but there are exceptions. Perhaps she was raped. Maybe her parents are in a strict religion–they could disown her or kick her out of the house or do something worse. Or they could force her to have the baby out of rape. This is just a situation – not having to do with the real story.
Despite it being her body and her choice, because I am pro-choice, she shouldn’t have had a choice to make this decision because she is way too young to be having sex in the first place.
But since it is going to happen anyways, I think being that young, you SHOULD tell a parent.
A young girl shouldn’t have to inform her parents. Because the parents may force her to do one thing or the other. I know there have been cases where girls have been forced to have babies against their will because of their the religious beliefs of their parents. That isn’t right.
Also, what @Shinbi_Belldandy said.
Being a Mom I would want to be told ultimately it would have to be her decision wither it would be what I would choose or not
If a 15 year old girl can give the consent to have sex without parental permission, why can’t she get an abortion without parental consent? lol
She decides to conceive a life mistakingly, she has every right to decide and give consent to abort it.
If she had her parents’ permission, I’d say “no.” But, since she went behind their back like this, I’ll have to say “yes.”
The girl shouldn’t have opened her legs if she didnt want a child.
She just killed something living..
and her parents should have known about it, because later on shes probably going to regret it and how is she going to tell her parents then?
Lies just build up to more lies. -.-
It doesn’t matter what age you are, abortion is wrong! That is next to murderer!
I’m kind of on the fence about this one. Part of me wants to say her parents should have been informed, because what if something had gone wrong? But then again, what would her parents have done to her if they HAD been informed of her pregnancy? Scary on both sides.
If I’d ever had a daughter, I would hope she’d tell me herself if she were pregnant. I would hope she’d know that I wouldn’t judge her for it, and that I’d be thrilled to be a granny. But I know not all girls are blessed with understanding parents.
no. she had sex she can take care of her problems herself in anyway. people need to shut there face and just worry about themselves.
That’s a huge decision for anyone to make.. at 15…. I think that her parents should have been notified. What if something had gone wrong?!
Where were the parents? I understand it was her choice. Seriously?
If this where my daughter I would sue every single person thaT was involved right down to the taxi driver. Then I would grap my 7MM and found out where the doctor live that kill my grand child. Killing of unwanted childern is the lowest any socitey can go. I’m just spouting off. It breakes my heart to know this what out socitey has come to. We have the far left and planned parent hood wanting to teach sex ed in school to prevent preg. it has had the opposite effect and thats what they want. Do all you left wing tree huggers realize that in the US that a magority of abortions are preformed on black babies
Sorry, but YES it is!!!
What is the definition of a minor?
Who raises your kids, you or the nanny-state?
I know a lot of Xanga readers are too young to grasp this simple fact, but a simple fact it is.
As for those “parents” who abuse their children, that is what Child Protective Services is for. And they are the exception, not the rule, okay?
But hey, let’s hear it for Planned Parenthood, empowering older guys to get nubile underage poon-tang!
@Rob_of_the_Sky -
How would parents not notice that their daughter is pregnant?
You do understand that it takes at least several months before a woman starts to show, don’t you? My, the innocence of the young.
Until one becomes 18 years of age, he or she is a child by legal definition. A child is subject to the supervision of her lawful parents or guardian. A child cannot be held responsible for her actions except under certain legal provisions. Nor can a child enter into a contract or agreement without parental permission. The parents are Responsible in all cases. Therefore… in something as traumatic as a minor daughter becoming pregnant- and the option being held out for that adolescent to terminate the baby (the grandchild of those parents!)- doesn’t it stand to reason that parental notification AND consent be mandatory? This is a no-brainer… unless you’re a fanatic leftist who’s committed to leaving no baby unaborted in your quest for power.
Absolutely yes. She’s a minor. Her parents are responsible for her safety and wellbeing. I’m 100% pro-choice but this isn’t a matter of pro-choice or pro-life. What if the girl were 12? Would she have the mental capacity and maturity to make such a life changing decision? There’s not a big difference between 12 and 15. What if she had been injured in the procedure? Her parents should have been informed and the fact that they weren’t is ridiculous. I would have been pissed as hell if this were my child, sister, friend, whomever.
@STEVENPILL - i agree with everything you just said, up until the last sentence. I hope you don’t assume all dems are crazy because a few are. Or I could assume that you, as a republican, are a bible-thumping fundamentalist who believes gays should be quarantined and we should run around with ak-47s on our backs. Come on man. But as to your stance on the whole 15 year old abortion thing, i agree 100%
No
It’s her right for a reason
What if her parents didn’t consent to the abortion? You can’t force someone to give birth, that’s absurd.
I have to wonder what would happen to my daughter who has a high-risk of infection and needs to be pre-medicated during any invasive procedure? I can’t believe a school nurse has the right to encourage a child (yes, she’s a child) to hide something like that from her parents. I’m not stupid enough to think my kids won’t have sex, but I’d be filing a lawsuit if anyone escorted my child off school property and put her through an invasive, insanely emotional surgery and hid it from me.
No. her choice.
Isn’t it “the goal” to break away the ability/right for parents to interfere between state and child?
She’s a minor, her parents should have known.
Horrible things happen to people, as those above me have said… but they shouldn’t define the rule, they’re the exception to that rule.
yes, parents or guardian ad litem kids need somebody too sad
Absolutely. I think it was wrong for the school nurse to start telling the kid to get an abortion.
@ThingsYouDontKnowAboutMe - Dear Hilary:
Nor do I assume that you’re a “fanatic leftist”. Unfortunately, those who are are in the driver’s seat right now. Abortion on demand (preferably taxpayer funded) is one of the issues that the Left has invested a huge amount of their political capital in. Thus, they’re forced to defend it at every turn- no matter how radical or disgusting it gets. I speak mainly of the leadership here; not the rank and file. But its been my observation that, in those circles, power tends to radiate down- not up. A good number of traditional Democrats of my acquaintance- both old and young- share my viewpoint on these things. For myself, however, the moral question- devoid of poltics- is enough.
I’m the oldest sibling of my family; having a younger sister and brother in that order. But I had a brother right after me who died as a baby, the result of a car crash when he was still in the womb. I’ve often wondered how my life would have been different if I had had a brother so close to me in age. I came to accept his death as an unfortunate tragedy. However, what would I have thought had I learned that he had been aborted? That leads to a train of thought for a surviving child that could be chilling in its implications. Yet, it’s one that so many children have had to face over the last four decades. Children must not be expendable items… especially in their own minds.
no
No. I don’t agree wit abortion ne way.
Yes, because 15 is much too young to even have sex, well, at least that’s the case in the UK. She should have been allowed the abortion for a legitimate reason, but the mother should have been informed. She’s under the age of 18.
She shouldn’t have been having sex but I think it’s absolutely her choice as to what to do with it. It’s her body, and although it may have been better for her to tell her parents, she shouldn’t have to.
What if her parents didn’t let her? Or what if they were involved? Things like that happen and she cannot be FORCED to give birth.
@UTAlan - where did you read this?
@nicolemcw - the fact that you opened by saying that abortion isnt just birth control then went on to defend abortion as birth control proves the validity of the argument you hate.
@bluemoonlunareyes - you know, i think when guys murder their girlfriends because they are leaving them they should use that one (it’s my heartach if she goes to some other guy..) great argument for abortion, i couldnt stand for someone else to have the child so i might as well kill it. real balanced, real stable.
@ThingsYouDontKnowAboutMe - silly, not ak-47s, they’re nice and all, but i prefer a nice light P90.. and of course, dont forget the sidearm.
look, we all know this isnt about her rights. if it were her parents would be contacted, in a neutral setting if necessary to make sure her best interests were met . this way if they were abusing her then it would be brought to light and she could be removed from that situation. the fact of the matter is, this is about the rights of the abortion clinic to make money, the gym teacher(english teacher, principal, whatever)’s right to keep tapping that sweet stuff without ever getting caught and the state’s right to raise your child for you.
@ionekoa - Since I did Not say “oh I cant stand to give my baby away I might as well kill it” I wasnt implying that, but you take MY words and twist them into what you see fit. But I was saying SHE is the one that would hurt. I’m sorry if you think I meant it that way I was implying it was HER that would have to deal with the pain so her mother shouldn’t HAVE to know. I thought the question was should a 15 year old HAVE to have parental consent to get the abortion, not is abortion right or wrong. So the mere fact that you would to say I was saying “i couldn’t stand for someone else to have the
child so i might as well kill” as an “argument for an abortion” is completely false.
Also I am pro life and I was talking from experience since I conceived my two year old son as a teenage mother, and was completely shunned from my parents for said pregnancy. That IF she was already planning on the abortion, and was going to have one…..What was the point of possibly running her relationship with her mother over it? Therefore I was stating that she shouldn’t have to tell her parents, I never said her choice was the right one.
Also I understand you AND I think abortion is murder apparently the law doesn’t see things that way….bringing up a man murdering his girlfriend was a lack of maturity, since that was completely off topic, and is not a part of this blog . ((in my opinion))
Hope I cleared that up for you ^-^
Its what I would have done at 15.
Our of the moral thoughts, she should have told them, because it’s the right thing to do. But as a sixteen year old, if the same thing happened to me, I would not have told my parents.
What would I say? “Um, Mom? I’m pregnant. Can you drive me to the clinic to have an abortion because I don’t wanna get fat.”
I just understand the girl’s circumstance.
@bluemoonlunareyes - i never said i was prolife(nor am i now claiming to be prochoice), i was attacking a particular argument. however, in light of your truely epic response, which was brilliant by the way, i will explain why i responded the way i did.
you said “No It is her body, and it would be her heartache if she were to give it up for adoption or her responsibility if she decided to keep it, so why should it NOT be her choice“(emphasis mine) basicly, it doesnt matter if you are talking about her, you, the man on the moon or a beached whale(though the whale is going to die, so scratch the whale). it does break down to ”oh I cant stand to give my baby away I might as well kill it” which is the same as saying “if i cant have him/her, no one can.” which is where the “jealous boyfriend” correlary comes in.
now, even if that’s not how you intended it, i have, i shit you not, had people use that argument as a reason FOR abortion in face to face conversations.
im not going to deny that it is off topic, however, it is not immature, it is taking an attitude and changing the context for perspective. the law aside, the women who think like this DO think of it as a child(which would make it murder) or they would have no problem with adoption.
as to the question at hand, it is silly on the face of it. you can see my answer to it in my own comment(in which i was not responding to anyone)
@ionekoa - We see differently on my words, but since I wrote them, and you only read them, you truly cannot tell me what they “boil down to”. But I respect your argument, and your response. ^-^ We do not agree on this agree?
some of the above comments are hilarious.
one, if there is incest or possible beatings/death, they can turn her over to child protective services, until the thing is cleared up.
two, anyone under the guardianship of an adult does not have any rights over her/his own body; medical decisions are made by the guardian, unless the state feels it endangers the child. (i still have reservations about this one)
three, there are plenty of things that kids can do that an adult can miss; sometimes, you’re too strict, they rebel. sometimes you give too much freedom, they do stupid things. this is reality, so sometimes you can’t blame a parent for a girl being pregnant. Kinda like blaming a kid who blurts out that all black folks leave wal-mart. lol. ah well.
four, this is what happens when you give the state authority over your child’s welfare; if ur lucky, a smart person does the right thing, if ur unlucky, stupid people do stupid things. This is a perfect example of ‘exact’ language needed, otherwise abuse can happen (ie healthcare bill concerning fed money paying for abortions; people think it’s stupid to get so picky b/c people presume other laws will take into affect, but everyone knows, if you can find a loophole, you use it and prance around that it’s “legal”. In the end, legal does not mean it’s right).
I would be heartbroken if my daughter kept a secret like this from me, and disappointed that she would be sexually active after my many efforts to educate her on pregnancy, morality, marriage, and the beauty of motherhood. Furthermore I would mourn the loss of a child(my grand child in this case) and I would be FURIOUS with the nurse and planned parenthood. Actions have consequences and a child is a blessing… no matter the circumstance so heads would ROLL. The school board, the nurse and planned parent hood would be hearing form my lawyer. I would not rest until something in the law changed.
No.
To watch a PG-13 movie- or simply a clip from an R movie- at my HIGH SCHOOL we have to get permission slips signed. Most teachers just blow it off but they’re SUPPOSED to do that. We’re all older than 13, but that’s still a rule.
And this girl was allowed off school grounds to have surgery without parental consent, as a minor? THAT is screwed up.
Especially if they nurse really told her to keep it a secret. That sounds EXTREMELY suspicious.
Anyway. She had no business going out and getting pregnant.
I received an abortion at 15 because my mom told me I had to. When you go into a clinic they have a short counseling session where a nurse asks you several questions including, “Is this your choice/ What is your reason for receiving an abortion?” I suppose the main purpose of asking this is to make sure it’s YOUR choice. Either way an abortion is round about $400-$450 depending on your blood type and the type of abortion you wish to receive. I personally wish I hadn’t told my mom.
I suppose I should get to my point; in Texas the age of consent is 17, to me that says, you need parental consent for anything until that time.
I don’t care, girls should have the right to their body.