I only feel bad for young mothers because it is harder for them.(Being judged, the school just giving up on them, they're parents if they help or not)

Unless they are asking for it sleeping with every guy plus not using protection.

What's crazy is I know a couple of young girls that WANT to be pregant (ages 14-18)I don't necessarily understand it, but I don't judge it because most cultures and religions press the idea that a woman is only around for breeding and raising children.Plus that's how the world is now-a-days.By the time a little girl is old enough to play with dolls...What kind of toys do they get??

Baby dolls.Baby toys.

They shape the little girls from the start.

I have seen a lot of pregnant mothers recently, And I don't think they are sluts (unless they don't know who the father is because they are sleeping with more than one guy)

Teenagers have sex.
They will always have sex.
And accidents happen.

Some of this has to do with the parents as well too.
Thinking that sex education should be banned are proves that these partents ignorant and trying to hide from the fact that their little "baby" is going to have sex eventually, you can't stop hormones.
Why not educate them about what they are feeling? What urges they are having? And why they are having it? The dangers of sex and how you can protect yourself.

If I were to ever have a boy I'd make condoms available to him as soon as he started becoming interested in girls.

If I were to ever have a girl I would put her on birth control as soon as she started becoming interested in boys.

You can't fight the media. You can't fight teenagers urges to have sex. You might as well do what you can when you can.

I think it all comes down to the support system a pregnant teen has. I've seen girls get pregnant as young as grade 10, but having their parents and boyfriends parents behind them, willing to help out, babysit, pay for baby needs, etc, allow them to graduate highschool and attend college. However, i've also seen girls get kicked out of their house for becoming pregnant underage and with no one to turn to and not wanting to accept charitable help, they've dropped out of school to get jobs to support themselves.  I think with the right support, a young mother can be an awesome mother. Even if parents will not help out, there are charities and teen shelters out there to help.If a girl becomes pregnant at my school, administration tries to accomodate the time they need off, however they do the same for athletes, etc, who also need a sufficient amount of time off from school.<3

well I have to say that I got pregnant two times in high school and I still finished school and Im in college and got two more on the way so that means that could happen to some but not to all girls though

Thats such a rare thing to hear a happily ever after.

And your website is awesome, too.

I have to say thank you for this. I am 26. I got pregnant when I was 14, had my first son at 15, got pregnant again and had my second son when I was 16. I dropped out of school in ninth grade but was a college freshmen one year earlier than all my classmates at 17. I am pursuing a Masters and want a Ph.d and though everyday is hectic, I have a clear vision of where I want me and my boys to be. It's when I hear stories like yours that reassures me that everything is going just fine.
I now do work with schools on youth development and just launched an online community and personal website to get what I do out there. I would love it if you checked it out and let me know what you think.

www.TrudiLebron.com

I think most girls would finish school. If they had the help they needed then that would be great...I have a few friends who have gotten pregnant in school and finished. Now they have jobs are are working on college so I guess it depends on the person!

My school is a charter school, and there have been many pregnant girls here. I mean, since there is a lot of pregnant teens, people think that it's a school for the helpless. But really, my high school is like any other, they just offer more options in the success of teen mothers. It's wonderful with how a mother can take a pregnancy leave and come back and start new after they feel they are ready. And there's the option of night school and day school, taking one class, or four. I think that all schools should operate like this to give options to everyone, besides teenage mothers.

abortions is like not right i aint going to start preaching on that at least at my school they do not care if you are preg. they will try and help you and my high school has the lowest abortion rate int he state so that is a good thing but teens how go have sex get preg than go have an abortion that is just wrong. I am a father at the age of 17 that thought never once crossed mine or the mothers mind yea i wish i would of waited to have sex but i didn't and my little boy hunter is what i have now i am thankful for my little boy.

If girls at my school are pregnant, they usually get abortions. Some do choose to have the baby. There are high schools for pregnant girls in most areas.

Pregnancy does not impair the brain; only societal supports or the lack of them prevents a pregnant girl from advancing, pregnant or not. I would never advocate a girl getting pregnant or a boy getting a girl pregnant at very young ages because it does make life more difficult; its a time of life when decisions should be reversible - have the right to change your mind and pregnancy and childbearing are not really in that category, at least after a point. However, if pregnancy does occur, there can be as fulfilling a life as without pregnancy. My bias: I had graduated from high school, but I had my first son before I was 17. I got pregnant a second time in a committed relationship and married the second child's father, birthed her on the last day of summer school my junior year in college, was back in school fall semester; had my third child one week after college graduation and my fourth one as a planned experience six years later. I hold bachelor's, Masters and PhD degrees, retired at age 54, traveled extensively throughout the world and at age 67, I have 9 living grandchildren (2 deceased) and 2 greatchildren and I am in excellent health and very active as a volunteer services. My point: pregancy is a natural process that does handicap the brain or, in most cases, even the body. Society does sometimes impose handicaps around it.

Hey every one i am a Sr. this year my high school has the highest teen pregnancy rate in my state, it is not a good thing but i wanted to start of with that and no i am not bragging but here is my point. there is 6 sr's pregnant right now in my school all of them pretty far along the teachers and office helps them to pass buy giving them all the work they miss. I know 6 girls with at least one kid an they are still in high school and going to graduate on time because the teachers and student body was behind them. Do i agree a girl should go out and have sex for fun no but if they do and they get preg well why descrimanate them help them let them shoot for there dreams of, for instance this girl i know every year has been on the home coming court she got pregnant over the summer and she ran again almost did not make the court because alot of the student body did not want to see her as queen or even on the court made me mad i think they deserve that same chances as every one else.

(i will say i am sorry for my grammar errors i hate computers and i am a very bad proof reader)

Dannyboy08

I would have to disagree with you about it being impossible to graduate if you get pregnant in high school, if you have the proper support. A girl in my hs class got pregnant in her soph. year. She stayed at school for the year and she had the child over the summer. She just got back this week. I go to a Catholic school and they obviously didn't like the fact that she was pregnant, but they didn't not tell her she had to drop out or leave the school. She wants to continue her education and i appluad her for doing so. It will not be easy having a child and trying to complete her school work, but she has the ability. I feel sorry for the people who are in this situation that cannot finish their education for whatever reason. They will have a difficult life. I can only wish them luck with their futures and families.

I cant say anything because I'm pregnant and thats not right

I'm glad you used the qualifier "I think" because that statement is very wrong. I've personally known several girls in my own highschool that got pregnant. Most of those were exellent students that received good grades and were fully motivated. The one factor that it comes down to is support. If the mother has support from family or friends, it is more than possible that she will graduate and grow up to be successful, along with raising a fine child. I have not, however, kept in touch with these girls, so I don't know if things "went south" after highschool. But be sure, being pregnant doesn't automatically mean that everything you're involved in comes to an end. It just makes it EXTREMELY difficult. I do agree with your statement that there should be programs to aid pregnant teens, but prevention should certainly be the focus.

I'm very new to this site, but most of the subjects are about things that I, as a troubled and abused ten actually DID. Above all things though is the issue of getting pregnant at a young age. I became pregnant when I was 17. Which actually seems kinda old compared to other ages I'm seeing. It was so hard for me. I used to love to go to clubs and dance and dance and dance all night.
To go to the movies or a hot party with all my friends. Go to haunted houses on Halloween and be lazy some days just watching movies in my pjs and playng PS2. EVERYTHING ENDS when you get pregnant to young. You can't go out, no sitter. Can't wear cute clothes, your big belly, then later stretch marks. Can't be lazy, its always bottle time or changing time or playtime or bath time or BARNEY time or me, mE, ME time. If you don't have parental support (I didn't) schools over. You have to get a job to buy diapers and socks and bottles and bibs, binkies, a stroller, carseat, wipes, clothes, toys, and on and on, but since you dropped out you have to work at McD's or CiCis Pizza, which really is actually like slave labor, and while your working whos gonna watch this baby. Do you have a car??? Money for the sitter??? Is this sitter responsible or are they gonna bash your babies brains in and you'll now have a special ed. baby??? THINK THINK THINK, really THINK. Its a condom. Thats all. Its the difference between a 15 second pause and a lifetime of care. Cause motherhood doesn't end at 18, your a mom until the day you die. I love my baby girl so much I could cry just picturing her beautiful face. But sometimes I wish I could have done school, prom, graduation and college. I miss having fun. Now there is nothing but work. 24 hours a day. Always. Think FIRST. Don't REGRET later.

Whoever said that there is no chance that the girl will finish school is entirely wrong. My friend had her son when she was 16 and she is graduating this May. Her son motivated her and made her want to finish school even more. I guess you have to know someone who is determined and cares before comments can be made.

Teen pregnancy has only become a bigger issue since pop culture has made casual sex has gone from taboo to acceptable behavior. I think that one of the main remedies for this issue is sex education. If teens are informed of what the consequences of their actions can be, they may be more encouraged to practice safe sex or ever restrain from sexual activity.

I personally do not think that we should be blaming the school for teenage girls getting pregnant underage. I do believe that schools should teach about contraceptives and protection in a sexual education class, however thats all the school's responsibility is. Right now in our society, especially in north America, parents assume that they are allowed to leave their children's dependency on school, making it essentially their "second home" when in fact a school is simply a learning institution (its up to the student if they want to learn). If we are to lay some blame or responsibility to all these early teenage pregnancies I would lay it on the values children and students learn at home. Recently our parents and family lead awfully busy lifestyles and its really taken away from the bonding children and teenagers used to have with their parents. And this bonding is really key in having kids make better decisions.

It's very interesting that this topic has been brought up, because a girl at my school happens to be pregnant. She is almost seven months along right now and although my Catholic school is not entirely behind her, many teachers and students have been accommodating to her needs. Nobody really thinks she's a slut, they just don't understand why she got pregnant. Once she has the baby, I know that many of the girls in our senior class plan to assist with free babysitting and other things so that she can graduate with a good GPA and a good foundation to hopefully start college next year.
Although getting pregnant in high school is not a good decision, that girl can still graduate with enough support.

Peace Out,
Megan

I totaly agree with you that there is not enough presure if you will about even the basics math, science, history, there is way to much presure on our young people today way to much about sex and just plan relationships everybody is afraid to be alone why what are they afraid of? School has turned into a dating center and also a fashion show it is sad.

Girls who become pregnant at my school are transferred to the nearby continuation school.

It's possible for teen mothers to be very successful, an aquaintance of mine is an example. I know a lot of couples who have children during their high school years often split, but a girl I know actually stayed with her boyfriend. It's been 10 years and she and her husband are currently attending college. Both sets of parents help out with raising their daughter. I think its rare, but possible.

I know nothing about pregnancies at my school and I'm very dubious about it, but I would definitely agree that my bff's school is aware of the girls who are "with child." The school newspaper had an entire spread about the numerous pregnant teens. It is publicized, admired, and allows young 9th graders to read it and think it is completely mundane. This deals directly with the other message board about early sex. I think schools need to advertise learning and traveling to other countries, understanding history, reading literature, learning to love math, and stricter educational systems. It all narrows down to one fact: our school educational systems are weak and allow students to lean back and neglect the true thrill in life. There is so much to learn out there! Imagine the school having a school wide fund raiser to raise money for the students to go to Europe or visit developing nations to open up their eyes to the world outside their school/ teenage drama oriented lives. It's a shame.

There are some girls that are pregnant in the public school that I go to, and what I find most shocking is that the administration completely ignores the issue. Especially in such a small school (there are around 70-80 kids per grade), it seems that it would be impossible to act as if nothing is different. The two girls that I know who are pregnant are both finishing high school and keeping their babies. While I may not necessarily agree with the choices they made, I do think it is admirable of them to continue on with their lives and still (hopefully) be dedicated mothers.