And as to evidence, if the Canadian model is like ours in forensics, then the written speech would have included more documentation.

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I believe Harris is referring to the evidence she presents — it came from American sources and contained American stats. She may have done better if she did some Canadian research but honestly I think her speech went as far it could. I have heard better at this level — she’s fairly young for grade seven and her tone reflects this.

She addressed the usual objections from those who advocate abortion.

I thought it was a bit of a caricature but given her age she did a fair job.

Well since, no doubt, this girl has at least one classmate who’s gotten pregnant, I’d say this topic is pretty relevant for her audience.

Evidence? Its extremely rare for a grade seven girl to be pregnant and I teach in a school board with one of the highest levels of teen pregnancy in Ontario.

However, I do agree that some of the content is relevant — the grade seven health curriculum covers sexual harassment and fertilization and in grade eight it covers date rape and birth control.

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“On this anniversary, we must also recommit ourselves more broadly to ensuring that our daughters have the same rights and opportunities as our sons: the chance to attain a world-class education; to have fulfilling careers in any industry; to be treated fairly and paid equally for their work and to have no limits on their dreams. That is what I want for women everywhere.” ~ President Barack Obama, January 22, 2009, the 36th anniversary of Roe V Wade.

In other words (spoken in the context of advocating abortion on demand), we shouldn’t let innocent human life stand in the way of a girl’s education, career or other perceived opportunities. Sadly, some see a career as something to die for. Obama also wants it to be something to kill for.

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I don’t understand why anyone would question the child’s maturity. Why can’t you speak about what you want to speak about? I think the problem is that people don’t want her argument to be heard.

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I have found it better to have speeches that are better suited to the child’s experience or maturity.

Well since, no doubt, this girl has at least one classmate who’s gotten pregnant, I’d say this topic is pretty relevant for her audience.

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Not being Canadian, I’m not sure what that means.

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Cameron’s point (she had to deal with date-rape) emphasizes why we generally point children away from such topics. It is adult. I have found it better to have speeches that are better suited to the child’s experience or maturity.

Finally a word about content and structure. In the high school students I coach, we work on who the audience is they seek to address, who do they see themselves addressing? Had the speech had a better sense of its Canadian setting, the speech would likely have advanced further.

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I don’t think the girl is really all that pretty, though. To me, she looks kind of cute, but a little bit plain–kind of how I see myself, come to think of it.

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