School helped secret abortion

[Ramrod]

A MOTHER whose 14-year-old daughter was allowed to have a secret abortion without her knowledge or consent delivered a scathing attack on the system yesterday.

The girl, from Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, became pregnant last month and after consultation with school advisers decided to abort the child.



Within days her mother found out what was happening and the teenager changed her mind, but it was too late.

link

[Jon M]

I can't tell you how angry that made me when i heard it on the radio this morning.. totally appalling.

Even if I thought abortion was an option, there is no excuse for not consulting the legally responsible parties of the minor (parents).

[Chris W]

discusting.... i don't agree with abortion but i understand it was a viable option in this case, but not without consulting the parents!

[orangebird]

Originally Posted by s1lv3r

I can't tell you how angry that made me when i heard it on the radio this morning.. totally appalling.

Even if I thought abortion was an option, there is no excuse for not consulting the legally responsible parties (parents).

You don't need an excuse - what the school and doctor did was totally legal. The only debate on this is a moral issue.

[imback]

Maybe the mother should look at why her daughter felt she needed to speak to someone independant instead of her parent about the matter.

Any advice given to the girl by school advisers is confidential, so they would have no right to tell the mother, it was the daughters choice, she obviously didn't want to speak to her mother about it.

I love how much schools get blamed for these days, if parents were doing their job then teachers could get on with their own instead of having bring up other peoples children.

~Rant over

[orangebird]

Originally Posted by imback

Maybe the mother should look at why her daughter felt she needed to speak to someone independant instead of her parent about the matter.

Any advice given to the girl by school advisers is confidential, so they would have no right to tell the mother, it was the daughters choice, she obviously didn't want to speak to her mother about it.

I love hoe much schools get blamed for these days, if parents were going their job then teachers could ge ton with their own instead of having bring up other peoples children.

~Rant over

[Jon M]

Sorry, I totally disagree.
No school should have responsibility to make decisions of this kind without the consent of the parents.
I'm not a parent yet, and yet I'm utterly speechless at how disgusting I find this sort of politically correct tripe.

I would give my child to a school in the understanding that they would be looking after them in regard to their educational needs. Anything beyond that boundary would be a breach of my own responsibilities and rights as a parent.

[altis]

Originally Posted by imback

...if parents were going their job then teachers could get on with their own instead of having bring up other peoples children.

the whole post and that bit in particular

[Alanmelon]

A MOTHER whose 14-year-old daughter was allowed to have a secret abortion without her knowledge or consent delivered a scathing attack on the system yesterday.

"A scathing attack on the system?!"

Perhaps she should deliver a scathing attack on herself for failing to protect/influence/nurture/educate (delete as appropriate) her teenage daughter to the extent where she understands the consequences of her actions and doesn't have underage sex and get pregnant in the first place.

Either that or lay the blame at her daughter's feet for her actions. I would have thought the last person to blame is the 'system' - whatever that may be?

Originally Posted by orangebird

You don't need an excuse - what the school and doctor did was totally legal. The only debate on this is a moral issue.

Yes, it was legal - and that's why this is more than just the usual moral debate about abortion. The wider issue here, and a very troubling one it is, is that the State has given itself authority which over-rules the natural authority of the parent. As a father, that concerns me deeply and makes me more than a little angry. Why should the State over-rule any of my rights and responsibilities as a parent unless I am proven to have failed in those responsibilities for myself?

[downquark1]

Within days her mother found out what was happening and the teenager changed her mind, but it was too late

Is that:

The girl changed her mind and the mother found out

or

The mother found out, then the girl changed her mind

[Alanmelon]

Originally Posted by towny

Why should the State over-rule any of my rights and responsibilities as a parent unless I am proven to have failed in those responsibilities for myself?

I agree with what you're saying Towny, however, how much proof is required that failiure has occured?

Is a pregnant, under-age daughter, who feels that she is unable to approach her mother about her problems enough evidence of failure?

[Russ]

If a child has any special needs, such as diabetes etc then the school insists on knowing about it. Shame it doesn't feel any requirement to mirror that responsibility.

[Ramrod]

Originally Posted by Alanmelon

Is a pregnant, under-age daughter, who feels that she is unable to approach her mother about her problems enough evidence of failure?

Maby her mother is a model of respectability and a brilliant parent but the girl had an accident and was just scared of telling her parents. You know how some teenagers can be......

Originally Posted by Alanmelon

I agree with what you're saying Towny, however, how much proof is required that failiure has occured?

Is a pregnant, under-age daughter, who feels that she is unable to approach her mother about her problems enough evidence of failure?

Possibly. On the other hand, as Ramrod says, you can't predict the behaviour of adolescent teenagers, male or female. Either way, I object very strongly to a school teacher or social worker acting as sole arbiter of what constitutes parental failure. That is far, far too great a responsibility to be wielded by one person in summary fashion, as this tragic case very clearly demonstrates.