Today in the news there was a story about Frayser HIgh School in Memphis Tennessee. It reported that this year alone resulted in 90 teen pregnancies for their school. 90 girls had delivered babies or were presently pregnant! 90 girls who presumably were not taught how to say NO to peers or sexual partners. When asked why they had decided to become pregnant one girl responded that she had promised her girlfriend that they could be pregnant together. Another 16-year-old girl claimed that it felt good to be part of the group of girls that had successfully delivered babies. Some claimed their pregnancy was accidental, and others still, said it was normal and cool in their school to be expectant mothers.
What could the school system have done differently to protect these girls from the life altering decision to have kids while still in school? They could have changed the American standard of teaching girls at a young age that passivity and uncertainty are valuable traits. No longer should women be taught that it is their sole responsibility to have and raise children. More than ever before woman have other choices. They can have successful and thriving careers. They can make a difference and make positive changes in their homes and their communities. They do have equal rights to advanced education and training. Elementary schools should be teaching girls and boys alike that their futures depend on them developing skills such as assertiveness, decisiveness, and independent thinking.
In short, we should be teaching them to say NO. Say no to bullying. Say no to drugs. Say no to unprotected sex. Say no to group pregnancy pacts. Start teaching assertiveness early. Don’t wait until after their babies are born to begin their education. Teach kids right from the very beginning that there are always choices available to them. Teach them to determine the difference between a good choice and a harmful one. Perhaps saying no to her pink pajamas instead of the yellow ones today, will lead to a young woman who can choose her future over fitting in with her pregnant peers tomorrow.
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