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GLOUCESTER, Mass. A pact made by a group of teens to get pregnant and raise their babies together is at least partly behind a sudden spike in pregnancies at Gloucester High School, school officials said.
Principal Joseph Sullivan told Time magazine in a story published Wednesday that the girls confessed to making the pact after the school began investigating a rise in pregnancies that has left 17 girls at the school carrying a child. Normally, there are about four pregnancies a year at the school.
Sullivan told Time that nearly half of the expecting students, none over 16, were involved. Sullivan said students were coming to the school clinic multiple times to get pregnancy tests, and "seemed more upset when they weren't pregnant than when they were."
Some of the girls reacted to the news they were pregnant with high fives and plans for baby showers, Sullivan said. One of the fathers "is a 24-year-old homeless guy," Sullivan told the magazine.
Superintendent Christopher Farmer confirmed the deal to WBZ-TV, saying the girls had "an agreement to get pregnant."
He said the girls are generally "girls who lack self-esteem and have a lack of love in their life."
Christen Callahan, a former Gloucester High School student who had a child when she was 15, said on NBC's "Today" show that some of the girls would ask her about her own pregnancy.
"They would say stuff like, oh, I think my parents would be fine with it and they would help me, stuff like that," Callahan said.
But she said she had no firsthand knowledge of a pact between the girls to get pregnant.
"They were just kind of like curious about it, they never actually came out and said it," Callahan said.
The first reports of the students' apparent plan to get pregnant were in the Gloucester Daily Times in March, when Sullivan said students were reporting that the girls were getting pregnant on purpose.
The rash of pregnancies has shaken the seaside city about 30 miles north of Boston. Last month, two officials at the high school health center resigned to protest the resistance from the local hospital to the confidential distribution of contraceptives. The hospital administers the state money that funds the clinic.
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Principal Joseph Sullivan told Time magazine in a story published Wednesday that the girls confessed to making the pact after the school began investigating a rise in pregnancies that has left 17 girls at the school carrying a child. Normally, there are about four pregnancies a year at the school.
Sullivan told Time that nearly half of the expecting students, none over 16, were involved. Sullivan said students were coming to the school clinic multiple times to get pregnancy tests, and "seemed more upset when they weren't pregnant than when they were."
Some of the girls reacted to the news they were pregnant with high fives and plans for baby showers, Sullivan said. One of the fathers "is a 24-year-old homeless guy," Sullivan told the magazine.
Superintendent Christopher Farmer confirmed the deal to WBZ-TV, saying the girls had "an agreement to get pregnant."
He said the girls are generally "girls who lack self-esteem and have a lack of love in their life."
Christen Callahan, a former Gloucester High School student who had a child when she was 15, said on NBC's "Today" show that some of the girls would ask her about her own pregnancy.
"They would say stuff like, oh, I think my parents would be fine with it and they would help me, stuff like that," Callahan said.
But she said she had no firsthand knowledge of a pact between the girls to get pregnant.
"They were just kind of like curious about it, they never actually came out and said it," Callahan said.
The first reports of the students' apparent plan to get pregnant were in the Gloucester Daily Times in March, when Sullivan said students were reporting that the girls were getting pregnant on purpose.
The rash of pregnancies has shaken the seaside city about 30 miles north of Boston. Last month, two officials at the high school health center resigned to protest the resistance from the local hospital to the confidential distribution of contraceptives. The hospital administers the state money that funds the clinic.
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Answered What is happening in our world???
having baby isn't cheap, it is very expensive to buy diaprs, I cannot believe it they wouldn't think of price of diaper etc. they need to do math to figure out how much cost to have baby etc..everything isn't free, they have to work to raise a child. they will be mean mother to raise because they will be frustrate with baby. you have to be married college grad woman to have child able to afford what child want. can they afford all gameboy,360 x-box and all that for child when they grow little bit older. oh please, they need to hit college and having baby isn't the answer. only what they are doing is foolish. they will grow up and realize how fool they are. they think they can beat adult's and parent's thoughts, again they are wrong. they haven't grow up little bit yet. -
yes true, they don't know or to realize what in ahead, why can't they wait and will have their future husband later in life that they now never had while in their teens life. you know teens aren't forever thing. where are the social workers they were suppose to check on those teens and their parents?but they know better not to foolish with the preganancy issue. what kind of gap educaiton do they have? does these education lack or not the strongest influence? where are their parents? how can this happen to them? was it center of attenation or just to make fun of it to sore people's eyes or what is it they look for? this isn't forever famous. they aren't smart as all other mother who work hard and believe to raise loving child in a good home and family. Boys are growing up without a constructive masculine role model. tsk...
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Answered If Jamie Spears can do it...so can I
I can't imagine what would possess these girls do do something so assinine. They should have more sense than to take something so serious to prove a point...or whatever their motive was. Geez...they should have all just gotten their noses pierced or shaved their heads. -
Answered All of the above
i find it very sad and disturbing that these girls feel the need to make a baby to feel or give love... boy are they in for a rude awakaning... they will soon find out that they are giving birth to a human life that needs constant love and attention... not a baby doll or a picture perfect Gerber baby....and one conceived by a homeless man... insanity! -
Answered What is happening in our world???
That's what happens to a society when they take the SHAME out of anything the younger generation does today. They are not held responsible for their actions. Imagine being the mother of the girl who was impregnated by a homeless man. It's unbelievable. -
Answered Undecided
Well that's just swell. So baby's are the new trend, to be discarded next season, huh? Too bad for them, and us, that it doesn't work that way. Speaking as an unwanted child, what these new moms are doing will ruin those children's lives.
Answered What is happening in our world???
This is So wrong....wtf, we are talking about Babies here not about raising pets.....