[BrandyHagz]

I find it interesting that schools will conduct pregnancy tests and provide on-site daycare but not birth control

One story I read really focused on the fact that this specific area of MASS is mostly Catholic. It's likely, if this is the case, that this is the reason that BC is not more widely available - yet support from what results of the lack of BC is.

[Oceans]

I didn't think you inferred that, you just made me think of the question...

In general, I have issues with schools/school districts getting involved in these types of issues if they are not going approach the entire problem - starting with prevention beyond abstinence. Additionally, if they are going to be involved to the extent of testing, then I think they have a responsibility to identify and report trends. I feel the same way about drug testing in schools as well. If positive tests were on the rise, I would want to know about it as a parent. My kids are exposed to the other kids everyday...

And I’m sorry, I have to wonder how these girls lives had been changed if someone would have called their parents after the second or third negative test accompanied by the obvious show of disappointment. I would be livid if someone had not told me. I'm not saying I have all the answers; I have to leave that up to people smarter than I am BUT... If the schools are going to jump into this arena, then they must take some responsibility. They would take the accolades if they came up with a program that decreased pregnancies...

I am all for ensuring these girls finish HS, and can make a pretty good case as to why they need to be in an accelerated program in addition to one that encourages/supports a plan for a higher education. I don’t think that their old HS campus is the place for this. I hate to sound like I am punishing girls who are pregnant but parenting changes everything (so the commercial says). Daycares send the message that nothing has to change.

ETA: Brandy - I read that too and suspect that is why the district was so against offering BC. So much for separation of church & state... LOL

[mdesi]

Once again, we cannot know if the parents were called. The sad fact is that many parents feel pretty impotent when their teen starts to rebel. (I've got a hole in my wall right now from a rebelling teenager. That tantrum this weekend was a real self-esteem shaker for my DH.) For many parents, it's easier to not do anything, even when given the facts that their child is sexually active, drinking, skipping school, doing drugs, etc., than it is to try to stop that cycle. Having worked in public schools, I can tell you that substantiated unsafe behaviors are often met from parents with accusations to the school. In short, it is easier for the parent to blame, scream, bully the school, than it is to deal with the harsh realities of that behavior from their child. People do not want to believe that the sweet little baby they brought home from the hospital has grown into a sexual young adult that makes decisions on his/her own. My personal experience is that parents seem to ignore this behavior ESPECIALLY when it is a repeated trend from the child.

Again, I will continue to point out that we have no way of knowing if the parents were contacted. That information cannot be released to the public w/o permission from the parents.

[lovemy2boys]

Originally Posted by BrandyHagz

One story I read really focused on the fact that this specific area of MASS is mostly Catholic. It's likely, if this is the case, that this is the reason that BC is not more widely available - yet support from what results of the lack of BC is.

I heard an interview with the reporter from Time, and she was saying that although the area is mostly Catholic, the school's "health" classes DID discuss methods other than just abstinence...They did promote birth control, but the issue was that two people who headed the "health education" department were pushing to provide birth control to the children without parental consent, and that's what the school took acception with; not the idea of abstinence only, but whether or not it should be distributed to kids in their early teens without the consent of a parent.

In addition, the reporter said that she interviewed some of the girls, and they claimed that they didn't know about birth control, nor what purpose it served (such as preventing pregnancy and disease). However, others agreed that, yes, it was discussed in health classes.

[dpen6]

Need to dispel some genralization here about Mass and Catholics.

One: The public Schools in Mass do NOT use any curriculm that I know off based upon Catholic teachings.

TWO: I live in a very catholic area, I am catholic and I got my daughter on birthcontrol, it is not hard to do. Unfortunaly the old ways of cathloics just having babies because of the no BC is long gone. I would be very hardpressed to find many catholics today that don't use BC. Yes, maybe some but not many. Especaily here in liberal Ma.

This is a country wide problem. The fact that sex is rammned down these immature minds, it is made ito be ok, no matter what there parents or teachers would have told them. I find it hard to beleive that these kids had any clue as to what the real ramifications of there actions were.

I am not sure "blame" is going to help here at all. Education may have helped at an early age..but who the heck would have ever thought that these kids did it on purpose. The whole mindset just reeks of the incredible immaturity that fueld this whole situation.

[lovemy2boys]

Originally Posted by dpen6

Need to dispel some genralization here about Mass and Catholics.

One: The public Schools in Mass do NOT use any curriculm that I know off based upon Catholic teachings.

TWO: I live in a very catholic area, I am catholic and I got my daughter on birthcontrol, it is not hard to do. Unfortunaly the old ways of cathloics just having babies because of the no BC is long gone. I would be very hardpressed to find many catholics today that don't use BC. Yes, maybe some but not many. Especaily here in liberal Ma.

This is a country wide problem. The fact that sex is rammned down these immature minds, it is made ito be ok, no matter what there parents or teachers would have told them. I find it hard to beleive that these kids had any clue as to what the real ramifications of there actions were.

I am not sure "blame" is going to help here at all. Education may have helped at an early age..but who the heck would have ever thought that these kids did it on purpose. The whole mindset just reeks of the incredible immaturity that fueld this whole situation.

I agree with you here - that was the basic premise of what the reporter was saying...people were assuming that just because it's a predominantly Catholic area, the school had an abstinence only policy - and this was clearly not the case, as per the school board. I am a Catholic as well, and I live in a predominantly Christian, but not necessarily Catholic area...I basically hear the same things from parents (and not brought on by this story). They are all on board with more comprehensive education in the schools, but not all are 100% comfortable with handing out contraceptives in school...and this is not necessarily religiously based.

As for education, I really believe ALL schools need manditory "life" classes that extend further than just sex ed...Their parents won't necessarily be there for all of them. I mean, now that they're about to have families, these girls are going to need to learn how to shop for groceries on a budget, balance a check book, and make a dollar stretch...Then add on school work, a newborn, the need to look for work, ugh...my heart bleeds for all of them.

[gigigeorge]

This just makes me so sad for everyone involved. For the girls who have no idea what is in store for them to the babies who will be labeled the 'pact' babies... just sad.

When I was in HS, if you got pregnant you left. Not that I necessarily agree with that but on the other hand setting up daycares in high schools does give the impression that its no big deal. Im torn. My Aunt is a teacher at a high school that has a high teen pregnancy rate and she specifically teaches a class that talks about parenting etc (budgets, cooking)... at least twice a year they get sent a student from the Jr High school who is pregnant.

Here in the town I live in, there used to be a teen pregnancy support group - they speak both about parenting, adoption and birth control - but they closed their office as they said our town did not have a teen pregnancy problem... which made me wonder, have then visited our local walmart???? There are girls in droves, either pregnant or with a baby already. Some are so young, they just have no idea how much harder life is going to be.

I dont think that being a pregnant teen is the worst thing that can happen but I also think somewhere along the line we've all let it become acceptable.

And then you got the media coverage of JL Spears... I mean that is so completely unrealistic... she never has to work another day in her life... she can afford full time nanny care or she can just do it all herself. Though she is getting her GED really what does she need an education for? I think other teens see it and think its cool but dont realize the kind of resources someone like her has at their disposal... just sad.

gina.

[JLW99]

Originally Posted by BrandyHagz

One story I read really focused on the fact that this specific area of MASS is mostly Catholic. It's likely, if this is the case, that this is the reason that BC is not more widely available - yet support from what results of the lack of BC is.

I think Massachusetts is "mostly Catholic", Gloucester no more so than any other Eastern Mass city, but I doubt the correlation between that and the pregnancies at Gloucester High. After all, mostly Catholic MA is also an extremely liberal state, and the first state to legalize gay marriage, something the Catholic Church opposes more vehemently than birth control.

[Eponine]

Just stumbled across this and thought I would post it:

Mayor: No support for claims of pregnancy pact

It appears maybe there wasn't a "pact" after all? Who knows, could just be PR from the mayor's office.

[Stormster]

I saw an interview with someone (I think it might have been the principal at the school) that Health (with Sex ed) is only taught in 7th grade at that school. It was actually the same at my school and I have to tell you I really needed it later as well...

He was also talking about budget issues being part of the reason for that and yet they have the money for daycare and pregnancy tests?

[Oceans]

WOW - It's seems to me that if there were no pact then the town has a BIGGER problem on it's hands and the Mayor would make it a priority to find out what's going on.

It's not helpful when our government officials bury their head in the sand. I hope that's not what's happening here.

[crick]

I don't put responsibility on the school. It's my job as a parent to make sure my kids are educated and my job to continue or add to the stuff they do get in school. It's my job to keep an open dialogue with my children too, and while I do support this education in school, it cannot be relied on soley.

My thoughts on this were "how can a group of teens see absolutely no future for themselves beyond having babies?" Not that being a mom is not a worthy "career", but at age 16...it's sad that they don't see anything else in their life.

And that does rest with the parents too...we should be raising our kids to reach for the sky and show them more to life than they see in the town or life they have, imo.

[mdesi]

Building on Eopine's article, this is a more complete article. It seems that the only confirmed "pact" was one that the girls made AFTER they were pregnant to support one another with child rearing and going to school. Gloucester officials question pregnancy 'pact' - GloucesterTimes.com, Gloucester, MA

[Oceans]

If you look to the right of the article mdesi gave us, you will find another one written by a PAP who is basically soliciting these girls to either call an agency or HER (along w/her email addy)???

Just when I thought leaving a business card for your pregnant waitress was about as bad as it could get*. I am feeling really sad as this goes from bad to worse...

*I realize not all PAP's are this tacky... I'm actually embarrassed for you.

[crick]

Oh no she didn't! GAH! I'm okay with networking but this is so wrong! (and it's not networking just unbelievable gumption)

Fumes....I'm gagging...