Harvard Law students demand abortion education one week after pro-life walkout

Alliance for Reproductive Justice at Harvard Law School staged an all-day sit-in to demand more education on reproductive rights.

The sit-in came a week after 75 students staged a walkout during a panel that discussed the legality of abortion.

On Oct. 6, students from the Alliance for Reproductive Justice (ARJ) group at Harvard Law School (HLS) staged an all-day sit-in to plead with Harvard Law students to sign a letter demanding more education on reproductive rights. 

The ARJ students announced the event in an Oct. 4 Instagram post, writing, “we demand that HLS hire a full-time reproductive justice professor and form a reproductive rights clinic. We need as many people to come sit as possible so it’s effective!”

The sit-in lasted from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and participants were encouraged to bring friends and work materials to study during the event.

[RELATED: Biden administration says Title IX protects abortion] 

According to the letter, the students demanded the establishment of a reproductive rights clinic, the addition of a full-time law professor experienced in abortion litigation, and several abortion lecture courses.

“HLS students want the opportunity to learn how the law governs sexual and reproductive health care,” the letter read. “Reproductive justice is a broad and complex area of law with several different facets, which cannot be comprehensively taught in a single course.” 

The letter has amassed over 900 signatures and will be presented to HLS faculty on Nov. 1. 

The sit-in also came exactly one week after 75 HLS students staged a walkout during a Sept. 29 panel that discussed the legality of abortion. The event was hosted by Harvard Law School Students for Life and featured a number of scholars that opposed abortion rights. 

[RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Pro-life students rallied against abortion during VP Kamala Harris’ speech] 

The HLS Students for Life posted a tweet later that day stating, “Incredible event today with the always brilliant Erika Bachiochi and Professor Stephen Sachs! Unfortunately, a couple of students had to leave early--we wish they had stayed to hear about the next steps in the fight for life!” 

Campus Reform contacted every individual, organization, and university mentioned. This article will be updated accordingly.