Gloucester, Mass., has seen a surge in girls expecting. They may have vowed to have their babies together. From Reuters June 20, 2008
BOSTON -- A Massachusetts city is investigating an apparent teenage "pregnancy pact" that may be partially responsible for the fact that at least 17 girls at one high school are expecting babies, four times more than last year, including many age 16 or younger.
A high school health clinic in Gloucester became suspicious after seeing a surge in girls seeking pregnancy tests. Local officials said Thursday that nearly half of those who became pregnant appeared to have entered into a pact to have their babies together over the year.
"Some girls seemed more upset when they weren't pregnant than when they were," Gloucester High School Principal Joseph Sullivan told Time magazine, which first reported the story on its website.
Sullivan was not immediately available to comment for this article. But local officials said that at least some of the fathers were in their mid-20s, including one man who appeared to be homeless. Others were boys in the school.
Carolyn Kirk, mayor of the port city 30 miles northeast of Boston, said authorities were looking at whether to pursue statutory rape charges. "We're at the very early stages of wrestling with the complexities of this problem," she said.
"But we also have to think about the boys. Some of these boys could have their lives changed. They could be in serious, serious trouble even if it was consensual because of their age -- not from what the city could do but from what the girls' families could do," she said.
Under Massachusetts law, it is a crime to have sex with anyone under the age of 16.
"At the very least these men should be held responsible for financial support, if not put in jail for statutory rape, as the mayor has suggested," Greg Verga, chairman of the Gloucester School Committee, said in a telephone interview.
Nationwide, teen pregnancies are showing signs of rising after steadily declining from 1991 to 2005.
"The data seem to be indicating that the declines that we had seen through the 1990s are coming to a close," said David Landry, a researcher at the Guttmacher Institute, a New York nonprofit group focusing on reproductive issues.
Birth rates for teenagers 15 to 17 rose by 3% in 2006, the first increase since 1991, according to preliminary data released in December by the National Center for Health Statistics.
In Gloucester, the 1,200-student school administered 150 pregnancy tests to students in the last academic year.
The school forbids the distribution of condoms and other contraception without parental consent, a rule that prompted the school's doctor and nurse to resign in protest in May.
Children under 16 years old, pregnant. Where's the outrage? Where's the S.W.A.T team and C.P.S., taking children out of the school at gun point. There's more underage pregnant girls in this public school than there were at the Texas polygamist "compound". I guess if the government doesn't suspect you became pregnant because of your religious teaching's(FDLS), then there is no need to remove the children by force.
Quoted Text
The school forbids the distribution of condoms and other contraception without parental consent, a rule that prompted the school's doctor and nurse to resign in protest in May.
Here's who's to blame........ The school...... they didn't distribute condoms. Maybe if the FDLS distributed condoms, it would cut down of teen pregnancy among the polygamist community, and prevent future raids by the government. It's O.K. for children under 16 to have sex as long as the girls don't become pregnant. Great solution.
I think you are mixing apples and oranges here Cicero. These teenage girls are pregnant by 'choice'. Not because their daddy or religious leader told them or forced them to.
But not to worry...you can bet that all of these kids parents were dragged into school, told to see the school psychologist or social worker and going through an investigation. They will blame this one on the parents!!!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Good point MT!!! So who will be responsible for these 'children having children'? The parents or will the boys be convicted of rape?
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
1. the father was tracked down 2. the father was prosecuted by the DA 3. the DA received a court judgement against the father (and the fathers family if he's unable to pay or be responsible (ie not yet 18/21)) 4. the "judgement" would be in the amount necessary to care for the child, including education, clothing, housing, medical care, etc until the babys 18th birthday 5. the judgement money would be paid, by the state, to the mother, after the mother demonstrated a willingness to meet certain requirements (housing, staying drug/alcohol free, proper medical care etc) - while NOT leaching off the "system" herself (and providing there's no abortion received/obtained)
With the above 5 steps, our welfare system would be virtually free of monetary obligations for those under 18. Imagine the $ we, as a society, could save?
I think you are mixing apples and oranges here Cicero. These teenage girls are pregnant by 'choice'. Not because their daddy or religious leader told them or forced them to.
But not to worry...you can bet that all of these kids parents were dragged into school, told to see the school psychologist or social worker and going through an investigation. They will blame this one on the parents!!!
their religion is narcisstic reality tv/hollywood........
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
1. the father was tracked down 2. the father was prosecuted by the DA 3. the DA received a court judgement against the father (and the fathers family if he's unable to pay or be responsible (ie not yet 18/21)) 4. the "judgement" would be in the amount necessary to care for the child, including education, clothing, housing, medical care, etc until the babys 18th birthday 5. the judgement money would be paid, by the state, to the mother, after the mother demonstrated a willingness to meet certain requirements (housing, staying drug/alcohol free, proper medical care etc) - while NOT leaching off the "system" herself (and providing there's no abortion received/obtained)
With the above 5 steps, our welfare system would be virtually free of monetary obligations for those under 18. Imagine the $ we, as a society, could save?
You are talking about responsibility and accountability here.....silly you!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
I think you are mixing apples and oranges here Cicero. These teenage girls are pregnant by 'choice'. Not because their daddy or religious leader told them or forced them to.
Silly me.......I thought all the people at the Texas polygamist compound were exonerated? The allegations were false. No criminal charges were filed. We actually have a bunch of girls in one community, pregnant and under the age of 16, and these are facts, not speculation..... Where's C.P.S.? Christian fundamentalist in Texas were crucified under false allegations. Families torn apart........400+ children were placed in foster care for more than a month. All triggered by a hoax phone call. I say, let's rip these teenage girls out of their homes and place them in foster care until the government determines whether their community is a safe environment. Why do we assume there home life and community had nothing to do with their pregnancy's?? We assumed that the girls in the Texas polygamy compound were forced to marry and become pregnant under the age of 16. Our assumptions turned out to be wrong. For some reason we consider these pregnancy's normal, and acceptable by the American social standard. What a shame! We the sheeple need to wake up.
BTW---why is it up to the female to obtain the contraceptive????? And they are the ones taking the pregnancy tests---why? simple biology.......maybe the penis and the girl private should sit in that class ALOT longer........then watch America's most wanted and the lines at DSS........no pregnancy test there, just the litmus for ignorance....
anyone anyone anyone---Bueller, Bueller......
Quoted Text
Main Entry: ig·no·rance Pronunciation: \ˈig-n(ə-)rən(t)s\ Function: noun Date: 13th century : the state or fact of being ignorant : lack of knowledge, education, or awareness
I thought this was a fitting visual---
Quoted Text
Main Entry: tools of ignorance Etymology: from the notion that a smart athlete would not play such a grueling position Date: 1939 : a baseball catcher's equipment
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
Logged
