With over a week since the midterm elections, we now know what was one of the most key issues in the election: abortion. However, how is this topic perceived at Rutherford B. Hayes High School?
To get to the bottom of the issue, we turn to four Hayes students, all with varying opinions on the subject.
To understand how this issue affected the election, we must first look back on the event that sparked it all, the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision in June of this year. With this decision came discussion over the validity of the Supreme Court.
“I think that the Supreme Court’s main job should not be taking up public opinion polls or anything like that,” senior Molly Wells said. “I think it should be just interpreting the Constitution and from my views, I think it should be strictly constitutional.”
However, junior Eric Gitson said he believes that the issue has become political.
“I think just in general [the] Supreme Court [is] starting to act on a political agenda instead of interpreting the Constitution,” Gitson said.

However, all the students seemed to agree that abortion issues go much deeper that simple legislative policy.
“I feel like abortion [goes] beyond just like the political thing. And, it’s more of a moral [issue],” junior Henry Williams said. “Rather than a political thing because this is, depending on where you stand, either the life of a human being or whatever else you think it is – parasite or not human.”
Junior Aito Tatman said he looks at this issue more from the perspective of a pregnant person.
“I think it’s restricting women’s rights and choices to their bodies, like what they want to do to their bodies and what they don’t want to do to their bodies,” Tatman said. “And I don’t think that the government should have any say in that.”
Nonetheless, voting is the issue that is truly on every person’s mind. Even though Wells was the only student of the four who was eligible to vote in this last election cycle, the students were asked if they would ever vote for candidates with the opposing views on abortion.
“Usually because there are probably greater political differences (when choosing political candidates),” Wells said.“But, if a Republican came and said I’m pro choice, I would probably not vote for them either.”
Gitson’s opinion is slightly different.

“It’s pretty important,” Gitson said. “It’s not maybe the single most important thing, but it’s pretty high on the list. So if they have some other good positions, and that’s the only one that I disagree with them on, then yes, I’d probably still vote for them. But I’d be more reluctant for sure.”
Even with the 2022 midterm elections in the rearview mirror, the issue of abortion on voters’ minds is here to stay. With Hayes students becoming eligible over the next few years, today’s student body will soon be the deciding favor in Ohio for whether or not abortion stays legal.
“Especially today, the most important thing is as soon as you can register to vote, go out and vote,” Gitson said.