In 2022, the United States Supreme Court voted on the Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case, which overturned the Roe vs. Wade decision, returning the power to the states to regulate a person’s reproductive rights. Following the Dobbs vs Jackson decision, Missouri was among the first states to implement a near-total abortion ban. On Nov. 5th, 2024, 1,537,408 Missouri citizens voted yes to amend the state constitution to create a right to reproductive freedom, including abortion and birth control. The amendment is called ‘The Right to Reproductive Freedom Initiative’ and allows the Legislature to regulate abortion after fetal viability, but can not restrict an abortion necessary to protect the life or health of a pregnant person.
Abortions are typically performed by a doctor, and are chosen for various reasons including health concerns or personal circumstances. Under Roe vs. Wade, the federal government protected abortion as a fundamental right. The decision also allowed the government to restrict or regulate abortions depending on the stage of the pregnancy.
The term fetal viability is key in understanding legislation regarding reproductive rights. The term is not defined explicitly in the amendment, but is defined elsewhere. According to Missouri Revised Statutes, Section 188.015, “viability” or “viable,” refers to the “stage of fetal development when the life of the unborn child may be continued indefinitely outside the womb by natural or artificial life-supportive systems.” Typically this is around the 24th week of pregnancy, though this is based on medical technology.
Some major changes the legislation addresses are establishing that every person in the state of Missouri has the fundamental right to make decisions about their reproductive health, including but not limited to abortion, birth control, miscarriage care and fertility care (IVF). It is important to understand that this amendment included more than abortions.
Section 4 states that an abortion shall not be restricted after fetal viability if a good faith judgment is made by a treating healthcare professional, as well as if the pregnancy will affect the physical or mental health of the person.
Students for Life of America is a national organization founded to “Recruit, train, and mobilize the Pro-Life generation to abolish abortion” according to their Who We Are web page. The organization is recognized as a prominent voice in the anti abortion movement and has expanded its presence to include high school chapters.
Currently Eureka High School is the only high school in the Rockwood School District to have Students for Life listed as an activity on their website. Mike Thebeau and Keith Baremore, science teachers, are listed as the club’s sponsors. EHS Students for Life selects student officers every year.
Senior Claire Midgley is currently the vice president and has been a member since her freshman year. Students for Life’s mission includes advocating against abortion while focusing on education about its medical and emotional impacts, according to the group.
“Education is important, so like what is an abortion? How does it affect the mother after it happens?” Midgley said. “And just the side effects that a lot of people don’t think about. Also, just ways that you can talk about it in a kind way that’s not going to make people angry because we don’t want people to hate us for our beliefs. We just want to educate people,” Midgley said
Midgley stands behind her beliefs, and offers her perspective to someone who might disagree with her beliefs.
“Personally, as a Christian, I believe that everyone has a purpose and that God made each of us uniquely and that everyone has a chance at life,” Midgley said. “So I believe it’s wrong to take that away, but also scientifically there is life in [a pregnant person’s womb]. There’s another human being involved. I just think it’s wrong to take the life of someone else.”
A 2022 Instagram post from EHS Students for Life celebrated the overturning of Roe vs. Wade and Missouri’s immediate abortion ban. The post urged continued efforts to advocate for similar bans in other states. This post is two years old and may not reflect current members views, but regarding total abortion bans.
“I feel like there are medical reasons that people have to get an abortion because they can’t carry the baby. It’s just not safe, and I understand that. But I think in the case of rape, I don’t think two wrongs are going to make it right. Like, that’s just not how it works. But I would understand because we’re not saying you have to raise the baby,” Midgley said. “You can give it away for adoption. People have so many options, that’s part of what we want to do is to educate people about the options they have other than abortion.”
Although abortion is an issue of a person’s reproductive health many have passionate views about the topic. Senior Matthew Teuscher is the treasurer of Student’s for Life. His reaction to the amendment reflects the views of many within the anti-abortion movement.
“It’s definitely disappointing, knowing that something like this passed. We’ve really put in our best efforts and have fallen short by just a small margin. It is a little bit disappointing, but we were looking up at a massive uphill battle,” Teuscher said. “We just kept on fighting and fell slightly short. But we can work with this, take our failures, move on and work in different ways and figure out different strategies to educate people.”
The national Students for Life corporation assisted in campaigning against the passage of amendments that legalize abortion.
“We did a massive social media campaign, which I was a part of as I’m the action captain for Missouri,” Teuscher said. “And then also we did a door knocking in the St. Louis area. We also went to different campuses around Missouri and educated students with tablings.”
Reproductive rights advocates often cite cases of pregnancies resulting from sexual assault or incest as reasons for maintaining access to abortion, though these arguments do not sway everyone.
“I support a full ban because when you look at it statistically, it’s less than 1 percent with all those exceptions for abortions being performed, which is still sad that there’s issues like that existing, like rape and incest and all that. But with that very small margin, I think it just should be a full abortion ban,” Teuscher said.
Despite significant campaigning by anti-abortion organizations, Missouri voters approved the amendment in the recent election. Access to abortion remains a deeply significant issue for many Missourians. Teuscher says that his strong and open opinions have strained relationships with some of his family members. However, he emphasizes maintaining respect for those who hold differing views on reproductive care.
Some students at EHS feel relieved that Amendment 3 has passed. Sophomore Lexi Wienman feels strongly on the religious aspects coming from Amendment 3.
“I think that’s where most arguments come from a religious perspective, or people who mostly feel strongly about not having the right to an abortion come from religious families, or are heavily religious,” Weinman said. “We are all impacted by this topic,so I think we have to take out that factor, which I understand is hard for many people who are very much religious, but overall, we have to think of the majority.”
Some anti-abortion campaigns highlight the belief that all life is sacred and was made for a purpose by God, a view that resonates with many in the Christian community. However, only 65% of the US population identifies as Christian so, this viewpoint may not be as persuasive to those who follow other faiths and morals.
Sophomore Ellie Smith, feel that the passing of Amendment 3 extends beyond the legality of abortion and that it has a deeper meaning to it.
“I think that it’s gonna be very good for women in this generation, because women have worked so hard for our rights and our freedom, and I don’t want to go back in time,” Smith said.
Women in America have fought for a multitude of rights since 1848, and many have fought for reproductive freedoms since the 1960’s. Smith emphasizes that many women who fight for reproductive rights aren’t fighting for them just to be able to have abortions, rather, they are fighting for them to feel as though they have the right to control and make decisions for their own body.
Junior Corey Gelb also believes that Amendment 3 covers more than abortion.
“I think it’s a good thing because a lot of what Amendment 3 is offering is just the ability for people to choose and have freedoms. It’s not necessarily just abortion, it’s just health care in general,” Gelb said.
Amendment 3 extends past abortions and also protects rights for people to have things such as, postpartum and miscarriage care, proper birthing conditions, and birth control, reflecting broader concerns about women’s healthcare.
