To the Editor:

I found the column, “Teen Mom Program at R.D. Parker Misses the Mark,” by Miranda Healey in the Dec. 2 edition of the Thompson Citizen very offensive. Teen pregnancy is not the “hottest trend.” The pre-natal classes by Baby’s Best Start program that are offered to teen mothers are very beneficial and informative. They help to educate and support teen parents in a situation where other support may not be available to them. Having this program placed at an easily accessible location is a fantastic idea.

At 16, I became a teen mother and I participated in these programs. Teen motherhood is challenging enough and taking part in a support group with other teen parents helps relieve some of the stress. Yes, people make “mistakes,” but that is a part of life and we should be commending these young girls for staying in school.

If we continued with the frame of mind this writer offers, perhaps we should also consider not giving homeless people food or shelter, because we wouldn’t want to tempt others to live on the street. Or maybe we could remove guidance counsellors and nurses out of the schools and force emotionally unstable or injured students to find counselling or First Aid outside of the building.

Poorly informed, and sourced, I think Miranda Healey should have thought out her reasoning for objecting to the location before writing her column for publication. Talk to a few teens that have been in this situation, and use them as sources for your decision-making, not Hollywood.

Paige Lowe

Thompson