In the morning of Friday, June 24, the United States Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, ending nearly five decades of constitutional abortion access for all people with a uterus in the United States. Now it is up to individual states to determine if and when abortion is legal.
At 12:01 p.m., a message was sent out to those in the Meredith community on behalf of President Jo Allen. In her email, President Allen spoke on the importance of the integrity of women, stating, “Since its founding, Meredith has stood for the integrity of women as strong thinkers who are prepared for lives of impact. A ruling that defies a woman's intellect and right to determine what happens to her own body not only delves blatantly into a woman’s privacy but also signals disrespect for her decision-making and careful weighing of all sides of that decision.”
In her message, President Allen was careful to not take a side on the matter and reminded the community that not everyone at Meredith shares the same opinions and that Meredith College “is a place that deeply values the diversity of opinion and respectful freedom of speech and expression on this and dozens of other controversial issues.”
The Herald is aware that several students in the Meredith community did not receive this email, so its contents are included below:
Sent on Behalf of President Jo Allen
Dear Meredith Students, Faculty, and Staff,
Today, the Supreme Court of the United States officially announced its ruling on the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case, effectively striking down Roe v. Wade.
As president of one of the largest women’s colleges in the country, I felt it was important to respond to this change in rights that have stood for nearly 50 years.
While there is no singular view on this change, many see today’s ruling as a regression for women’s rights and dismissive of their ability to think for themselves. Since its founding, Meredith has stood for the integrity of women as strong thinkers who are prepared for lives of impact. A ruling that defies a woman's intellect and right to determine what happens to her own body not only delves blatantly into a woman’s privacy but also signals disrespect for her decision-making and careful weighing of all sides of that decision
Not all persons in our community will share the same viewpoints. That’s okay. Meredith College is a place that deeply values the diversity of opinion and respectful freedom of speech and expression on this and dozens of other controversial issues. It’s part of what makes our community strong.
-Jo Allen
By Rachel Van Horne, Associate Editor