The Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization to overturn Roe v. Wade dismantles decades of progress for reproductive rights, putting a women’s right to choose what to do with her own body into the hands of politicians at the state level. The decision will disproportionately impact indigent women who do not have the resources to travel to those states that will continue to recognize women’s reproductive freedoms. The decision also portends the dismantling of other important individual rights that we currently take for granted.
I am proud to be the president of Colorado College at this important time in our nation’s history. We are a place that educates courageous students who think differently and who are equipped with the tools to create a more just world. We are a place that is willing to have difficult conversations, to think critically, to act, and to live our values. We are a place that engages with our local, national, and international communities to fight for human rights and fundamental freedoms.
People will have different opinions about today’s decision. As a legal scholar, civil rights lawyer, and former law professor, I cannot sit silently considering the impact of the court’s decision. As the president of a liberal arts institution, I also cannot sit silently while simultaneously espousing the values of critical thinking, difficult conversations, antiracism, and openness to hearing different points of view. It is for these reasons that I share my belief that the court’s decision is flawed. Importantly, I would also defend the right of people to have a different opinion. At Colorado College, we can provide an important forum from which to debate, educate, teach, and learn from each other.
This Supreme Court is dramatically changing the landscape for many people, and we will have brave conversations considering all sides, opinions, and inevitable outcomes of these decisions. I look forward to our engagement on this and other important issues that call into question the fundamental rights and freedoms we should expect from a democracy.
Sincerely,
