School Board Leader Makes Controversial Comment On WTMA Radio

Charleston County School Board Vice-Chair Nancy Cook suggested sterilization as a way to reduce unwanted pregnancies, now she admits it was an extreme position.

On Thursday, April 3, 2008 during the 9am hour of WTMA’s “The Morning Buzz” Cook said the following:

"We're not standing up as people and saying we've had enough of that. We're not paying for another baby, maybe one, but after that we're taking the baby and maybe you get sterilized. I know that sounds extreme…”

Regardless, her comments are raising a few brows.

"I don't know what I said in the heat of the moment, what I was talking about, but I'm saying we have a problem,” Cook said.

When asked if she had any regrets about her comments Cook replied, "Sometimes in the heat of the moment you think of things, but do I really believe that? No, my religious beliefs do not believe in that."

However, Cook said the context in which her comments were made were to initiate a conversation, one the entire community needs to have to address the moral dilemmas we’re facing.

Moreover, these same unresolved moral dilemmas may also be the cause of Charleston County's drop out rate, which stands at 4.28%,

As far as community involvement is concerned in confronting these issues, Cook suggested that people get involved in mentoring programs, support groups and also take full responsibility for their children.

If elected to the Charleston County Council, Cook hopes to help recitfy some of the dilemmas.

"I'll always be an advocate for public education and finding solutions to the bigger problems in the community and I think I offer that voice if I'm elected to County Council,” she said.

According to Cook, there's only so much the County Council can do to remedy moral dilemmas like teen pregnancies and drop out rates and she says it's an issue that has to be addressed at the state level.

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