A forum was held on Nov. 3 at Sacramento City College to discuss the recent impact of the Supreme Court on abortion.
The forum was held both online via Zoom and in person in the Business Building on SCC’s campus. The panelists featured staff and students with over 80 people in attendance.
“We wanted to make sure that we had plenty of space for students to have their thoughts and voices aired and that they can share their concerns and questions,” said History Professor Dominic Cerri. “We wanted a panel that was balanced between faculty and students and I thought that we were able to create that.”
Cerri said he was thrilled with the turnout and thought students made important contributions to the discussion.
Adjunct Political Science Professor Diane Yapundich opened by explaining the result of the supreme court case Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization and how it affects Roe v. Wade.
“Justice Alito, who wrote the opinion, is saying that the court that decided Roe was incorrect. That there is no constitutional liberty interest in having the right to abortion,” Yapundich said.
History Professor Sherri Patton added what she thought of Justice Samuel Alito’s opinion and how impactful it is for the future of abortion rights.
“Of course they’re not in the original constitution, so this is a very dangerous argument,” Patton said.
Patton ended by saying abortion may not have been part of the constitution, but was never ruled illegal since the colonial period up to the Civil War.
Brianna Pietri, a 23-year-old SCC political history major, said the potential ban on abortion is scary.
“Even though California seems like a sanctuary to be a good place to find reproductive health, this national ban could be very threatening for our state and the whole country,” Pietri said.
Cerri said he thought it was great that a forum like this was available for students to attend and wanted to push this issue since the district has been quiet about it since the Dobbs Decision came out.
Cerri said he hopes there will be more forums in the future for students on topics like these.
“It’s great to have that sense of community where people from diverse backgrounds can come together and have civil discourse on a topic that is important to them,” Cerri said.