Do you feel minors have the right to abort.....

[GracieMae]

Without parental consent or knowledge?

[Taneli]

Yes...

[DayDreamer]

Yes, and in most states, the law backs up that right. A 14 year old female has the right to confidentiality with regard to her sexual and reproductive health, and that includes the right to abortion. That confidentiality is VERY specific, and includes parents, guardians, etc.

As it should.

[GracieMae]

NO! NO! NO!

This is a decision parents and the girl should make together. Many young teenagers don't even fully understand the concept of abortion and are not ready to emotionally handle such a traumatic experience.

[Prisoner]

Nope! Who knows who is influencing this young person to make the decision? Perhaps an adult who impregnated a minor child.

[Taneli]

Or perhaps her parents?

[Prisoner]

If that is the case, there is still a doctor involved to ask the question. In most cases, a parent will be looking out for the best interest of his or her child.

[Epicurus]

NO, not while they are minors. How can a parent be responsible for their minor children if someone else is making these decisions with their children?

Collette

[Val]

I'm with Gracie, Collette and Prisoner on this one. I understand why the law stands - to prevent a minor from being abused after an abortion - but I'd rather the parent be informed, even if consent were not required. I would not want my DD having an invasive medical procedure without my knowledge.

[Mabel]

I agree with the NO group, because a child, while old enough to spread their legs (sorry to be blunt) are not on a whole mature enough to fully understand what they are choosing. They need their parents to help them understand exactly what their choices and options are.

[Lola]

No. I would be heartbroken if my DD had to make such a life-changing decision on her own at such a young age. :(

[mom2burgess]

No. I would not prevent my daughter from having one, if that was the choice she had to make, but I would want to know. I would want to be able to talk to her about all her choices, and I would also like to be aware of any problems to be on the look out for, after the proceedure, such as massive hemorrhage.

[RogueAngel]

Absolutely not ! ... As a parent, I can not effectively parent and help direct my child when other people are making and allowing major, major life decisions without my knowledge. I can't watch her to make sure she's safe, that the procedure went well and that she is recovering properly if I don't have a clue. Is there a need for safeguards for these girls? Yes, but once those hurdles have been overcome, the parent should be informed.

[kingclick]

What Epicuris said. I'm responsible? Then let me know.

[ScorpioQueen]

I would like to be informed, however I don't feel that a parent should have the final decision in consent.

[DiznieB]

NO! NO! NO!

This is a decision parents and the girl should make together. Many young teenagers don't even fully understand the concept of abortion and are not ready to emotionally handle such a traumatic experience.


Exactly what Gracie said is how I feel. NO. A teenager is much to young to make such a HUGE decision by herself.

[Beelzebub]

This thread shows exactly why parents should not be involved in the decision. They let their personal beliefs on abortion cloud their judgement in decision such as this which should be impartial.

As for adults always knowing best. That is certainly not true, many adults are naive and stubborn as their younger counterparts.

They should support their child and the decision they make, not make it themselves.

[kingclick]

Actually I think that this thread shows why parents SHOULD be involved. Because they care enough to be there for their children.

Sure would like to know where someone said that adults always know best.

As for supporting their child and the decision they make.....you mean like when the child decided to have sex? High five!!

Children are parents responsibility. Attacking good people who wish to HELP their children make the right decision and assuming that they are letting their personal beliefs on abortion doesn't make any sense...because people from BOTH sides of the abortion debate are agreeing that they deserve and should be informed.

[Beelzebub]

Actually I think that this thread shows why parents SHOULD be involved. Because they care enough to be there for their children.

Sure would like to know where someone said that adults always know best.

As for supporting their child and the decision they make.....you mean like when the child decided to have sex? High five!!

Children are parents responsibility. Attacking good people who wish to HELP their children make the right decision and assuming that they are letting their personal beliefs on abortion doesn't make any sense...because people from BOTH sides of the abortion debate are agreeing that they deserve and should be informed.

Being there for your child and deciding for them are completely different.

Read what I typed, I said support your child not make the decision for them.

Do not take what I said out of context, I am talking about the decision on whether to abort or keep the baby. Sadly your attempt as misconstruing what I just said will not work. I did not mention the sexual intercourse at all. So I do not think I will be high fiving you at any point during this debate.

Good parents make the right decision. And what is the right decision exactly? More importantly right to whom? The parent or the child? I have put no sway on my argument. I think if they child wants to keep the baby, then the parents should support them. If the child wants to abort, the parents should support them. Again read what I said I am arguing against parents deciding for their parent.

As for my "Adults know best" I am not quoting anybody hence the lack of a name denominating who said it. Certain posts say children are not old enough or mature enough to decide. I say some adults aren't either.

[Minnie_Beebe]

I am all for allowing minors to have any decision open to them in a time of crisis.

[Quamie]

In California a minor can have an abortion without the parents knowledge, but with some adult consent. So another adult can take a minor that is not their child to get an abortion. Ie. cousin, auntie, uncle, so forth and so on.

It is also against the law to tell the parents of any medical procedures going on without the minors consent. For abortions or per-natal care. So you child could go either way, abortion or child and you would never know as a parent without them telling you.

I have to find out what the legal age of consent is in California. I think it is 16 for medical treatments without a person over 21, I will be back after a bit to find out.

[Quamie]

Another thought is more disturbing to me is that a child and parent dont have enough communication that a child would CHOSE to go this route instead of talking to their parents.

In my case it would show me that I have been SERIOUSLY lacking in my parenting along the way, that my child would not feel comfortable to talk to me during such a important time in their lives. :(

[Quamie]

Ok here is a link for the quesiton of what a MINOR can consent to without parents.

http://www.youthlaw.org/downloads/CA_MinorConsent_Sep03.pdf

It says MINORS OF ANY AGE can consent to Pg, BC, and medical services regarding either.

There are other services that are interesting, such as mental health, drugs counsling, and rape services.

Very informative site.

[Shannonigans]

I'm so torn on this subject...on one hand, I feel that teenagers, especially older ones of 16 or 17 years old should be able to make their own decisions. However, a younger teen such as a 14 or 15 year old is highly impressionable.

So I guess I just answered...:) I think the age of consent should be 16 without a parent's consent.

[MooMur]

I don't know how I feel about this really. Part of me says yes, they should, another part of me says no they shouldn't.

Yes, I would want to be informed as a parent that she is getting a medical procedure done. But like Quamie stated I would seriously wonder what I had done wrong as a parent that she felt she couldn't come and tell me herself. I don't want her to think that "oh good, I don't have to tell mom", I would want her to think "I know I don't have to tell mom, but I can't do this without talking to my mom about it".

On the other hand she does have the right to refuse or ask for medical services if she needs it without having me there. She can go to the doctor when she gets sick and get her own prescription, etc. I can't force her to go to the doctor, I can't force her to have a medical procedure done if she didnt' want it. I can't deny her medical aid that might save her life if it is what she wanted.

So I have very mixed feelings about this.