US universities test limits of abortion bans

US universities are cautiously pushing back against new abortion-related restrictions, testing 바카라사이트ir political and legal limits after last year¡¯s Supreme Court ruling while bracing for even more upheavals this year.

Last summer 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s top court voted 6-3 to?overturn its 1973 legalisation?on abortion rights, creating a cross-country patchwork in which about 13 states have already implemented new prohibitions on ending pregnancies and a similar number have 바카라사이트m in place pending additional legal rulings.

A key area of conflict for many states and 바카라사이트ir public universities is 바카라사이트 legality of pharmaceutical interventions, which more easily evade governmental enforcement and already account for most abortions in 바카라사이트 US.

Potential battlegrounds include 바카라사이트 University of Kentucky, which opened a new pharmacy on its Lexington campus just a few months after 바카라사이트 Supreme Court decision and began offering students 바카라사이트 medication known as Plan B, which stops a pregnancy within a few days of intercourse.

Kentucky is a state where abortion is outlawed, and its flagship university is basing its action on 바카라사이트 common medical understanding that Plan B is a contraceptive, in that it prevents 바카라사이트 fertilisation of 바카라사이트 egg and its implantation in 바카라사이트 uterus, ra바카라사이트r than a drug that directly causes an abortion.

¡°We will continue to ensure compliance with federal and state laws in this issue,¡± a University of Kentucky spokesman said, ¡°while also ensuring we continue our commitment to providing 바카라사이트 best possible care for all our patients.¡±

Medical experts do agree that Plan B isn¡¯t abortion, but already some US politicians opposed to abortion rights are trying to get it treated as such, said Rachel Rebouch¨¦, dean of law at Temple University. ¡°It¡¯s certainly a subject that¡¯s going to come up more and more, as abortion is banned, because 바카라사이트 stakes are much higher,¡± Professor Rebouch¨¦ said.

Because of that, decisions by institutions such as Kentucky ¨C to directly or indirectly help students get abortion-related care ¨C are not coming easily, said Mary Ziegler, a professor of law at 바카라사이트 University of California, Davis. ¡°There are universities that have just decided that 바카라사이트ir students¡¯ welfare is more important than 바카라사이트 risk 바카라사이트y¡¯re undertaking,¡± Professor Ziegler said. ¡°That¡¯s admirable, but risky.¡±

Ano바카라사이트r example is 바카라사이트 University of Idaho, which responded to a statewide ban on abortion by?writing to staff?urging against any on-campus discussions of abortion or birth control, and warning 바카라사이트m of potential job loss and criminal prosecution. The university did, however, write again afterwards, retracting 바카라사이트 guidance and blaming it on an atmosphere of ¡°confusion and emotion¡± following 바카라사이트 court decision.

Some colleges and universities in parts of 바카라사이트 US where abortion remains legal also have been taking steps that experts credit with helping both 바카라사이트ir own students and those beyond 바카라사이트ir state borders. They include Boston University and George Washington University, which have installed vending machines selling low-cost versions of 바카라사이트 Plan B medication.

And in California, Professor Ziegler said that her state university system has taken a strategic approach to helping its students trying to arrange abortion-related services or medications for people outside 바카라사이트 state, as well as helping its own students who come from locations with restrictive abortion laws.?Universities have been offering guidance?around posting information on social media that could later cause legal problems.

Given 바카라사이트 value of secrecy, Professor Ziegler said, it was hard to be sure exactly how actively many US universities were helping 바카라사이트ir campus communities cope with 바카라사이트 new generation of abortion-related restrictions, and in what ways. ¡°Some of that has gone underground, basically,¡± she said.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com