Spring Break
The fight of their lives
"We are pro-family, and we are trying to help people develop healthy families."
By: Ryan Huff
Issue date: 7/10/08 Section: News
The Planned Parenthood clinic also interacts with the community through educational programs.
"We have a very successful health education program," Johnson said. "We often get called by different groups at A&M and Blinn to visit their classroom or group and talk about healthy sexuality."
This outreach does not necessarily focus on services provided by Planned Parenthood, but instead works to educate audiences about sexual health or diseases.
In some ways, this interaction translates to the state and national level as well. Planned Parenthood is constantly affected by legislation in both spheres. Although the landmark decision Roe v. Wade still protects the right to abortion, there are many other decisions that have since deteriorated this right. One such decision was made on June 27, when the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit in St. Louis ruled in Planned Parenthood v. Rounds that a South Dakota law requiring doctors to inform patients seeking an abortion that the procedure would "terminate the life of a whole, separate, unique, living human being," would be allowed.
Johnson said that the most important method to combat this type of legislation as a clinic is to educate clients about the importance and methods of voting and getting involved in lobbying.
"Helping clients understand how important their voice is, just their one voice, can be really instrumental," she said. The clinic aids clients in registering to vote and informing them about how each program affects them personally. "That's part of why we're here. Planned Parenthood is all about educators. All of us who work here are educators."
On the other side of this legislation, however, is opposition formed by multiple pro-life groups, such as The Coalition for Life. This resistance has led the clinic i n Bryan to be labeled by many as the most protested abortion clinic in the nation.
"We would like to think that it would just stop at the fence," Johnson said. "But it doesn't."
"We have a very successful health education program," Johnson said. "We often get called by different groups at A&M and Blinn to visit their classroom or group and talk about healthy sexuality."
This outreach does not necessarily focus on services provided by Planned Parenthood, but instead works to educate audiences about sexual health or diseases.
In some ways, this interaction translates to the state and national level as well. Planned Parenthood is constantly affected by legislation in both spheres. Although the landmark decision Roe v. Wade still protects the right to abortion, there are many other decisions that have since deteriorated this right. One such decision was made on June 27, when the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit in St. Louis ruled in Planned Parenthood v. Rounds that a South Dakota law requiring doctors to inform patients seeking an abortion that the procedure would "terminate the life of a whole, separate, unique, living human being," would be allowed.
Johnson said that the most important method to combat this type of legislation as a clinic is to educate clients about the importance and methods of voting and getting involved in lobbying.
"Helping clients understand how important their voice is, just their one voice, can be really instrumental," she said. The clinic aids clients in registering to vote and informing them about how each program affects them personally. "That's part of why we're here. Planned Parenthood is all about educators. All of us who work here are educators."
On the other side of this legislation, however, is opposition formed by multiple pro-life groups, such as The Coalition for Life. This resistance has led the clinic i n Bryan to be labeled by many as the most protested abortion clinic in the nation.
"We would like to think that it would just stop at the fence," Johnson said. "But it doesn't."
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