Yes, In 2005

Yes, the conservative side of me comes out when I feel that willful stupidity is involved. I think people know the rules of the school when they enroll - or at least they should. I feel badly this the young lady was being denied a chance to walk with her class but with choices come mistakes and with mistakes come consequences. Perhaps it was a mistake for her to engage in pre-martial sex. Perhaps it was a mistake for her to engage in pre-marital sex without contraception. But, the consequence of both was a pregnancy and a high school with rules against her being able to walk in the graduation with her class. My issue with the school is that they allowed the father of the child to walk. Most certainly it isn't the public viewing of a pregnant teen that is the problem. Most certainly the young man is just as responsible and should carry his share of the consequences.

"'I can't believe something like this is happening in 2005,' said her mother, Sheila Cosby. 'My daughter has been through a lot and I am proud of her. She deserved to walk, and she did.'

The school's guidance counselor delivered Cosby's degree to her house earlier Tuesday, but she still wanted to participate.

'I worked hard throughout high school and I wanted to walk with my class,' she said.

Cosby was told in March that she could no longer attend school because of safety concerns, and her name was not listed in the graduation program. The father of Cosby's child, also a senior at the school, was allowed to participate in graduation."

I do agree with the mother in that I can't believe something like this is happening in 2005 - not the ban from graduation, but the pregnancy. In 2005, girls and women have greater access to contraception than ever before. A student smart enough to make it through a private school, should have more than enough sense to understand the birds and the bees. I cannot believe that in 2005, the United States has the highest STD and unplanned pregnancy rate in the developed world. Yes, the mom should be upset. But not at the school. Perhaps she should look to herself and why she hadn't stressed responsible sexual choices. Perhaps she should look to her daughter who may well have worked hard in school, but obviously didn't study simple things - like how one gets pregnant.