My college semester just ended and I’m taking some time to reflect on what went well and what I might need to adjust in my teaching for next semester. When I make changes, I base those changes on what will be best for my students to help them be successful and get the most they can out of my class.
One change I made several years ago was to update my late assignment policy. I originally made anything that was late only worth 50% of the available points. I decided making the point deductions a sliding scale of 10% per day late down to 50% off was a better way of encouraging students to get their work in on time. Many of my assignments prepare students for in-class activities or later assignments, so the sooner they can get their work in, the more they can get out of the class.
At the beginning of each semester, after explaining my late policy, I also tell my students that if things come up that prevent them from doing their work on time, to contact me so we can make adjustments. I’ve granted many exceptions to my policy through the years for mental and physical health issues, funerals, transportation problems, work conflicts and other issues. I want my students to succeed, and these exceptions provide one way for them to do so.
I think we need to approach public policies in the same way. We should look at what the purpose of the policy is, reflect on if we need to adjust the policy to meet the purpose, and be willing to make exceptions.
One issue I’d like to look at this way is abortion laws. Some states have begun passing more restrictive abortion laws and, with the leaked Supreme Court decision that could overturn Roe v. Wade, many other states are considering doing the same. First, we need to look at what the purpose is behind these laws. Many say making abortion illegal will reduce abortions and protect life, but is making abortion illegal the best way to achieve those purposes? To reduce abortions, we need to look at why women get them. Many abortions are the result of unplanned pregnancies, so finding ways to prevent unplanned pregnancies, such as making contraceptives easily available or providing financial and social safety nets for those without the resources to support a child, could reduce the number of abortions.
We also need to consider how to achieve the purpose of protecting life. Restricting abortions does provide some protection to an unborn child, but what about the life of the mother or of the child once the child is born? Shouldn’t we protect those lives too? Sadly, Indiana has the third-highest maternal mortality rate in the US. Abortion could look like a good option for a woman who finds herself pregnant and doesn’t have access to good medical care. Additionally, we need to realize that making abortion illegal will not completely stop abortions. They will just become less safe, which does not protect the health or life of the mother.
Sometimes abortion is a way to protect life. Unfortunately, some pregnancies can be life-threatening for the mother and abortion is necessary to save the mother. Many of the new restrictive abortion laws do not make an exception for this type of situation. Another exception that needs to be considered is a pregnancy that results from rape. In this case, abortion should be an option for the woman to help her heal from the assault trauma. Additionally, treatment for miscarriages and ectopic pregnancies use some of the same medications and procedures as abortions, and the newer more stringent abortion laws may make it harder for women to get treatment for these situations.
I value life, but I am concerned that overly restrictive abortion laws are not really the best way to reduce abortions and protect life. If the Supreme Court gives control of abortion laws back to the states, we need to reflect on what we are trying to accomplish, adjust our policies to best meet that purpose, and be willing to include exceptions.
