The Tribune, in it’s Plan of Chicago series, editorialized on Sunday about the fundamental problem of children growing up without a father. It should be common sense, but the editorial spends its time citing studies that demonstrate the significant disadvantages faced by children of single parents, needing to justify itself in the face of the risk of “offending those who think that pointing out the perils of single-parent households amounts to blaming the victims, or that noting the value of fathers demeans the sacrifices of mothers.”
But the editorial falls short in suggesting answers. It points to programs which promote “responsible fatherhood and provide mentoring to at-risk youths” (though the specific program it mentions focuses on in-school and after-school programming).
We need to confront, head on, the harm that’s done by the “political correctness” that there’s no inherent reason why a woman should be married before planning on conceiving, and should maybe even refrain from having sex with men who are clearly not father material, given the risks of birth control failure. Maybe some old-fashioned shaming might even be called for. . .
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