Reaction to 15 Year Old's Abortion in Washington

This is a pretty sad and alarming story. A 15-year old child went to the health clinic at school and received a pregnacy test. When the test was positive, she was immediately "given a pass, put in a taxi and sent off to have an abortion during school hours all without her family knowing." Further, she was told that if she kept the abortion to herself, there would be no cost. Perhaps most alarming of all, this child was a pro-life advocate and her mother stongly objected to the school's handling of the matter, although too late. She was denied the opportunity to counsel her daughter who was undoubtedly confused and afraid at the time--in no position to make such a profound life-changing decision without the benefit of abundant advice. Read the full article here: http://www.komonews.com/news/local/88971742.html#IDCThread

Among the comments to the article were those who stated that the state acted appropriately because it has to protect children from abusive parents, and others who maintain that the state had the right to intervene because it will save health care and welfare dollars down the road. Interesting...

Here's my comment on the article:

This is shocking! So, because there's a chance that a given parent might react badly to a child who is pregnant, no other parents have the parental right or responsibility to counsel their children or influence their immature and/or potentially uninformed decisions? This sounds like a presumption of guilt towards parents--the assumption that children will be mistreated and need to be protected from the people who gave them life. (This innocent unborn would have benefitted from similar protection!) What other excuse is there for the secrecy? And how do you justify the bribe..."we'll pay if you don't tell?" Who did pay for this abortion? Who protected this child from the influence of the state that violated her core pro-life values? What kind of psychological, emotional, and spiritual damage is being done to her and her family? Sorry folks. This is an outrageous, upside-down perversion of terms like rights and protection. It's time to grow up, America! Start managing your own lives--and those of your underage children--and stop turning your responsibilities over to "the state."