Interesting....We want to stop funding for womens health, birth control, education, social services, lower minimum wages, criminalize abortions....Yep, that should create a ton of jobs!!

Amazing school that has helped many young women in the Detroit area. I really encourage people to visit & research this school. It is incredible. The act of closing such a gem shows a lack of concern for the students of DPS. If we don't educate them, where will they go? Neighborhood schools are not an option (at least those schools that are left). I thought we were about the students? WOW

@ Gina-3581820;

Republicans are really out of the closet from this last election cycle.

They DO NOT CARE about educating "the huddled masses". We are nothing but a nuisance to be wooed and lied to for votes to get into office, then ignored or walked all over to promote their real paycheck; their wealthy & corporate donors.

Conservative behind-the-scenes movers like the DeVos'es want to entirely privatize the educational system.

Quote:

Whatever they may say about giving poor students a leg up, their real priority is nothing short of the total dismantling of our public educational institutions, and they've admitted as much. Cato Institute founder Ed Crane and other conservative think tank leaders have signed the Public Proclamation to Separate School and State, which reads in part that signing on, "Announces to the world your commitment to end involvement by local, state, and federal government from education."

Source:

Think about the implications of that highlighted sentence for a minute. Pissed off yet?

And main-stream press ignores stuff like this in favor of weinie stories.

Tea party addvertizement:

Republican voter registration and brain donors required.

GOP apply within.

Regarding Post #1:4--

Source reference fell out of post. Here it is long-hand;

website: www.alternet.org

article title: The DeVos Family: Meet the Super-Wealthy Right-Wingers Working With the Religious Right to Kill Public Education

author: Rachel Tabachnick

you know, Walt Kelly in his character called *Pogo* tried to warn us about this. Pogo once said, *We have met the enemy and he is us*. The GOP and the *christian* right are out to destroy America as we know it.

All one needs for proof is to look at their anti welfare, anti education, anti-veteran, anti-healthcare and anti-union stances and see what they have in store for America.

Isn't this an opportunity for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to step up and give this school some funding?

The question is: Why should it fall onto the shoulders of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation? It shouldn't have come to this! Yes, they have the ability and the funds to save the academy, but the logic behind closing the academy does not follow. It is a proven, documented WINNER, ergo let's close it. What a perfect GOP Non Sequitor.

What in the blue blazes do you think you pay taxes for? The education of the peoples of the nation is supposed to be one of the top issues of both parties!! DOH!!!!!

If it was a winner for the children of white affluent parents, had the exact same graduation to college numbers, Republicans would have been put up their own bodies as shields to protect the school. But as it is predominantly black teen mothers who are going on to college and becoming professionals and members of the middle class and NOT being pariahs used to justify gutting the social safety net and not giving birth to menacing inner-city denizens that scare white comfortable folks into cheering for tough on crime measures...well that's just upsetting the natural order and for that CFA must die. There must be no survivors to attest that public investment leads to positive results. it screws up the conservative narrative.

I wonder if the anti-public education folks, "cuz it's too costly (or too accepting of things I hate?)", know that Thomas Jefferson was for promoting public education:

http://www.earlyamerica.com/review/winter96/jefferson.html

I am a teacher in Michigan watching as our governor and his legislators destroy public education in our state. Closing a school like the Catherine Ferguson Academy is evil, and the attacks have just started. I also find it interesting; no infuriating that minority districts have been singled out as the first line of attack. Keep your eye on Michigan, the teachers here are mad as hell and, well....you know the rest.

Here's a thought: teachers storm Republican-controlled legislatures and rap their knuckles with very sturdy rulers.

Even better, locate the old teachers of these right-wing jerks and collect their statements on just what they think about their former students. Imagine getting some of the teachers of Detroit's financial imperator to say just what they thought of him into a camera, and posting that on YouTube. There's must be someone with the time and ability to track them down and make it happen.

Oh SNAP! Nice. Very nice.

Yeah, it's nice. But I don't have the time or resources for carrying out such a scheme myself. There's not much point in having an idea for a better mouse trap without having any mice around to try it out on.

Everyone makes bad decisions sometimes (and you don't actually know what decisions any individual at the school made -- for one thing, rape happens). It's better for the students, their children, and society as a whole if they get an education and a chance at a healthy, productive life.

@BobWinston. Education is the best way to stop teenagers from becoming unwed mothers. They are probably stuck in a cycle of poverty and education is the way out. This school which graduates and sends 90% to college is THE ANSWER. Your answer of "tell them stop getting pregnant" is ridiculous and shows your ignorance. Oh, incidentally. education also gets people off "the welfare roles". This school is probably more expensive than most, but I would guess it is paid back via students who go onto college and get decent jobs.

socheyla1: "Education is the best way to stop teenagers from becoming unwed mothers."

I disagree. The BEST way to stop teenagers from becoming unwed mothers is to terminate the pregnancies or place the babies in adoptive homes.

And continue with the education, including teaching them to protect themselves, respect themselves, and be responsible for themselves.

I have to say again: Why is it always the female that "got" pregnant?

The male had no responsibility?

I believe they should start early in school, educating ALL the students about how much they are wanting to be adult, here is what you will have to do if you make a baby and when the child arrives, if you keep the child.

The males are taught early on how a biological bodily function is "studly".

There is pressure and a desire to be "grown" and there is some hormonal element.

There are also doors being closed to the other options by those that would blame the pregnant one alone.

sochey, you are gonna give ya'self gray hairs trying to educate certain people. His statement was a prime example of why cutting education funding doesn't work. He is intitled to his opinion and maybe in his frustration vented instead of trying to ask, "what do we do to combat the teen pregancy issue." I never hear guys like that say, "Those guys should keep thier little babbymakers in their pants". The need to fit in and be apart of something in some communities means girls with little to no education and low self esteem seek the approval of men or boys. But then, a man would have to know a little more about women other than....she's got nice boobies. These girls are not getting pregnant by other girls are they? Talk to your sons and nephews......

Bob, your own bad decision is just up ahead.

Lisa: unless you are planning on forcing girls and women who are unwed to have abortions or give up their children for adoption education is the best way. They are in a cycle of poverty they are doing what their mom who did what her mom did. Some plan on getting pregnant young and have no intention of giving up their child. They don't see a bright future and believe they are meant to live as their moms did. If you give them a good education and hope for the future they may even see how having a baby does not fit into their plans right now and chose adoption or abortion. If they decide to keep the child hopefully the education they receive will help to break the cycle for their daughters.

If we are thinking two to four teens girls getting pregnant a year in your local county, maybe adaption and abortion is an options for some, but we are talking about nationally, hundreds of teen moms a month. You cant abort that many kids all because we dont want to fund education. (Consider the scale of what your are proposing). Yaweh, help us...

Lisa, have you any idea how many children never get adopted in this country?

Also, do you support gay adoption? Because if not then your answer to send these children to be adopted is insane, as banning gay adoption effectively kills a large number of potential homes for these babies.

To LisaB13: What about the ones who just plain want to keep their kids? Don't they deserve a chance to finish their education and do well while learning to be a good parent at the same time?

And Kyroko is right about the amount of kids who don't get adopted. Also about how lifting bans on gay adoption would help with that problem. (Two dads/moms are better than one, after all!)

Me pretending to be a heartless Republican describing the GOP masterpiece plan that is guaranteed to reduce the unemployment rate:

First, we need a solid savings measure to conserve precious public funds needed to guarantee the future for our children. We need to begin by prohibiting high-school education for special-needs inner city children, and this needs to begin with the closure of schools like Fergusun Academy for Young Women. Prohibiting abortion to create the maximum number of unwanted children from rape and incest is the key to the success of this strategy.

Second, we must implement private school voucher programs so that everyone can receive the same kind of education as Sarah Palin. We must encourage home-schooling, like Michelle Bachmann, so that racist parents do not need to expose their children to racially integrated public schools.

Third, incarceration is the ultimate solution for unemployment by lazy minorities that just don't want to go to work. We must reduce unemployment by passing three-strikes laws that require 50 year prison sentences for anyone that steals food and breaks into an abandon building to avoid freezing to death because they can't find a job.

We must close public schools so that we can afford to increase prison funding and "keep everyone safe" just like the program created by Arnold Swarzeneger in California. We must block funds for retraining unemployed workers into new careers where they could find a job.

Fourth, public employee unions need to be outlawed because they may protest the austere measures required in these tough times.

The civil rights of anyone that protests must be violated by arresting people that complain in those communities that have been hit the hardest by the economic disaster. We don't want to repeat the same kind of mistakes that stopped Germany.

Finally, we must implement a christian theocracy where Muslims are prohibited.

The GOP must shoot people like Anthony Wiener out of the cannon as a weapon of mass distraction to keep the public from realizing that the ultimate goal of the Tea Party is to eliminate freedom within our generation.

The public must be distracted with tactics like the Wizard of Oz so people don't realize what kind of demon is hiding behind the curtain until it is too late.

GOP platform: send Lawyers, Guns and Money.

Bad me.

Wow, Bob Winston, I hope you're not a parent. Helping a child correct a mistake is the wrong thing to do?

Yes, there is a problem with unwanted pregnancies in this country. But people like you and the other dimwitted conservatives have one answer and one answer only: turn your backs on the issue.

LolaS, Ignore that guy.....People like him don't believe the things they say, it just allows them to feel good about their own lack of success.

some people would rather look down on others than look up at all. (misery loves company) and that guy is miserable!

2.12

and the crap has already hit the fan

And the "Penny-wise, Pound-foolish award for fiscal irresponsibility and mean spiritedness beyond the pale" goes to...

here, here....i just say it's ok to vent and scream your outrage over teen pregnacies.....but if you don't sit down and do something to make a bad situation better......You Are Just Screaming.....(which i hear always works. i can hear the teen pregnacy rate dropping as we speak) Read this aloud, with a British accent.

We have upgraded the "Trail Of Tears Tactics" to modern day......

Furthering hopelessness and low esteem is a weird economic developement policy.

And Tim Pawlenty called President Obama "classist" today?!?? Everything the republican party has done recently reeks of classism. Catherine Ferguson Academy = prime example.

The "and" being especially apt in this case.

Well put. I have yet to get a straight answer from any politician I know who claims to be all three of those things on the question you raise -- and the ones you left unsaid. They just look at you.

BTW, "Robert Bobb?" succeeded by "Roy Roberts"? Who's next, "Ricky Bobby"?

These republican states vilify the president for ruining America while at the same time using tax payer money to give American jobs(contractors,teachers ect) to other country's buisness and workers. They preach about the evils of Islam while at the same time contracting out education to Islamic charter schools.

The "declining population" is no doubt due to the dramatic shrinking of the city as jobs are lost and Detroit decays from within. Leave it to the republicans to spin this sad fact to support further destruction.

Just out of curiosity - anybody know how we can help them turn the school into a private school? buy the property from the from the school system?

I actually was in touch with someone from Michigan Right to Life a few weeks ago who was trying to do just that. He thought it was very important that the school should continue, and was hopeful that they would find the resources to keep it open as a private school (or maybe it was a privately-run charter school?). Unfortunately, it sounds like that fell through.

I should clarify; MRTL wasn't going to run the school themselves, but they were working to find and support a charter operator.

Call me cynical, but it feels strange to me that Right to Life can be so successful lobbying to de-fund Planned Parenthood and are successful in stalking and picketing Abortion providers, yet can't seem to get enough "resources" to help this school for mothers and children (already born).

I gather that the more difficult issue was finding a charter operator who could and would take over the school while maintaining its unique services.

I'm just going to say it. I don't EVER see a whole lot of Right-to-Lifers putting their time or money where their mouths are when it comes to taking care of the children that are born as a result of their propaganda and pressure. Especially the brown ones.

Uh, I and a lot of other prolifers have been for decades been working to improve the lot of women and children, before, during and ever after birth. Including and especially "the brown ones"!! No we don't make headlines like people who shoot abortion doctors or slash Medicaid funds for family planning. But we exist, and are getting organized.

After all, if someone believes abortion is lifetaking, and that life merits respect *in deed* at all stages-just saying "don't have an abortion" is monstrously inadequate! No, there is an inescapable responsibility to help, and help, and help, and help....And private charity while necessary is not enough for the need. Public supports like this school are essential.

and why do think that the children in question are born because of "their propaganda and pressure"? Uh, don't you think that women might have reasons of their own for not wanting to have abortions?

Speaking as a white and very involved grandmother to her unplanned, black.white grandchild-and he is not the only child of color or already-born person I have ever cared for, thank you very much.

kelslby: But of course. Once they're born, the anti-choicers don't give a @!$%# about OMGBABIES. *sad sigh*

@ MarysiaK:

I hope you realize that many people's experience with RTLers is about 180 degrees from your point of view.

I can vouch for that in many aspects; as a single parent struggling in the midst of several affluent evangelical churches that were embarrassed to have me as a member (consistent with their treatment of ALL single parents while I was there), as a conservative Christian listening to indoctrination promoted by conservative Christian organizations, as a worker and member of the Republican Party, and as a civic activist following legislation promoted by conservative Christians. I couldn't stomach the hypocrisy and bailed on all of it except following politics.

Sadly, the outcome of policy decisions under these conservative Christians tends to prove out that the caring is exclusively PRE-birth. As a single parent, you're on your own in large part, without meaningful help, once the child is born. A package of diapers once a month is really not significant support, no matter how well-intended the donor. They are delusional.

guess it shows you that there are no Right Choices!!!

shaking my head in a normal world the tepubliecants should be singing the praise of this school!

You mean these women who have all been accepted into college? Any particular reason you think they're going to become "welfare mothers"?

They are ALREADY on welfare!

Actually, they're in school, and they're a lot more likely to end up on public assistance if they don't get a good education than they are if they graduate from CFA.

Post-war Germany, with the difference that the Republicans don't need to outsource our destruction to enemy nations.

True. OR (and I know this is heading toward another hot issue) -- maybe girls who haven't yet graduated from high school shouldn't be given special subsidies and accommodations (in other words, rewarded) for having babies that they can't support. They may have gotten pregnant accidentally, but having and keeping a baby is a choice. They should have to fully consider the real world consequences of that choice, including ALL that's required to attend regular school while supporting and raising a child. I wonder how many of the girls at this school might have made more responsible decisions had they not had this beacon of "special school with friends just like me" influencing their choice?

I'd love to see the day when people (of any age) actually consider whether or not they're interested in, capable of, and can afford raising children before they actually do. And I don't like to see any public resources expended in any way to influence that decision.

(I'm also completely open to considering other ideas on this issue, so don't flame me!)

Well said Laura.

shouldn't be given special subsidies and accommodations (in other words, rewarded) for having babies

LisaB13; so getting barely enough money to cover housing, not enough for food except a high-carb high-processed diet practically guaranteeing obesity, nothing for "luxuries" like toilet paper, shampoo, diapers, detergent, etc., medical care from doctors who treat you like a leper IF you can find one to accept you (more likely have to wait until your cold has progressed to pneumonia to get in at ER), being called a "charity case" to your face, having people rant at you at the grocery store if you DARE treat your child to ice cream once in a while, stressing out constantly about what bill to skip paying on, constant interviews to review your "qualification", scads of paperwork and rules and ways to inadvertently lose this little support, as you try to get your head together after being involved with some creep who hit the road when the little one was announced, after all those promises about a life together....

Boy-oh-boy, I bet everyone wants to sign up for such a REWARDING lifestyle!

I'd bet my bottom dollar you have never been personally involved in the life of anyone on welfare, or you wouldn't spout such utter nonsense!!!!

LisaB13 - I understand what you're trying to say. I think you are arguing for personal responsibility. Problem is that we've tried that logic in many cities, and it hasn't worked. It sound great to say - "no special treatment for teen moms. Make them pay for their own way. They have to live with the consequences" Problem is - that leads to a higher drop out rate. More low skilled or unskilled labor, and generally more poverty in the city. More people needing some sort of public assistance, etc.

The problem also becomes that when you apply your suggested ideology to the masses - new moms don't serve as a lesson to other students - the new moms simply disappear - they drop out to get a job or to qualify for public assistance.

As much as we want to call for personal responsibility, we as a community have to face the facts - a single woman who becomes a mom before she is ready (solid education, stable housing, steady job, etc) is going to affect us all and we can either help her or scorn her.

In the end it seems to me that it would cost less to provide a public school that will support her now and train her for tomorrow, than to support her for the long term via public assistance.

I think that's why they have the bees and such.

That's what I got out of the farming, fundraising was through selling the products of the farm.

SHAME. Hmm. Here's a thought: how about re-introducing the concept that people should feel ashamed for having children when they KNOW, BEFORE they have them, that they don't have the time or money to raise them? I have no problem assisting people through an unexpected and unforeseeable hardship, but I have a BIG problem with subsidizing irresponsibility.

How is this subsidizing "irresponsibility"?

Even people who correctly and consistently use their birth control method(s) every time they have sex can experience contraceptive failure. And many young women are in relationships where they experience sexual coercion and contraceptive sabotage.

If you want to bring up responsibility-how about bringing the fathers of the children into the discussion?

How about the responsibility of a society to foster sexual and reproductive responsibility and nonviolence in its men and boys?

How about the responsibility of a society to expend its resources on the sustaining of life rather than pulling the rug out from under?

And do you want to brand as "irresponsible" young women who want so much to care for both themselves and their children and their shared futures?

Are not all parents, from pregnancy ever after, entitled to social supports that will make this possible? After all, who can raise their children without any help at all?

As a multiply disabled woman who conceived at a young age-not teen age, but not too many years away from that-because of contraceptive failure, who bore and raised a child in conditions of poverty-I reject your identification of me or anyone else who became a mother in circumstances you disapprove of as "irresponsible."

Yep, I went through those four hospitalizations and 52 hours of labor and ran that gauntlet of judgmentality-am still running it-because I am just an irresponsible, feckless "slut" who cares only about her own selfish pleasure!

What were we all supposed to do in your book-have abortions?!

It is *not shameful* to carry and have a child, even if that child was conceived through sex that you define as irresponsible and shameful.

Want to send as many women as possible to the abortion clinic? Then shame and ostracize them for the sex they've had and refuse to support both them and their babies with your tax dollars.

You've completely supported my position. Yes, "in my book," if you don't have the time or money to raise a child, don't have one. Getting pregnant can be unintentional. Giving birth cannot. If you don't have the means to raise a child, terminate the pregnancy or place the baby with an adoption agency.

Now, if you have the time and the money to raise a child, you go ahead and have one, and then your job gets sent out of the country, or your husband gets killed in a "war" designed to benefit that same guy who sent your job out of the country, or you're disabled after being hit in a crosswalk by a red-light-running anti-choice activist on their way to a women's health clinic burning...then I have NO problem whatsoever having my tax dollars used to help you through that hardship--along with the child or two that you may already HAVE.

HOWEVER...if you have a child, knowing full well BEFOREHAND that you don't have the resources to raise them, and expecting someone else to provide the means--then, yes, you should be ashamed.

So you are perfectly willing to brand me, and all the young women poor as or or poorer than me when they gave birth to their unplanned children-including millions of the global poor-as "IRRESPONSIBLE" because we didn't have abortions, because, oh maybe, we didn't want to take our children's lives?

And we maybe also had good RESPONSIBLE reasons for not placing our children for adoption?-

And anyway the decision between parenting and adoption is a woman's own choice, her own determination about what parental responsibility means in her situation-not yours!

And anyway-is poverty always the fault of the individual? Are there not structural, institutional reasons for poverty that lie outside individual control?

By the way, I completely oppose corporations which treat workers like cr*p; the wars and the squandering of so many resources in killing; the exploitation of military service people and their families; the slashing of disability benefits and services; reckless driving; violence against abortion providers; and the denial of benefits and services to already-born children.

But no, I am not ashamed. I will not allow you to shame me out of defending women's and children's rights. I defend the right of all of us who give or who have given life in difficult conditions like poverty-and the right of our children- to be free of shaming, classist attitudes like yours. And to have every single support we deserve, including educational supports like the Catherine Ferguson Academy.

If you cannot take it from me as a prolifer, then take it from people who say what they mean when they identify themselves as prochoice: pro the right of the woman to have every support she needs to exercise her choice, whatever that choice may be. And that means the right of a poor woman, even a young poor woman, to exercise her choice to parent.

This is something that prolife and prochoice should both agree about!

Wow, Lisa, how very uneducated. On one hand, you're suggesting adoption, which is laughable, as so, so many children go unwanted and end up being dregs on society themselves due to lack of give a care throughout their formative years. Who supports adoption agencies? Not the mothers of these children, but public donations and, in many cases, government assistance.

Abortion? Yeah. With all that money they're rolling in anyway, why not go spend a few hundred on an abortion! What a novel idea!

but the power to get rid of the imperialists has been taken away by the state! No matter who votes in the next elections in MI, the gov places the finance dude and even if the current gov was recalled right now CFA would still probably end up closing. it's a horrible situation that breaks my heart

Here's what it looks like to me, from he ElectaBlog to get rid of the imperialists:

recalls in motion:

Here's what we have so far:

Pat Somerville (23rd House District)
Anthony Forlini (24th House District)
Jeff Farrington (30th House District)
Andrea LaFontaine (32nd House District)
Mark Ouimet (52nd House District)
Rick Olson (55th House District)
Dale Zorn (56th House District)
House Speaker Jase Bolger (63rd House District)
Al Pscholka (79th House District) - Donate to his recall effort HERE.
Kurt Damrow (84th House District)
Joel Johnson (97th House District)

Mike Nofs (19th Senate District) - Petition language just approved.
Judy Emmons (33rd Senate District)
John Moolenaar (36th Senate District)
Howard Walker (37th Senate District)

And now comes:

Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville (17th Senate District)
Mike Green (31st Senate District)
Tom Casperson (38th Senate District)

If my abacus is working properly, that brings the total to 18 members of the state legislature looking to pay the price for their support of Rick Snyder's Big Money Giveaway^TM to his business pals.

Note that paperwork has not yet been filed in all of these targeted recalls. In the 52nd House District, for example, work is underway to find someone to submit the appropriate paperwork. One group, Heartland Revolution is helping organizers

Then NEVER vote for the Republicans again!

BooYAH!

Please look at some previous comments including my own-some of us care about *both* unborn and already-born humans, and object to slut shaming pregnant young women.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Save-the-Catherine-Ferguson-Academy-Detroit/175643865826716

This is truly terrible. I liked your page and shared it. If I can find the words I'll also blog about it. A lot of my friends and followers are moms so hopefully we can gin up some interest.

Thanks for the link-I have joined, passed it along on Facebook, & gotten you some new members already.

They had intercourse without protection.

Yeah, prolly many did, but, as others have mentioned above, there's also rape, coercion, and contraceptive sabotage, institutionalized poverty (this is what happened to their mothers and/or grandmothers)...it's not just irresponsibility that leads to teen pregnancies.

I agree on the rest, though.

Basswoodbend, thank you for your compassionate appeal. So far Aspie Farm and Marysiak have been the only ones who seem to understand the situation, there may be more, but those two stand out to me, on the other hand Lisab13 is completely in the dark and is as cold as a clam. Bascally, unyielding in her dispassionate and uncompassionate rules, as if humans can be pigeonholed into her dichotomies.

Some have mentioned children being adopted or otherwise aborted. Well, having been in two orphanages from 8-18 years of age, and having a childhood basically graced with the presence of abusive adults who used me as their personal punching bag, I can attest to the desire of having wished that I had been aborted, many times. Just being alive without some quality of life and with being physically assaulted and beaten up most everyday makes living just not worth the effort. Having no model, or mentor to guide me, but having just my poverty as my only true friend and reliable cohort does not make a person feel anything but unworthy. While other kids seem to get the breaks and the good adoptive parents, I got to sit back and suck on it, with no redemption. Suffering is the rule not the exception, and how does one overcome or grow out of this enormous set of memories filled with abject confusion, undaunting criticism from everyone who see you as unworthy due to your station in life in which you had no say in? And where does personal responsibility come in when a kind of learned helplessness and abject hopelessness is all you have known? Yeah, I'm one of the forgotten children who no one understands why they are the way they are. How are they? Put down, thrown away, criticized for not being different, for not measuring up, for being poor and the cause of my being poor, that I'm poor because I do not want to be better, etc. and so on. My condition, or so I'm told, is due to a character flaw in me, I'm a non-earner who doesn't want to do for myself, I'm a sponge that wants to soak the earners, to steal from the taxpayers , to game the system for my own benefit. Yeah I learned about myself through the criticism of others who did not really know me, but an image of my type. Yeah, I'm a real nobody with no personal responsibility.

As I said, I should have been aborted, but I think these young girls should have our understanding of their circumstances and stop calling them irresponsible, stop making their wrong choices, if you can call them choices, worse than they actually are, and stop making it seem like they are somehow taking something away from taxpayers in that they are trying to do for themselves and their kids. Ferguson is a way for them to take responsibility and it should stay open. And besides, there are times when the contraceptives don't work, and therefore their pregnancy was not a choice they made necessarily, but a thing they have to deal with, we should give them our support.

What can we do? Oh, and LisaB13, go suck an egg, you uncaring dolt.

Thanks for giving a personalization of the situation. Sorry you had to go through all that, as well as any other person that goes through all that.

I cannot fathom saying why don't they go get an abortion or why did they choose to give birth or not put up for adoption their baby. That is a personal decision and I am so sad to see such a school be shut down, especially by the way it was done.

A very worthwhile endeavor to set on the path to success and being a mother has been erased. Sad, sad, sad.

Nash, you and mouser have a few things in common. I had a hard time coming up myself. In situations like ours, I prefer to regard life as one long slow failed assassination attempt. Since it failed to make us what it wanted...namely dead...we get the chance to make life what WE want. Fair, just, equitable. If an ordinary life was never an option than you will just have to settle for something extraordinary. In an ideal world we would be nobodies and happy to be nobody. But its not an ideal world, so PREPARE FOR GLORY! Peace.

Don, great characterization, "one long slow failed assassination attempt." I like to think that having been been oppressed and thrown away with no hope has actually made me in the short term extremely sorrowful, in the long term it has made me more compassionate for the dreadful suffering and sorrowfulness of the world and to help where and when I can to make things better for us all, including for the animals.

Neat fact. There is no disease that is so lethal that it doesn't produce a population that is either immune or resistant to it. This has been shown to be be true even for HIV/AIDS. Likewise there is no antibiotic or anticeptic that is so powerful that a disease won't eventually become resistant or immune to it. We are diamonds. We make the world a better place because life had been so rotten to us. We are the cure.