Parental Consent for Abortions

Your editorial (June 5), “Mischievous Maneuver,” has missed the issue entirely about pending legislation in Sacramento. Abortions performed on minors without the consent of a parent is an issue about medical procedure. A 14-year-old girl in elementary school cannot receive aspirin without a parent’s consent, yet the same girl could receive a medical procedure slightly more involved than outpatient surgery without her parents consent.

If she was in junior high school in some parts of the United States her school nurse (not a doctor) would be handing out birth control pills. This is wrong.

Why is she a minor? She is under the age of minimum maturity. Her parents must be responsible for her financially and medically. The parents’ responsibility can not be partially removed without causing difficulties in regard to the law, other medical procedures, education, and social morals.

A parent’s consent must be necessary for any medical procedure unless it is a life-and-death emergency, abortion included. This is true because a child under the age of 18 has not yet reached the age of minimum maturity and is not responsible for her own welfare.

If this measure fails, a child will not be responsible enough to vote yet she is left to choose if she should have an abortion. Senate Bill 7 should be approved.

MAUREEN ROSS

Tustin