One of my favorite college football coaches is a strong Catholic and believer in family values. He's very conservative and reportedly a republican although I don't know that. When my team went through some tough spells last year and some players had bad games, he refused to bash them and name names to the press. He had a quote that stayed with me.
"We build people up. We don't tear down people here."
That's the attitude the Palin family has taken, and is the correct course to take. That's not to say that this should be condoned, but the most important thing now is how the situation is handled. It is handled the right way. Build people up and not tear them down. It is how I'd handle this as a grandfather if that happens before I expect it to.
I wager that this pregnant teen will tell other teens what a mistake she made, and perhaps she might add that it’s not the end of the world to be a mother so young, but not the greatest thing to be either. Good can come out of this.