Texas

Kate Cox, abortion in Texas and religious freedom

Published

12 months ago

January 8, 2024

Kate Cox, abortion in Texas and religious freedom

It’s a tragedy when a pregnant person learns their own health and pregnancy are at risk, especially when it’s apparent the baby will die hours after birth. Being in this position is a terrifying and lonely place to be.

Unfortunately, that’s where Kate Cox found herself recently when she sought a medically necessary abortion. Then it took an unimaginable turn when she learned, like the rest of us, that the Texas Supreme Court was more than willing to make matters worse. In states with abortion bans like ours, even those with medical exceptions, the last person who gets to decide is the first person impacted by this diagnosis: the pregnant person.

Even after being granted immunity from prosecution on medical grounds by a district court, Cox was ultimately blocked from terminating her ill-fated pregnancy and forced to leave the state so she could receive the pregnancy care she needed. This is no longer unusual in Texas, as many women now face this agonizing choice.

Current Texas law prohibits abortion except to save the life of the pregnant patient. Both Cox’s doctor and the district judge believed her case fit the criteria of Texas’ already restrictive abortion law. Molly Duane, one of Cox’s attorneys, said that Cox is at “high risk for multiple pregnancy complications, including hypertension, gestational diabetes, and infection.” If she didn’t have an abortion, Cox would have been unable to have another healthy pregnancy, which would devastate her and her family’s dream to have a larger family.

As Jewish women, we know this is wrong. But in Texas, we face double discrimination with anti-abortion laws that deny both our bodily autonomy and freedom to practice our religious beliefs. This is why my organization, National Council of Jewish Women of Greater Dallas, and our sister organizations in Austin, San Antonio and Houston, fully support Cox’s right — and the right of any pregnant person — to decide whether to continue a pregnancy.

In Jewish tradition, we are taught to value a pregnant person’s life and health above other considerations. Our Jewish teachings also uphold that abortion is not only permitted but required when the life of the pregnant person is at risk. We acknowledge there is diversity of thought and interpretation across the Jewish denominations, yet the Reform, Reconstructionist and Conservative Jewish movements all believe health care includes abortion care.

Jewish women are not alone in this experience. The denial of medically necessary abortion care under Texas law also impinges on the religious beliefs of others. In solidarity, NCJW initiated a coalition of diverse religious traditions and submitted an amicus brief in the case Zurawski vs. State of Texas that seeks clarification on the medical emergency exception under current law. All who signed on hold a faith-informed belief that a pregnant person has the moral right to decide whether to continue a pregnancy that threatens their life or health.

Despite the distress she has suffered during her pregnancy, and the Texas law that takes away her individual agency, Cox is fortunate. She left Texas to have her medically necessary abortion because she has the means and support to travel. Many do not. As people of faith, we must emphasize the moral urgency of abortion access for all, including people in marginalized communities who are disproportionately impacted by this unjust Texas law that currently denies medically necessary abortion care.

Denying an abortion under Texas law despite health and religious beliefs goes against both the U.S. and Texas constitutions. The latter says: “Equality under the law shall not be denied or abridged because of sex, race, color, creed, or national origin.”

Although our Jewish faith supports abortion rights, the imperative lies in ensuring universal access to safe abortions. It is a fundamental right that transcends religious doctrines and calls on us to forge alliances across religious divides, uniting in the pursuit of comprehensive bodily autonomy for all individuals, irrespective of faith.

Shannon Morse is the executive director of the National Council of Jewish Women-Greater Dallas. The NCJW in Austin, Houston and San Antonio co-signed this essay.

We welcome your thoughts in a letter to the editor. See the guidelines and submit your letter here. If you have problems with the form, you can submit via email at letters@dallasnews.com

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Texas

Texas at No. 13 Texas A&M gamethread

Published

7 hours ago

January 4, 2025

Press Room

The College Station editions of the Lone Star Showdown continues on Saturday with the Texas Longhorns facing the No. 13 Texas A&M Aggies at Reed Arena in the SEC debut for head coach Rodney Terry’s team.

Tip is at 7 p.m. Central on SEC Network and this is your gamethread.

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Texas

The stories that defined Texas high school football in the Dallas area in 2024

Published

17 hours ago

January 4, 2025

Press Room

The stories that defined Texas high school football in the Dallas area in 2024

As we turn the page on 2024, The Dallas Morning News is looking back at the stories that defined high school sports in the Dallas area over the past 12 months.

Our staff considers it a privilege to write about schools in the Dallas area, and our coverage goes far beyond gamers and stats. Every year, we get to tell stories of incredible triumphs, heartbreaking defeats, tragedy, resilience and hope. These are your stories. Thank you for allowing us to tell them.

Below are the stories that defined football in the Dallas area in 2024.

More of our year-in-review

— Boys, girls basketball

— Baseball, softball

— Boys, girls soccer

— Volleyball

— Track, golf, others

North Crowley head coach Ray Gates poses with his players after a victory over Austin Westlake in the Class 6A Division I state football championship game on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Arlington.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)

D-FW can claim Texas’ best high school football team in an otherwise down year for Dallas

ARLINGTON — North Crowley showed out on Saturday in its dazzling 50-21 victory over Austin Westlake in the 6A Division I state title game, winning the program’s second state championship and putting Fort Worth high school football on the map in front of 36,120 fans at AT&T Stadium.

Until North Crowley took the field at 7:30 p.m., there was a possibility the Dallas-Fort Worth area might boast only one state champion in 2024. Celina routed Kilgore 55-21 in the 4A Division I state championship to capture the program’s ninth state title and its first under coach Bill Elliott.

But North Texas teams came up short in the next three title games, the region’s worst showing at state since 2021, when South Oak Cliff became the first Dallas ISD school to win a recognized state championship since 1958, but Denton Guyer and Duncanville fell in the 6A state championship games.

Two-time state champion South Oak Cliff missed a last-second field goal, falling 38-35 to third-year program Richmond Randle in the 5A Division II state title game Friday night. It was SOC’s second straight loss in the state championship game.

“The future is still bright,” South Oak Cliff coach Jason Todd said. “We just gotta find out what’s going to get us over this hump.”

— Click or tap here to read the rest of Myah Taylor’s story —

More 2024 state coverage

— Texas high school football central: 2024 state championship game stories, photos and more

— Gunter grabs third straight crown in dominant 3A-II state title win over Woodville

— Celina routs Kilgore in 4A-I state final, joining elite Texas high school football club

— North Crowley becomes new king of Class 6A with state title win over Austin Westlake

— Celina is a state champion once again, thanks to Bowe Bentley and a little air superiority

— Quentin Gibson broke an NFL player’s Dallas-area record in North Crowley’s state title win

— North Crowley, coach Ray Gates didn’t ‘duck any smoke’ in bold state championship season

— Attendance down for UIL state title games at AT&T Stadium for second straight year

— Full 2024 statewide UIL Texas high school football playoff, state championship results

Conrad football coach Josh Ragsdale cheers on students in a beginner’s class at the 9th... — Conrad football coach Josh Ragsdale cheers on students in a beginner’s class at the 9th Street Gym, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024, in Garland. Ragsdale is working toward his black belt while learning forms of taekwondo in classes.(Chitose Suzuki / Staff Photographer)

Player’s death inspires Dallas football coach to finish goal: a black belt in karate

GARLAND — Josh Ragsdale thinks he resembles Will Ferrell.

Not from a physical standpoint, but during karate classes at the 9th Street Gym in Garland. That is where the 44-year-old Ragsdale towers over boys and girls a quarter of his age who are learning the same punches, kicks and self-defense moves — such as how to throw an attacker to the ground — as Conrad High School’s head football coach.

Picture Ferrell’s character Buddy in the movie Elf, except he’s wearing a traditional karate uniform called a gi and doing tornado kicks and fighting instead of making toys.

“I’m Elf,” Ragsdale said. “I’m the adult amongst a bunch of smaller folks, but it’s been neat for me to connect with them.”

— Click or tap here to read the rest of Greg Riddle’s story —

Kailer Pettijohn, left, Riley Pettijohn, and Cam Pettijohn pose for a photograph at the... — Kailer Pettijohn, left, Riley Pettijohn, and Cam Pettijohn pose for a photograph at the McKinney High School practice field in McKinney, TX, on Oct 14, 2024.(Jason Janik / Jason Janik)

Tips on protecting plants and property as North Texas homeowners prepare for freeze

Published

1 day ago

January 4, 2025

Press Room

Tips on protecting plants and property as North Texas homeowners prepare for freeze

01:41

NORTH TEXAS — In a couple of days, temperatures are expected to drastically drop. This weekend is a good time to get prepared.

Richardson homeowner Stephanie Brownell is now preparing her home for freezing temperatures while it’s still pleasant outside.

“I don’t like cold weather, so I’ve come out and I wrapped all my faucets and then put covers on them,” she said.

She’s also moved all her potted tropical plants inside.

“So for this freeze you’re going to want to bring in anything that’s tropical, tender vegetation such as house plants, and things like that,” Fort Worth Botanic Garden Senior Director of Horticulture Keith Brock said. “Most of your annuals will be fine.”

He said based on the forecast, water your plants now if you can.

“Water has insulating quality,” he said. “It also makes sure that plants are not under stress because like water, you want your plants in good shape when we get these kinds of temperatures. I would start no later than tomorrow.”

He said for the most part, outdoor plants don’t need to be covered. However, if there’s any concern based on the type of plant you have, you can always throw a frost cloth or an old sheet on it.

Brownell said her gardenias are vulnerable to the cold. She’s making the preparations now, hoping they pay off in the coming days.

Erin Jones

Raised in Richardson, Erin Jones is proud to call North Texas home. Her passion for journalism began in elementary school. For a 5th grade graduation memory book, she was asked what do you want to be when you grow up? She wrote journalist.

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