Mandated Abortion

Nov 15, 2002 03:00 AM EST

Recent cases, according to the Washington Post, reflect a rise of a new kind of social injustice among the pregnant female workers. Widely associated with the Mexican maquiladora.and Chinese laborers, cases of "mandated abortions" are being voiced in American society.

Marianne Stanley, the head coach of WNBA's Washington Mystics has been charged with "mandating" abortion to her pregnant assistant coach Sharrona Alexander, while she was coaching at the University of California at Berkeley. It is reported that Stanley gave Alexander an ultimatum between keeping her unborn baby and keeping her job.

In a similar case, Samantha Ronbinson, the interim Assistant Emergency Medical Services Chief for Washington, D.C. has been accused of threatening her pregnant trainees with their jobs. Consequently, three of the trainees had abortions.

Although Alexander, who refused to have the abortion, received a $115,000 settlement from the school, and Robinson was forced to retire for her actions, there are still numerous cases that are left either unsettled or unvoiced.

By Pauline J.
pjang@chtoday.com