Spring Break
Is students maternity leave an issue?
Kela Harris
Issue date: 10/31/06 Section: News
College is a time of new growth and experiences. Some women meet their future husbands or life partners while attending college. Some women even become pregnant. This is an issue which for some, despite the progress made in terms of women's reproductive rights, is taboo and causes discomfort.
Salem College has a policy which can be found in the handbook under article XXI "Students who are pregnant or become pregnant during the academic year must immediately notify Student Health Services to develop a plan of support for their pregnancy. Under no circumstances may infants live in residence hall facilities." This article does not specify what plans of action will be taken or if it is admissible for students to remain students at Salem College.
Unfortunately, no faculty or staff was available to comment or interview about this mandate, but students were available to comment. One student whose name was asked to remain anonymous told how she became aware that a pregnant girl was asked to withdraw from classes. She spoke on how the student felt her privacy and reproductive rights were infringed upon.
A woman's right to choose has become a political platform which many politicians use to lure in voters on both the conservative and liberal sides. Despite Salem being a women's college, not much talk or debate is heard concerning the recent attacks on Roe -vs- Wade and even the banning of abortion in states such as South Dakota. It seems that this issue is taboo on Salem's campus, and being pregnant is even more so.
It is understandable that Salem administration wishes to know about a pregnant student to ensure that her safety and health is upheld, but telling anyone about a pregnancy, whatever the circumstances, can be daunting and cause anxiety.
Senior Nikki Conner had this to say about the policy, "If a student of Salem suddenly becomes pregnant, I feel that they should know that they will have a support system here at the school being a women's college and all. I think that any administration or staff should help any young woman here find options that will be best for her, but never to discourage her from continuing with her education."
Worrying about the privacy of her choice, whether she decides to carry the baby to term or have an abortion, conflicts with Salem's policy to know about her pregnancy as soon as she knows. For people who choose not to have the baby, this policy can seem unnecessary.
According to senior Carey Wulz, this policy is not needed, "I can understand the administration's point of view about having infants on campus because that requires a lot of liability, but at the same time students have rights to privacy and until the student has the child it's no one's business but hers."
There may be no way to ensure the privacy and safety of a pregnant student be upheld. In the spirit of all matters concerning a women's reproductive health, maybe the final say should be left up to the only person who it truly affects-the woman herself.
Salem College has a policy which can be found in the handbook under article XXI "Students who are pregnant or become pregnant during the academic year must immediately notify Student Health Services to develop a plan of support for their pregnancy. Under no circumstances may infants live in residence hall facilities." This article does not specify what plans of action will be taken or if it is admissible for students to remain students at Salem College.
Unfortunately, no faculty or staff was available to comment or interview about this mandate, but students were available to comment. One student whose name was asked to remain anonymous told how she became aware that a pregnant girl was asked to withdraw from classes. She spoke on how the student felt her privacy and reproductive rights were infringed upon.
A woman's right to choose has become a political platform which many politicians use to lure in voters on both the conservative and liberal sides. Despite Salem being a women's college, not much talk or debate is heard concerning the recent attacks on Roe -vs- Wade and even the banning of abortion in states such as South Dakota. It seems that this issue is taboo on Salem's campus, and being pregnant is even more so.
It is understandable that Salem administration wishes to know about a pregnant student to ensure that her safety and health is upheld, but telling anyone about a pregnancy, whatever the circumstances, can be daunting and cause anxiety.
Senior Nikki Conner had this to say about the policy, "If a student of Salem suddenly becomes pregnant, I feel that they should know that they will have a support system here at the school being a women's college and all. I think that any administration or staff should help any young woman here find options that will be best for her, but never to discourage her from continuing with her education."
Worrying about the privacy of her choice, whether she decides to carry the baby to term or have an abortion, conflicts with Salem's policy to know about her pregnancy as soon as she knows. For people who choose not to have the baby, this policy can seem unnecessary.
According to senior Carey Wulz, this policy is not needed, "I can understand the administration's point of view about having infants on campus because that requires a lot of liability, but at the same time students have rights to privacy and until the student has the child it's no one's business but hers."
There may be no way to ensure the privacy and safety of a pregnant student be upheld. In the spirit of all matters concerning a women's reproductive health, maybe the final say should be left up to the only person who it truly affects-the woman herself.
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