Responding NDSU's Planned Parenthood Partnership

NDSU & Planned Parenthood Partnership

Response to April 12th Forum Article 

 

The article’s opening paragraph sets the tone for the entire article, setting up the issue as an “attack on women and families”.  Not only is this premise inaccurate and disingenuous, it mocks the integrity of women and wonderful purpose of family.

For all the talking points ‘sound bites’ sprinkled throughout the article, it fails to mention the real purpose of the program—to inform teenagers of their options; before, during, and after they have had sex outside of a married relationship.  For according to the ‘comprehensive sex education’ taught by Planned Parenthood, a partner in the program, it is a given teenagers will have sex and we need to focus on eliminating the unwanted pregnancy.  The unborn baby becomes the problem, an obstacle which needs to be eliminated.

The program’s clientele is identified as “at risk Fargo teens”.  “At risk” of what?  At risk of not hearing that family planning is really about when having sex, try to protect yourself from disease and an unwanted pregnancy by wearing a condom, and if a pregnancy occurs—eliminate the problem by way of abortion.  Is this really what our ‘at risk’ teens need to hear?  And then to add insult to injury, the program’s strategy is to disseminate the program’s indoctrination to the ‘at risk’ teen’s peers.  

The article ridicules the legislature for trying to meddle in affairs they don’t know anything about, especially without a public hearing.  It was ironic that as news broke of this program partnering with Planned Parenthood, there was no ‘hearing’ responding to the public.  Pres. Bresciani’s only consideration was if it was legal, not whether it was the right thing to do.  And now that the legislature would clarify the legality by passing legislation, the cry is “how dangerous” and how “incredibly unusual”.

Yes it is “incredibly unusual” that a university program would reach down to 15 year olds to indoctrinate a vulnerable, at risk group.  Should it be “incredibly unusual” that “politicians”, whom we would call the public policy decision makers, would have an interest in the well-being of our children.  In 2011, the issue was debated in detail and the legislature passed an abstinence bill to be implemented in public and private schools.  

The article criticizes legislative involvement, touting it should be left to “health professionals”, with no guidance short of a “family planning model” from Planned Parenthood.  Should we should trust Planned Parenthood rather than the collective legislative wisdom of those representing the people?

The North Dakota Century Code clearly gives preference to life versus abortion and to abstinence education.  North Dakota law and the program planned at NDSU in partnership with Planned Parenthood are in direct conflict.  Legislators need to set the policy direction.

Tom