TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The ongoing discussion of abortion rights continues across the country and in Tucson with people of all ages— including those in high school.
On May 18th, hundreds of high school students in Tucson participated in a walkout after the Supreme Court’s decision on Roe v. Wade was leaked.
“We just have to get it started moving in our high school area, and just really spreading awareness to the people that can vote,” said Tucson High School Senior, Lily Mcgrath.
Along with Mcgrath, Chiara Mery and Helene Saleska were some of the walkout organizers that used their social media account to get other high schools in Tucson involved.
Mcgrath, Mery and Saleska aren’t old enough to vote yet, but they’ve used their Instagram page to plan events like the walkout and meetings for their reproductive rights club.
“We're just going to have so much information on it all about how to get abortions, how to be politically active- just a lot of information on birth control, where to get birth control how to get birth control,” said University High School Senior, Chiara Mery.
The University and Tucson High School students said they feel like some of the confusion that surrounding abortion starts with a lack of sex-ed classes in school.
“It’s an opt-in sexual education curriculum, so you don't even have to take sex-ed if you don't want to in high school. It's very, like abstinence based-non-comprehensive. So that's where a lot of these problems start with people not really understanding what the problems are and what their options are,” said University High School Senior, Helene Saleska.
The group of seniors plans on supporting local groups in Tucson that help those seeking an abortion and need to go out of state.
“Giving money to these organizations who are going to help kids get abortions is what we're going to try to focus on,” said Mcgrath.
Anti-abortion groups like 40 Days For Life said they will continue to advocate for abortion to be illegal not only in Arizona, but nationwide.
“We're going to continue praying to end abortion, especially until the clinics here in Tucson are completely shut down and there are no more referrals going out to abortion clinics across state lines,” said 40 Days For Life Tucson Campaign Leader, Laura Pedersen.
Those abortion rights supporters also plan on continuing their advocacy beyond walkouts and rallies.
“It was a really great event, but it was only the beginning of really the activism and the community work that we have to do,” said Saleska.
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Faith Abercrombie is a reporter for KGUN 9. Before coming to KGUN, Faith worked as a videographer for the Phoenix Children's Hospital Foundation and as a reporter and producer on the youth suicide documentary, "Life is..." on Arizona PBS.
Share your story ideas with Faith by emailing faith.abercrombie@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, or Twitter.
