Skeptic Project

A Cincinnati Catholic school sent a letter of apology to parents after Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-OH) got a little off-topic in a speech given to elementary school students from first through eighth grade: she began talking about how abortion is killing a child in the womb.

"She defined abortion as the taking of a child's life in the mother's womb," the apology letter said. "She indicated that abortion involves the killing of a child before it is born. She was not graphic or any more detailed in this regard."

The principal of the school (which requested to remain anonymous) told WLWT News that though most of the speech wasn't political, he was forced to apologize when she veered off course. In the letter to parents, the principal wrote that "her point was to address the increase of governmental activity in the abortion issue and her political resolve to fight against this."

Here's one excerpt from the letter:

Unexpectedly, towards the end of her address, Congresswoman Schmidt brought up the topic of abortion, and I am writing you to make you aware of this. Your children may come home with questions, especially if this is a topic that has not been broached in your home. I do not recall the exact words she used, but she paused towards the end of her speech and stated that this would be the only time when she would be 'political' in her address. She defined abortion as the taking of a child's life in the mother's womb. She indicated that abortion involves the killing of a child before it is born. She was not graphic or any more detailed in this regard. Later, when a child asked about it, she indicated that an abortion is something that a doctor does when a mother requests this. It was not a particularly long segment of her address (1½ minutes or so), and these words may not match the exact words she used, but this description does, I believe, express what your child heard. Her point was to address the increase of governmental activity in the abortion issue and her political resolve to fight against this.

When contacted by TPM, Schmidt's office pointed us toward the original article.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/10/rep-jean-schmidt-to-six-year-olds-abortion-is-killing.php?ref=fpc

I just want to know what planet this woman lives on where abortion is a topic you talk to six year olds about.