jeniwren@compuserve.com
You know, I wake up every morning and thank God Himself for the benevolent protection provided on this mortal plane by the ACLU. Why, without the ACLU, two 17 year old mothers would have to just boo hoo into their pillows about how they were denied Honor Society status, strictly by virtue (eh hem) of the fact that they are mothers.
Mind you, I'm a mother. I think that motherhood is wonderful. I also do not have any illusions about the cost of my choice to have a child. Because I am a mother, and because I am a single mother, I must work outside the home. I will not get to go finish the college degree I started that was interupted by an unexpected pregnancy. Well, I will, but not for a long while yet. I have absolutely no one but myself to 'blame'. I say 'blame' with the little quote marks because I do not feel that there is any need for blame. It was a choice. My little boy didn't make that choice. I did, with the help of my now ex-husband. For me to deny the possible consequences and limitations that choice brought would be ridiculous.
Which brings me to my false praise for the ACLU and their misplaced sense of duty with regard to these two girls. The Honor Society is not a right guaranteed us. They can deny membership to whoever the hell they want to. It is probably a bad idea for them to deny membership based upon race or religion, since these two personal conditions rarely constitute a conscious choice. Deciding to have sex that may result in a child is a very conscious choice. I don't think it's a great idea to just open the doors to all teenagers, saying "Hey, you are smart despite the fact that you were stupid enough to get pregnant at 15,16, or 17. C'mon in!"
What kind of message do we send to children when we say that there are no obvious consequences to their choice to have a child? You know, some of them do actually *make* that choice at the tender age of 17. I would hate for my son to think that all he had to do to be thought Honorable is get good grades. There is a great deal more to Honor than that. A large portion of that is a display of self-discipline and good mature decision making. To date, the best way to determine those things in teenagers is by how well they do in school. The exclusion of teens who choose to have children fits with what I see the purpose of the Honor Society to be and the ACLU and any other legal body outside of Honor Society confines has no right to interfere. What happens next? A lawsuit against school districts that flunk girls for taking maternity leave?
[Rant Mode OFF] Thanks for listening.
