THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, August 10, 1996 TAG: 9608100014
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A12 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: 49 lines
The article ``Kasey and Mariah'' (Sunday Break, July 14) was written not to evoke sympathy but to raise a caution flag to teens, as well as their parents, about the rising statistics of unwed mothers. It is obvious to see that Michele Baird, a Virginia Beach citizen who replied to the article on July 16, has a complete and total misunderstanding about having children at a young age. The article was not written to show how easy it is to have children the ``wrong way.''
Let me clear up some points. I do not receive welfare, nor do I get money from the government to ``finance my partying time.'' My mother is not my baby sitter, and my social life is very limited. My ``occasional grass mowing'' is currently paying for the child-care needs of my daughter. My line of work allows me time to breast-feed my daughter and watch her grow, both of which are very important to me.
Also, the ``silver platter'' on which my college education is being handed to me is rusted. I'm struggling to keep my grades high enough so I can receive a scholarship to help pay for my future education. Last time I checked, those were the same circumstances that other teens have been dealing with for the past 50 years. My school record and financial aid have nothing to do with my daughter.
As for an adequate home for Mariah, she is being provided with one now and will be for the rest of her life. Just because I am young and not on my feet does not mean that I am ignorant to morals or the rising standards of living in today's society.
The criticism of me by Ms. Baird was totally out of context. I am not one to receive and never give. I am strong, and I will succeed. The same goes for Mariah's father. Who is Ms. Baird to judge a man she has never met?
I suggest to members of the public that they hold their steel eyes and ice-cold hearts away from the teen mothers and direct them to the teens who are not already pregnant. That was the point I was trying to make.
I will not be one to claim the wrong or right way to have children. However, I will say from experience that having children before completing all of one's education will make it harder to further that education. I have also learned, when my mother decided to further her education, that financial aid is not determined by your marital status. So it is evident that getting married before having kids does not solve all of the hardships of raising children.
My daughter is not neglected, abused or mistreated, and I do not appreciate anyone implying that her care is not sufficient.
KASEY JENKINS
Norfolk, July 22, 1996 by CNB