Friday’s decision by the US Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade after 50 years is a shock to our conscience and to our democracy. A person’s right to privacy and dominion over their own body should be a natural and inalienable right. In Roe v. Wade, this right was upheld, laying the groundwork for safe and legal abortion in the United States. By overturning Roe v. Wade now, the Supreme Court is saying that these rights are not protected by the US Constitution. Until the US Congress passes legislation protecting a woman’s right to choose, it is the domain of the separate states to decide what rights remain for a woman from the moment she is fertilized. Many states have already passed “trigger” laws timed to the overturning of Roe v. Wade, making abortion illegal in those states. This puts millions of women, their healthcare providers, their families, and their futures at risk.
This setback makes our role at LRN and mission in the world more important than ever. When laws fail us, we must rely on our ethics and our values to move forward. Principled performance means considered performance: It means looking to our values and to our circumstances to guide us in challenging times. Because we believe most all people do want to do the right thing, we trust women to make an informed choice about their bodies, their families, and their future. Not everyone will make the same choice in any given circumstance, but the point is that they will make a considered one.
We recognize that this Supreme Court decision today is unsettling for many of our colleagues in the US. Please know that LRN supports the health and wellbeing of its employees in a number of ways. There are mental health resources available to US colleagues through our Employee Assistance Program. With our flexible PTO policy in the US, you can take time off to volunteer or to attend rallies. We also support our colleagues in all countries in their right to speak up about issues in their communities that are important. Please coordinate with your manager on your PTO schedule for these activities.
A version of this statement was sent to all LRN employees by CEO Kevin Michielsen on June 25, 2022.