A Chicago high school is bringing attention to the growing problem of teen pregnancy. Of the 800 girls at Robeson High School, 115 are either pregnant or already have kids! Officials say a variety of factors are to blame.
The school is a neighborhood schools, not one specifically for young mothers. And all of the pregnancies have happened, despite prevention talk.
The people closest to the situation say there's no simple explanation.
"It can be a lot of things that are happening in the home or not happening in the home, if you will," Robeson principal Gerald Morrow said. Absentee fathers are another factor, he adds.
Several of the young teen moms say part of the problem is that parents don’t talk to their teens about sex and contraception. None of them thought they'd be moms at such a young age.
Robeson has an intimate connection to the issue: His mom had him when she was just 15. This may contribute to his accepting the problem and working through it. So what’s he doing to help?
"We're not looking at them like 'Ooh you made a mistake,'" he said. "We're looking at how we can get them to the next phase, how can we still get them thinking about graduation?"
Coming soon, developers are turning a one-time crack house into a day care for student use. "We have to provide some type of environment for them and some form of support for them," Van Vincent, CEO of VLV Development, said.
The efforts have made an impression on the student body.
"Just cause you have a baby, that doesn't mean your life is over," one student said.
The statistics paint a scary picture for both the teen moms and their children:
- Only a third of teen mothers earn their high school diploma. And only 1.5% have a college degree by age 30.
- Girls born to teen mothers are more likely to be teen mothers themselves.
- Boys born to teen moms are more likely to end up in prison.
What can you do?
- Talk to your sexually active friends about the risks and the statistics.
- Write to congress and tell them to support comprehensive sex ed as a way to break the teen pregnancy cycle.
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we need to enforce abstinence; not just protection. ♥libbypaige
From an organization called "Black Star Project" we received info on a mentoring group that has started for young girls and with input by young girls. They put together a platform for talking about sex. It is funny but it is also a startling way to wake up. The poster we are looking is headlined "Sex is fun until....
you have to change your whole life to accomodate to a new life growing within you."
See www.blackstarproject.org
I am a teen mom! living the life of a teen mom is awesome!
I am a Senior and I AM going to Graduate! its not hard at all being a mom, i realize that i have a lot to look forward to in me and my daughters future!
she helps me threw alot! im only seventeen but i believe unless you have a way to support your baby GUYS wrap your self... AND GIRLS if your just out there having sex to get some! your leading the wrong path for you and your unborn child!
-Tara G-
Yes teen pregnacy is a crisis to most people, but what can we do about it if all we do is sit around and let them do whatever. We as parents don't take the time out and spend it with our children, because we are either busy at work or some just dont feel like it. We just need to step up and take more responsibility for ourselves and our family. And to stop blamming it on our children it is not all their fault.,
To Tara G.
i love your enthusiasm...i believe that you will become more than what people are saying your going to be. I had my first child at 15 even though my child died at birth i still am a teen mom no matter what. Keep you head up and stay strong for you are and forever will be a great mother to your child.