Things Actually Said In A 12th Grade English Class

Recently in the senior English class I teach, I referenced the issue of Abortion as an example of a controversial subject. I meant only to mention it as a reference to illustrate another point, but some in the class had strong opinions on the issue, so a debate between me and two students ensued, with a third student throwing in her view toward the end. Each of the students was arguing for a woman's right to choose and I was arguing against.

Though not, of course, a verbatim recording, the following is almost exactly what was said by each person.

_________________________________________________________________

Student 1 (to me): You can't tell women what they can and can't do with their bodies!

Me: Can we all agree that my index finger is a part of my body? (some nodded, yes) Then if I want to wrap my finger around the trigger of a gun, point it at you, and pull that trigger, does anyone have the right to tell me what I can and cannot do with my body?

Student 1: That's different. You'd be killing a person.

Me: So how do you know an unborn child is not a person?

Student 1: It's not. It's still a part of a woman's body!

Me: How do you know?

Student 2: I had a friend who had an abortion, and I think it was the right thing for her to do. I mean, if she had gone through with the birth and had to raise the child, it would have ruined the rest of her life. There's so many things she wanted to do with her future that she just wouldn't have been able to do if she had a child.

Me: She could have given the child up for adoption.

Student 2: But if she had actually given birth to it, then she would have been attached and wouldn't have been able to let someone else raise it.

Student 1: And you have to think about the kind of life you're putting a child into when you give it up for adoption. Most kids who are given up for adoption live in poverty and have a miserable life.

Me: I have three adopted kids. I think they live a pretty good life.

Student 2: People are just going to have sex. I mean, there's nothing you can do about that. It's just going to happen. So abortion should be an option if someone gets pregnant.

Me: Actually, there are many people who choose celibacy, either until marriage (which, of course, makes pregnancy much less of a crisis) or for life.

Student 3: I also think a woman should have the right to decide what she wants to do with her body. So if she wants to have an abortion, that should be her choice.
_________________________________________________________________

I think the thing that got me most was that the students actually believe they have the prerogative--rather the sovereignty--to decide at what point a baby becomes a human being, and so know with certainty that "It's only a part of a woman's body." I thought of an analogy to put this view in perspective.

Two people are driving a truck on a dirt road in the woods at night. They come upon something about 5 1/2 to 6 feet long lying across the road. Because of the lighting it's hard to tell what exactly the thing is, but it definitely resembles a human body. It's even moving a little and appears to have two arms, two legs and a head.

"That looks like a person" says the driver, "but I'm not sure."
"It's not a person" says the passenger, "It's just part of the woods."
"But how can you be sure? What if it is a person and we run over it?"
"Isn't this your truck? Don't you have a right to drive your truck where ever you want? Just drive over it."


MM