Nebraska Court Rules Teen Isn’t ‘Mature Enough’ To Have Abortion, But Is Miraculously Mature Enough To Be A Parent

shutterstock_143044900__1380997591_142.196.156.251A 16-year-old ward of the state requested a waiver of consent from the Nebraska Supreme Court so she could get an abortion without the written consent of her foster parents. This week, the high court decided she “had not shown she is sufficiently mature and well-informed enough to decide on her own whether to have an abortion.” By default, she is sufficiently mature to birth and raise a child, but clearly the high court hasn’t realized the faulty logic here.

She admitted to not having the financial means to raise a child. She also feared she may lose her foster placement status because her foster parents are deeply religious and would no doubt have a problem with her pregnancy. Those seem like pretty lucid, mature observations to me. But who am I? Just another woman who doesn’t think teenagers should be forced to have children they’re not ready for. From Chron.com:

Nebraska law was changed in 2011 from requiring minors to inform parents of an abortion to requiring them to get the written, notarized consent of a parent or guardian. Exceptions are limited to cases of abuse by the parent or guardian, medical emergencies and instances in which the minor is sufficiently mature and well-informed to decide whether to have an abortion.

Bataillon rejected the girl’s request, saying that for the purpose of her case, her foster parents would serve as her guardians ”” even though, under Nebraska law, the department is considered the guardian of wards.

County District Judge Peter Bataillon asked the girl if she knew “when you have the abortion, it’s going to kill the child inside you.” Hmm. Seems like kind of an odd thing for a judge to say, doesn’t it?

Court records found online make reference to a Peter Bataillon who served in the 1980s on a committee for Metro Right to Life, an Omaha anti-abortion group.

Bataillon did not immediately return a message Friday seeking comment on whether he had ever served on a committee for that or any other anti-abortion group.

Aren’t judges supposed to be impartial defenders of justice? Forcing this girl to have a child she cannot support by saying she’s not “mature enough” to decide to have an abortion is completely absurd.

(photo: Mega Pixel/ Shutterstock)

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