Another Voice / Teenage fathers
Jeffery M. Leving: Palin’s father is wrong: boys aren’t deadbeat dads
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In recent interviews on “The Tyra Banks Show” and CBS’s “Early Show,” Levi Johnston accused the family of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin of limiting his access to his infant son, Tripp.
Only the parties involved know if that is true, but Johnston has brought to the forefront the real pain suffered by many unmarried teen fathers, who have little or no access to their children due to interference by their ex-partners and their families. This is a real problem in America, where 76 percent of teen births are out of wedlock.
In response to Johnston’s statements, Sarah Palin’s father, Chuck Heath, called the boy a “deadbeat dad,” claiming that he was not contributing financially to the raising of his son.
The public would not have known Johnston if he had not been the 17-year-old who impregnated Bristol Palin, the governor’s teen daughter. At first, the teens were planning to marry. The boy even stood on stage with the Palins like a family member at the Republican National Convention, where she accepted the nomination to be John McCain’s running mate.
The teens broke up soon after the birth of their son and the tension between their families seemed to quickly grow, as it often does in these situations. The Palin family’s labeling of Johnston as a “deadbeat dad” seems to be harsh. How can a teenage boy be a “deadbeat dad”? After all, he’s still a kid himself.
Societal male stereotypes incorrectly support the Palins’ characterization of this boy. Johnston and teen boys in his situation throughout America can end up with unbearable legal and financial troubles. The law does not give teen fathers any exemption from paying child support. If a teen has fathered a child, he can be held financially responsible for the child’s upbringing. And if the teen father does not pay up, he can end up in jail.
Johnston said that he did not have custody of his son, and feared that he might have to go to court in order to gain visitation rights. His fear is real and his situation is typical. It is a sad fact that unmarried fathers have no legal rights to visit their children unless they obtain court-ordered visitation.
Most teen boys are unprepared to shoulder the responsibilities of parenthood, let alone having the legal knowhow and resources to wade through the complicated judicial process. As a result, many lose the chance to visit their own children.
Teen fathers are usually blamed for the pregnancies while the mothers are viewed as the victims. This bias is often reflected in our court system, where young fathers are often kicked to the curb. Unmarried teen parents need not only the advice and help of experienced legal counsel, but also the support of their families.
In Johnston’s case, the paternal and maternal families, instead of sparring, need to come together to help the youngsters who now have a child to raise. This child needs two parents.
Jeffery M. Leving is a family law attorney and author of the book “Divorce Wars.”
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