Professor's remarks draw fire
Abortion comments anger some students
By: Colin Campbell, Staff Writer
Issue date: 2/19/08 Section: University
A UNC biology professor has sparked controversy after telling his embryology class last week that fetuses with Down syndrome should be aborted.
During a lecture, Albert Harris said: "In my opinion, the moral thing for older mothers to do is to have amniocentesis, as soon during pregnancy as is safe for the fetus, test whether placental cells have a third chromosome number 21, and abort the fetus if it does. The brain is the last organ to become functional."
Several students said they were offended by Harris' remarks and don't think a professor should express such opinions in a class.
"I was in disbelief," said senior Lara Frame, who has a brother with Down syndrome. "I've never run across anyone who would say that to another individual, much less a class."
But some of the about 140 students in the class said the remarks weren't out of line.
"I thought it was perfectly justified," senior Scott Jones said. "I actually want to hear these opinions and form my own judgments about them. I think it's a matter of freedom of speech in education."
A UNC survey earlier this year showed that an overwhelming majority of students think their classroom environments allow for diverse expression of ideas.
Harris said his lecture was about frequency of birth defects, including Down syndrome, in mothers older than 40. He said abortion is the moral solution for a situation with a high rate of severe birth defects that can lead to death.
Forty to 50 percent of children with Down syndrome develop congenital heart defects and are 15 to 20 times more likely to develop leukemia than the general population, according to the Association for Children with Down Syndrome.
"It's this terrible decision," Harris said. "Ninety percent of people in this position have an abortion."
But Frame said the decision often stems from misconceptions about people with Down syndrome.
"This population can lead a fairly normal life," she said.
During a lecture, Albert Harris said: "In my opinion, the moral thing for older mothers to do is to have amniocentesis, as soon during pregnancy as is safe for the fetus, test whether placental cells have a third chromosome number 21, and abort the fetus if it does. The brain is the last organ to become functional."
Several students said they were offended by Harris' remarks and don't think a professor should express such opinions in a class.
"I was in disbelief," said senior Lara Frame, who has a brother with Down syndrome. "I've never run across anyone who would say that to another individual, much less a class."
But some of the about 140 students in the class said the remarks weren't out of line.
"I thought it was perfectly justified," senior Scott Jones said. "I actually want to hear these opinions and form my own judgments about them. I think it's a matter of freedom of speech in education."
A UNC survey earlier this year showed that an overwhelming majority of students think their classroom environments allow for diverse expression of ideas.
Harris said his lecture was about frequency of birth defects, including Down syndrome, in mothers older than 40. He said abortion is the moral solution for a situation with a high rate of severe birth defects that can lead to death.
Forty to 50 percent of children with Down syndrome develop congenital heart defects and are 15 to 20 times more likely to develop leukemia than the general population, according to the Association for Children with Down Syndrome.
"It's this terrible decision," Harris said. "Ninety percent of people in this position have an abortion."
But Frame said the decision often stems from misconceptions about people with Down syndrome.
"This population can lead a fairly normal life," she said.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 35
Dustin Ingalls
posted 2/19/08 @ 5:12 AM EST
It's one thing to offer an opinion as an option and then discuss, but to say that opinion is "the" moral solution and then not have discussion is unethical. (Continued…)
Student
posted 2/19/08 @ 5:37 AM EST
A tenured professor expresses his academic viewpoint, empowering his students to develop their own interpretations? This is not front-page material.
here come the neanderthals
posted 2/19/08 @ 8:10 AM EST
Great, now the neanderthals who don't even think stem cells should be used in research are going to weigh in. What a bunch of bullshit. Whiny, PC republicans. (Continued…)
typ, soooooooooooooooooo typ
posted 2/19/08 @ 8:21 AM EST
Typical for conspiratorial left-wingers (just an assumption) like our boy or girl "here come the neanderthals" to resort to name-calling. Someone has a different opinion and this person resorts to the respected tactic of name-calling. (Continued…)
w
posted 2/19/08 @ 9:39 AM EST
It sounds like neither party involved has a very good sense of the appropriate means and venues for discussing sensitive issues.
Professor - Frame it specifically as opinion and don't be a jerk about disagreement. (Continued…)
Jake Fraser
posted 2/19/08 @ 1:28 PM EST
On exactly what basis are the grounds for disagreement and discussion within the classroom predicated? This is an educational institution, and part of the reason you pay big $$ to come here is to hear what people in the field think. (Continued…)
Concerned
posted 2/19/08 @ 3:11 PM EST
What the DTH didn't realize was that the issue here isn't abortion, it's the inappropriateness of the comment. We weren't even talking about genetic defects. (Continued…)
Czar Chasm
posted 2/19/08 @ 3:13 PM EST
I believe that we should only allow our professors to read from pre-approved textbooks, or, in extreme cases, allow them to state facts learned independently of those books. (Continued…)
William L. Madden
posted 2/19/08 @ 4:27 PM EST
Professor Harris should state controversial opinions that deal with the course content. Miss Frame, I can empathize with your hurt feelings. However, Professor Harris' intent was to educate students and not to hurt your feelings. (Continued…)
s
posted 2/19/08 @ 4:39 PM EST
The main thing that people should look at is he said, "In my opinion...". Professors offer opinions on subjects all the time, if you don't agree talk to him after class and compare opinions. (Continued…)
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