Ms. Kahn is teaching her science class about genetic testing. Her students have a range of opinions about whether or not genetic screening should be regulated by the government.

“I don’t think that pregnant women should have genetic tests for their babies,” says Shana. “It’s wrong to make choices about a baby’s future based on their genes.”

“I agree with you about a baby who is already conceived, Shana,” Colleen replies, “but some people might want to be tested even before they decide to have a child. Some genetic tests can tell adults if they are carriers for a fatal genetic disease like Spinal Muscular Atrophy. In the circumstance that both parents carry the gene, their child might have the disease when it is born. The parents might choose to adopt instead.”

Shana asks, “What does it mean to be a ‘carrier’ of the gene?”

“Maybe one of you can do some research to find out,” suggests Ms. Kahn.

Shana found this topic very interesting and decided to investigate this question. She found the following graphic to help her understand the way genes can move from generation to generation.

Discussion Question:

Science can help us understand reasons for things, but deciding whether something is right or wrong can be much more complicated. Have a class discussion about why issues related to genetics are controversial.