Regardless of how the U.S. Supreme Court eventually rules on the legality of abortion, this nation must focus more on being pro-child rather than simply pro-life.
Ironically, but not surprisingly, the states most intent on erasing a woman’s right to end a pregnancy rank among the worst in ensuring a child’s well-being. Renewed debate over abortion law should bring attention to how the United States raises its children once they are born.
On Dec. 1, the Supreme Court heard arguments challenging a Mississippi law that bans abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Seasoned observers say questioning from conservative justices demonstrate an eagerness to overturn or roll back guidelines provided by the court’s 1973 ruling in Roe v. Wade.
On Dec. 10, the same justices allowed a Texas law that bans most abortions after six weeks to remain in place, but left open the door for a challenge in federal court. As the New York Times explains: “That law, which has been in place since Sept. 1, is flatly at odds with Roe, which established a constitutional right to abortion and prohibited states from banning the procedure before fetal viability, or around 23 weeks of pregnancy.”
At issue are questions about fetal viability, but also questions about state’s rights. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has said he will use the model provided by the Texas law to challenge gun rights at the state level.
While the issue has generated strong interest on both sides of the political spectrum, that discussion too often ignores the manner in which the United States cares for its children and prepares them for productive adulthood.
According to a report last year from the United Nations Children’s Fund, the United States ranks 36th among 38 advanced countries in a range of wellness markers for children. The list weighs data on the mental and physical health of children as well as skills measured by international exams.
As The Washington Post explains: “Mental well-being includes both life satisfaction as well as suicide rates; physical health includes rates of overweight and obesity as well as child mortality, and skills focuses both on proficiency in reading and mathematics as well as social skills.”
For example, among 41 nations ranked in terms of childhood poverty, the United States stands at No. 38 — one spot below Mexico.
Other metrics show that the states most inclined to pass strict abortion laws are the worst places to raise a child.
The Annie E. Casey Foundation, a Baltimore-based charity that focuses on improving the lives of children, produces an annual Kids Count report that ranks states in terms of economic well-being, education, health, and family and community.
Mississippi ranks 50th among the states in the 2021 report, finishing last in each category except for education, where it stands at No. 39. Overall, Texas ranks 46th, including No. 49 in terms of children’s health. Louisiana and South Carolina are among states that have passed laws to outlaw abortion should Roe v. Wade be overturned, yet both rank among the bottom 10 in child welfare.
Washington is at No. 14 on the Casey Foundation list, scoring particularly well in childhood health but needing improvement in education.
Abortion is a divisive topic and a politically powerful one. But it too often obscures an equally important issue — how well the United States takes care of the children who are here.
