Defunding is shortsighted

I read Mona Charen’s column on marriage, the cost to taxpayers of single-parent families and the disparity in education as it affects family income.

If her assertions are accurate, it is surprising that politicians strive to cut education spending and eliminate reproductive health as a required classroom course.

Defunding programs such as Planned Parenthood exacerbates the problem. If poor people have no access to contraception and no information about STDs and other reproductive health issues, the result is increasing costs for supporting children of poverty and an exponential increase in health care costs.

Further, even children in single-parent households have two parents. Why do we not attempt to promote responsibility and commitment in those who create, then abandon, their kids?

Ignorance begets ignorance. We need to help young people prevent unwanted pregnancies and offer the choice of childlessness as an alternative that can be rich and satisfying. We need to provide educational opportunities for all children to increase their options in life and encourage delay of parenthood until they are mature enough to make reasoned choices.

There are always children with whom to interact. We do not all have to produce our own.

Ann Warwick

Sandpoint