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Students speak out against potential loss of constitutional rights over abortion

The possibility of Roe V. Wade being overturned is yet another lesson for high school students who continue to experience history-making changes in real time. KPBS Education Reporter M.G. Perez has more on their perspectives.

The possibility of Roe V. Wade being overturned is yet another lesson for high school students who continue to experience history-making changes in real time.

Dozens of students at San Diego High School attended a rally and groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday for the school’s modernization project. San Diego Unified School District has a new 99-year lease with the City of San Diego, allowing for a complete renovation of the historic campus.

“To think that we’re going to restrict a woman’s right to choose is just disgusting and immoral,” said Zachary Patterson, the student member of the Board of Education. Patterson was among the crowd at the groundbreaking ceremony and he had plenty to say about the leaked Supreme Court draft ruling over abortion.

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“Nobody out there is saying ‘Go Abortion!’ That’s not the conversation happening,” he continued. “People need to have these options especially when we talk about young people and we talk about students in our school district.”

Aries Cole is a San Diego High graduating senior and president of the ASB. He said, “I’m worried that they’ll make abortion illegal and lead to some unsafe practices and lead to overall women not having choices over their bodies.”

Safiyah Edmondson is also a graduating senior who will attend American University in the fall. She said he looks forward to voting in the next election and having her voice heard. “I don’t think that people who do not have a uterus should make an overarching decision that is so impactful. It’s not going to stop abortions. It’s going to stop safe abortions,” she said.

Late Tuesday, School Board Vice President Sabrina Bazzo released a written statement that said, "I am appalled by the readiness of the Supreme Court to deny millions of American women — especially those from historically disadvantaged communities — access to their reproductive rights. I plan to bring forward a resolution on this issue next week to let the students of San Diego Unified School District know that we have their backs, and they will continue to have access to all of their reproductive rights, no matter what happens in Washington. "

  • The Supreme Court is reportedly poised to overturn Roe v. Wade. The court confirmed the authenticity of a leaked draft majority opinion which reads in part, quote: “It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people's elected representatives.''
  • San Diego is getting closer to choosing a developer to build much-needed housing on the Sports Arena property, but the developer with the project that would build the most housing may not be chosen.