Ed, this is to “Appalled.” I too am a woman of color, I too had a baby at 15, and I too have survived it. My son has turned out fine. He is a correction officer, now in his 40s. Just because you are young doesn’t mean you can’t be a good parent. You have to stay on top of it. Don’t just look at it as a travesty. Read L.A. Parker’s article in the paper on Jan. 8 and get another side of it.

Been There

Thanks for your story. Putting teen parents in the paper has drawn such passionate response, first from those condemning the idea that the parents would dare be proud and then from former teen parents who’ve made it work. Isn’t there a middle ground where we work hard to prevent teen pregnancy but aren’t disgusted when it happens? —Ed. Note