Chicago, IL  In recent interviews on the Tyra Banks Show and CBS’s Early Show, Levi Johnston accused the Palin family of limiting his access to his infant son, Tripp. Whether or not his accusation was true, only the parties involved know the answer. However, Levi has brought to the forefront the real pain suffered by many unmarried teen fathers in America, 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% of teen births are out of wedlock.
In response to Levi Johnston’s statements, Sarah Palin’s father, Chuck Heath, called the boy a “dead-beat dad,†claiming that he was not contributing financially to the raising of his son.
The public would not have known Levi Johnston if he had not been the 17-year-old boy who had impregnated the teenage daughter of Sarah Palin, Bristol Palin. At first, the teenagers were planning to get married. The boy even stood on stage with Sarah Palin like a family member at the Republican National Convention in September 2008, where Sarah Palin accepted the nomination to be John McCain’s vice-presidential running mate. The teenagers 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 Levi Johnston as a “dead-beat dad†seems to be harsh. After all, how can a teenage boy be a “dead-beat dad?†After all, he’s still a kid himself.
Societal male stereotypes incorrectly support the Palins’ characterization of this boy. Levi Johnston and teenage boys in his situation throughout America can end up with unbearable legal and financial troubles. The law does not give teenage fathers any exemption from paying child support. If a teenager has fathered a child, he can be held financially responsible for the child’s upbringing. And, if the teenage father does not pay up, he can end up in jail just as an adult.
Levi 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 teenage boys are unprepared to shoulder the responsibilities of parenthood, let alone having the legal know-how and resources to wade through the complicated judicial process with all of its pitfalls. As a result, many lose the chance to visit their own children.
Our society has stigmatized teenage fathers as irresponsible and uncaring. However, research shows that many young fathers want to be involved in the lives of their babies. In national surveys, young men are placing fatherhood at the top of their list of priorities. Levi Johnston has repeatedly expressed his strong desire to help bring up his son. Teenage 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, saddled with unreasonable child support obligation and threatened with jail time if they fail to pay up.
Unmarried teenage parents not only need the advice and help of experienced legal counsel, but also the support of their families. In the case of Levi Johnston, the paternal and maternal families, instead of sparring, need to come together to help the youngsters who now have a child of their own to raise. This child needs two parents.
Jeffery M. Leving is one of America’s most prominent family law attorneys and the author of the book Divorce Wars. His website is dadsrights.com.
