EXCLUSIVE: Student proposes pro-life policy in support of 'pregnant and parenting students’

Pro-life student Chloe Davis is pushing a new policy on Charleston Southern University’s (CSU) campus in support of “those involved in an unplanned pregnancy,” according to a document obtained by Campus Reform. 

CSU is a private, Baptist institution located in Charleston, South Carolina. 

Davis, who is a recipient of Students for Life’s Standing with You Fellowship, was tasked by Students for Life with proposing a policy change on campus to “make the campus more friendly towards pregnant and parenting students.”

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Currently, CSU has Title IX exemptions in place that allow the university to treat pregnant students and students who are parents differently from their non-parenting or non-pregnant peers. 

Davis explained that these exemptions make it possible “for pregnant students to get kicked off of campus living and expelled from the university for getting pregnant outside of marriage.”

Despite her sympathy with the religious stance the university has taken, Davis shared concerns about the school’s current policies, arguing that they promote abortion. 

“I understand the university’s religious position toward extramarital sex and pregnancy, but the Title IX exemption that allows them to expel students and kick them out of their campus residence is statistically more likely to drive women to seek out abortion,” Davis told Campus Reform. 

Her proposed policy, titled the “Standing With You Pregnancy Policy,” utilizes both Scripture and moral arguments to build her case, reading, “Abortion is inherently anti-scriptural and is incompatible with the core beliefs of the university.”

“It is our mission at CSU to support parents on campus while encouraging them in academic excellence,” the policy proposal continues. “In accordance with the university’s vision, we have the ability to integrate faith in how we lead and serve pregnant mothers and fathers on campus. Therefore, abortion is never the right answer as it goes against the values of unique personhood and creation in the image of God (Jeremiah 1:5; Genesis 1:27). Each person is created intimately, intrinsically, and intentionally by God.”

According to Davis, the policy was first introduced last semester, but after recently putting more pressure on the administration, it is starting to gain traction. 

“I brought my concerns to the Dean of Students, Dean Clark Carter, on November 7th, 2022,” Davis explained to Campus Reform. “I presented the Standing With You pregnancy policy to him and explained why it was important to implement.”

After not hearing back for two months from Senior Officers required to sign off on the policy change, she emailed Dean Carter to remind him of the proposed policy. He responded to students via email in mid-March, copies of which were obtained by Campus Reform, revealing that he has been working on getting it approved.

Dean Carter’s Mar. 16 email informed the student that the policy needed to be revised in order to be considered, specifically with more Scripture verses and with revised sentences “for clarity and ease of reading.”

[RELATED: Public Health prof tells students abortions are necessary because children cause ‘economic hardship’]

Davis said that, overall, the process of implementing the pro-life policy has not discouraged her. 

She said, “Thankfully, this has not discouraged me. I firmly believe that this is a cause worth fighting for, and I’m willing to go to great lengths.”

“Mothers should be able and encouraged to pursue their careers and education while pregnant, not threatened with expulsion. It is my prayer that CSU will begin to meet these mothers and fathers with compassion and will choose to extend Christlike love,” Davis concluded. 

Campus Reform reached out to every individual and institution mentioned for comment. This article will be updated accordingly. 

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