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R Kahendi
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Do pregnant teens have a right to continue school?
October 9, 2007 - 01:51 PM
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I come from a conservative culture where premarital sex and teen pregnancy are frowned upon. Any teenager who gets pregnant is immediately withdrawn from school by her parents, or expelled by the school administration, and it is highly unlikely that she will resume her education after that. To me this is wrong.
Society seems to believe that she has committed an unforgivable 'sin', and is determined that she should be punished or suffer for it, but who is actually being punished? If anybody needs a high school diploma or certificate, isn't it this young woman who might be solely responsible for raising the baby? Shouldn't she get a chance to improve her chances at employment?
What do you think about this issue? Do you have suggestions for reducing the stigma that comes with teen motherhood?
This post was edited on: 2007-10-09 at 01:53 PM by: Kahendi
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Jack
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Re: Do pregnant teens have a right to continue school?
October 9, 2007 - 11:33 PM
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Of course they have the right to continue school. Most pregnant girls at our local high school go to school until about two to four weeks before they are due, and then return when the baby is about six months old. The school has a child development center, so they can make arrangements for their child to be taken care of while they are at classes.
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DJ Trainwrek
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Re: Do pregnant teens have a right to continue school?
October 10, 2007 - 09:54 AM
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You are right that creating more economic challenges by denying the mother her right to an education is not helping anyone.
There are many online programs that can take a working mother all the way through college. These programs offer time flexibility, and many are quite good in terms of reputation and rigor.
It is always going to be a challenge to balance the demands a young mother faces, and not having a community of support would be a huge loss, possibly contributing to depression and negative behaviors.
Wrekka
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LauraK
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Re: Do pregnant teens have a right to continue school?
October 10, 2007 - 10:59 AM
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Pregnant teens should definitely be allowed to continue with their schooling, and in fact there were girls in school with me who were able to complete their education while pregnant. Denying pregnant girls education just exacerbates many of the conditions that may have led to pregnancy at a young age in the first place. If we want things to be different for their children - they should not only be allowed to continue in school, but special circumstances should be created which encourages them and helps them to do this.
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kaswii
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Re: Do pregnant teens have a right to continue school?
October 10, 2007 - 11:07 AM
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regardless of whether it's frowned upon, i think they do has a right to go on with school.such girls should be supported by their parents and community,after all they are bringing into the world a new life and besides the boys walk scott free- they don't suffer the consequences while they partook in the so called crime.it's about time society supported pregnant school girls instead of promoting abortion which girls opt for for fear of rejection.
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Owulezi
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Re: Do pregnant teens have a right to continue school?
October 10, 2007 - 01:54 PM
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Yes, so that they can learn and aviod falling to such victim again.
One question is this, "Do our schools take sex education serious"? and if they are, ofcourse will help to reduce teenage pregnants in schools.
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Karina
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Re: Do pregnant teens have a right to continue school?
October 10, 2007 - 11:19 PM
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the answer is yes, the pregnant girls need to continue the school because they need educate the children, they need get a good job to try to obtain better opportunities.
This post was edited on: 2008-10-07 at 08:48 PM by: aranel-ireth
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SAMAR
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Re: Do pregnant teens have a right to continue school?
October 11, 2007 - 02:35 AM
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THE administration of the school should develop seperate classes for that teens.
But i think this is a very big sin and wrong thing if may be this seperate class develops or any other idea implement for these teens,then may be more girls start this bad things because they know that there is some other teens also in there class who also do it,may be the administration dont make it for this that they give examples to other girl of that girls who have children that dont do this bad thing u people and expelled them from schools i think it is alos better for other girls but for this girl there parents must do some arrangement of education in home or some another place.
samar
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Robert Amoafo
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Re: Do pregnant teens have a right to continue school?
October 11, 2007 - 06:11 AM
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Its quiet unfortunate the behaviours of some people towards teenage pregnancy. I also in Ghana have realised that students who get pregnant are sacked form school or are stigmatised by her own friends and forget the aftermarth of the poor girl.There is the need to speak against this and stand strongly against it.
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Jeffrey Kunard
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Re: Do pregnant teens have a right to continue school?
October 11, 2007 - 09:42 AM
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I believe a pregnant teen should definately be allowed to continue school.
Sex and pregnancy is a miracle and shouldnt be frowned upon. I also believe that abortion should be the woman's choice. The Earth has enough over-population problems already, no need for more orphans running around.
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R Kahendi
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Re: Do pregnant teens have a right to continue school?
October 11, 2007 - 07:54 PM
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Thank you for your responses, everybody. It is encouraging to read your different opinions and to see that other people have struggled with the same question and developed different approaches to it.
It strikes me that everybody is in agreement that teen mothers should continue with their education. However, only a few of you mention concrete steps that have been taken to make that possible in your countries. What has made it possible for such programs to be established in those countries? Is it a long history of struggle?
What is the situation in other countries? Does the government try to support young mothers or is the job passed on to the girl's family and to religious organizations? Is sex education provided in schools or is it so controversial that nobody wants to touch it?
Nanakweku, you spoke out very strongly against the stigmatisation of pregnant teens. Do you have any ideas of what you and your colleagues could do to make a difference? What of those in Kenya, Mexico and the other countries I see listed?
It would be great if some of you posted links to those online educational programs you are talking about. And if anyone has any other contribution to make that would expand this conversation, that contribution is welcomed.
This post was edited on: 2007-10-11 at 08:21 PM by: Kahendi
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R Kahendi
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Re: Do pregnant teens have a right to continue school?
October 11, 2007 - 08:08 PM
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syedsamar wrote:
THE administration of the school should develop seperate classes for that teens.
But i think this is a very big sin and wrong thing if may be this seperate class develops or any other idea implement for these teens,then may be more girls start this bad things because they know that there is some other teens also in there class who also do it,may be the administration dont make it for this that they give examples to other girl of that girls who have children that dont do this bad thing u people and expelled them from schools i think it is alos better for other girls but for this girl there parents must do some arrangement of education in home or some another place.
Hi Samar,
That is the same rationalization I have heard school administrators in various African countries use when faced with the pregnancy of their students. The idea is that if you separate the pregnant students from the others, you will protect the others from temptation. I personally don't think things work out that way. I believe that most teenage girls who see their classmate going through the difficulties of teenage pregnancy would have second thoughts about themselves getting pregnant, because they would not want to face the stigma and restrictions she faces. Perhaps they would have second thoughts about having sex, or they would use protection.
Also, you can't hide young people from the real world. You may try to control who they socialize with, but they will still be exposed to the same information in other ways. Isn't it better to let them appreciate what challenges life has to offer and to teach them to respond responsibly to these challenges?
I have also heard of programs in which pregnant teens can continue to pursue their education (in the USA), and interestingly, they are separate from the mainstream classes. In these cases separation is mostly for the pregnant girls' convenience, they can address issues more pertinent to them (eg their changing bodies) in these classes, and they don't have to feel awkward because they are surrounded by people in similar circumstances.
I'm curious, what role do you think the father of the baby plays in this picture, Samar? Is he held accountable for his actions? After all, it takes two people to make a baby.
This post was edited on: 2007-10-11 at 08:14 PM by: Kahendi
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Hilary
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Re: Do pregnant teens have a right to continue school?
October 23, 2007 - 07:15 PM
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I think that without doubt pregnant teens should be allowed to continue at school. As many people before have mentioned, if anything these teens especially should be staying in school to finish their education to give them the oppurtunity to be able to raise their child properly.
I know that in Sydney they have even set up a school which helps pregnant teens by allowing a more flexible timetable as wel las an environment where they are free from stigma as well as harrassment by other people.
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Muringi
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Re: Do pregnant teens have a right to continue school?
October 26, 2007 - 04:28 AM
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Yes pregnant teens have avery right to continue school unless there is anyone one of us who after they fell they decided to never rise again.. So with all due respect and for the sake of their future and that of their children, they should be given a chance to continue schooling so that they can support the child and themselves without having to do any crime or engaging in more kind of immorality like prostitution for survival. They should not even be excluded, that will only make them feel rejected and other students will start treating them like they are different. There should be more sex education from homes to other agents of sociolization in order to reduce the rate of early pregnancies but not to expel the students from school. In any case these very ones can be agents of change, and teach their fellow teens.
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Nana
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Re: Do pregnant teens have a right to continue school?
November 6, 2007 - 09:09 AM
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Every child has a right to education, does'nt matter if the child is pregnant.
stopping a pregnant teenager from schooling is just saying to her that she is not good for anything in life and i feel that is terribly wrong.
she made a mistake but give her a chance to have a future and be a better mother by educating her and not judging her.
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