http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/20/us/20pregnant.html?ref=health

BOSTON — At least 17 girls at the public high school in the seaside town of Gloucester, Mass., are expecting babies, and a Time magazine report says nearly half became pregnant after making a pact to do so and raise the children together.


Local officials reached Thursday would not confirm the existence of such a pact but acknowledged that many of the 17 pregnancies — a total four times as many as last school year at the 1,200-student school — had been intentional.

“I’ve heard some of them were not accidents; some of them were pleased when they got the results,” said Greg Verga, a member of the Gloucester School Committee. “I did hear that there were cases where a teen went in several times for pregnancy tests and seemed depressed when it was negative.”

Joseph Sullivan, the principal of the school, Gloucester High, could not be reached for comment. But Time quoted him as saying that of the pregnant students, almost half, none older than 16, had engaged in the pact.

Reached on Thursday, Mayor Carolyn Kirk said the existence of such an agreement was “believable, in the sense that it would explain this spike” in teenage pregnancies.

Ms. Kirk, a member of the school committee, also said that some of those who impregnated the students were men in their mid-20s.

Gloucester is a fishing town of 30,000 that is encountering hardships with the decline of the fishing industry.

“This is a city in transition going through a hard economic time,” Ms. Kirk said. “There are cuts in economic programs, cuts in services, cuts in after-school programs, and they’re all impacting the social climate. We really let these kids down.”

“It’s the social environment these girls are coming from,” she added. “They think that a baby can give them love or give them status or fill an empty space in their life, and these girls are very, very young. And I think if you talk to any teenage mother who is caring for an infant, the road is not easy.”

The surge in teenage pregnancy has brought a heated debate over contraception and education in Gloucester, which is heavily Roman Catholic. The school clinic’s medical director and its chief nurse practitioner both resigned in May after the hospital that administers grants for the clinic opposed making contraceptives available to students.

The clinic does not distribute contraceptives, and Gloucester High School’s health curriculum has been cut for budget reasons, meaning there is no sex education, Ms. Kirk said.

Meanwhile, in addition to the 17 girls known to be pregnant, others continue to arrive at the clinic asking for pregnancy tests.

The school committee is now considering educational programs on teenage pregnancy and weighing whether the clinic should distribute contraceptives. Mayor Kirk has instructed her health director to compile information about the issue from the state, other agencies and independent experts. She said the committee hoped to have a policy regarding education, contraception and related services in place by the start of the next school year.

“It’s very complicated,” she said. “There are many layers, and I am insisting on a process where the school committee can explore all of the layers, get good information, find out what works in other communities and come to a good decision on behalf of our children.”

17 more babies on welfare, yay.

17 more babies on welfare, yay.
They'll be alcoholics and poppin' OC's too if they're from the North Shore.

“It’s the social environment these girls are coming from,” she added. “They think that a baby can give them love or give them status or fill an empty space in their life, and these girls are very, very young.


That line stood out to me. I'm amazed at how many teenager girls of all races and socioeconomic classes I treat who want to get pregnant.

I made a pact to get laid on prom night. Too bad my date didn't agree to the pact.

“It’s the social environment these girls are coming from,” she added. “They think that a baby can give them love or give them status or fill an empty space in their life, and these girls are very, very young.


That line stood out to me. I'm amazed at how many teenager girls of all races and socioeconomic classes I treat who want to get pregnant.

Give them status?!?!

The teens who got pregnant in my high school were totally ostracised and their status was shit.

Give them status?!?!

The teens who got pregnant in my high school were totally ostracised and their status was shit.


Same here from when I was in high school. It's a different world now. Although most of the girls I referenced either had absentee parents, or felt their parents were absent.

I made a pact to get laid on prom night. Too bad my date didn't agree to the pact.

maybe he was very shy?

I'd like to point out that the article talking about contraceptive education and the school handing out contraceptives is completely misplaced in this article. If the girls are trying to get pregnant and going to non-students to do it...schools giving out contraceptives won't help.

I'd like to point out that the article talking about contraceptive education and the school handing out contraceptives is completely misplaced in this article. If the girls are trying to get pregnant and going to non-students to do it...schools giving out contraceptives won't help.

Yup. Someone's trying to get a political statement in there...

I'd like to point out that the article talking about contraceptive education and the school handing out contraceptives is completely misplaced in this article. If the girls are trying to get pregnant and going to non-students to do it...schools giving out contraceptives won't help.

A credible sex education program does help.

Not if the girls want to get pregnant.

A credible sex education program does help.

How far does sex education usually go? Clearly these girls knew what they were doing and they knew the ramifications of what they were doing. Is sex education going to teach these girls that a baby won't fix their self-esteem issues?

Is sex education going to teach these girls that a baby won't fix their self-esteem issues?

If it's done right, yes.

That seems like a heavy burden for a gym teacher.

I blame Jamie Lynn Spears

maybe he was very shy?

:(

I blame Jamie Lynn Spears

You beat me to it. The press has glorified her to no end.

BOSTON — At least 17 girls at the public high school in the seaside town of Gloucester, Mass., are expecting babies
At the time, it probably seemed like a good idea to have Tom Brady visit your high school.

I blame Jamie Lynn Spears

Zoey 101.

A credible sex education program does help.

Or it might just help them pin down the best day of the month to do it.

But it might be helpful to follow the lives of these girls around for the next few years and incorporate the class.

All this assumes high school kids give a shit about classes at all, which they usually don't.

Something like this would never have happened at a school like Bayside or West Beverly.

Something like this would never have happened at a school like Bayside

it would've if i went there

At the time, it probably seemed like a good idea to have Tom Brady visit your high school.

Looks like he still found his way to the endzone a few times in the offseason.

When I was 11, I made a pact with 17 high school girls to get them pregnant. For some reason, my mom didn't agree to the pact, and she took me out of school and homeschooled me from that point forward.

When I was 11, I made a pact with 17 high school girls to get them pregnant. For some reason, my mom didn't agree to the pact, and she took me out of school and homeschooled me from that point forward.

Then she decided to make it up to you when you were 21. She took you to a bar and had a male stripper dance in front of you!

Then she decided to make it up to you when you were 21. She took you to a bar and had a male stripper dance in front of you!
Whatever it is I think I see becomes a fluorescent green banana to me. :(

At the time, it probably seemed like a good idea to have Tom Brady visit your high school.

LOL

Give them status?!?!

The teens who got pregnant in my high school were totally ostracised and their status was shit.

Well, that was in 1932... :D

man, picturing all these young girls having sex and getting knocked up is hot. mmmmmm.

btw:

1. crazy wild chick Angelina Jolie, who once carried a vile of her husband's blood around her neck, is considered humanitarian of the year, mom of the year.

2. gas prices are so high, people go to work to afford to buy gas to go to work.

3. Iran is building nukes to erradicate Israel and spark WW3.

4. Britney Spears' former backup dancer comes out of a divorce looking normal and wins custody of her kids while she pays him tens of thousands per month to support his lifestyle.

5. it's now fashionable for celebs to go to third world countries and adopt kids from impoverished nations and tote them around like an accessory.

6. a group of teen girls (whose hotness has yet to be determined) all agree to get pregnant to "improve their status in society".

gentlemen, it's the end of the world as we know it.


and i feel fine.

I think it would have been better if the father was all the same guy

They all should have to sign an agreement that since they wanted to get pregnant, that they waive any rights for the rest of their lives to any public assistance Federal and State.

Their parents should be jailed.

Speaking of sex ed, our gym teacher Mr. Gray (former army guy), was our instructor. He would hand out index cards for us to write anonymous questions on. This was a bad idea. Someone wrote, "What's a clitoris?" and when he read it, we all snickered like high school students do. He turned red, got mad, and punched a hole in the desk...breaking several bones in his hand. I never did learn what a clitoris was...my wife is sad.

Maybe this should have gone into the TMI thread.

Speaking of sex ed, our gym teacher Mr. Gray (former army guy), was our instructor. He would hand out index cards for us to write anonymous questions on. This was a bad idea. Someone wrote, "What's a clitoris?" and when he read it, we all snickered like high school students do. He turned red, got mad, and punched a hole in the desk...breaking several bones in his hand. I never did learn what a clitoris was...my wife is sad.

Maybe this should have gone into the TMI thread.

We had a similar thing at my school. I don't think it's a bad idea, just the gym teacher did a horrible job handling the question.

We did that in elementary school, and I asked something along the lines of "if a man gets his penis blown off, how does he pee?" I pretty much knew how babies were made at that point, but THIS I did not know (my dad I think had recently mentioned someone he knew who had this happen in Vietnam). I believe my question was the only one not answered.

I think we also had index cards to write down what we liked most about the opposite sex. That was odd.

Something like this would never have happened at a school like Bayside or West Beverly.

Instead they would have all gotten implants at the same time.

These girls should be encouraged to get an abortion, or at least have that presented to them as an option. If their parents had any sense they would encourage it also.

Sigh....

In before the lock...

These girls should be encouraged to get an abortion, or at least have that presented to them as an option. If their parents had any sense they would encourage it also.

Sigh....

And this thread is done....

And this thread is done....

Why?

I don't get it.

In before the lock...

:+1:

Ok, I see the chance to have a discussion on this topic is zero. So, I'll move on. Carry on making fun of the prego teen girls, whose kids we have to pay for over the next 18+ years.

Yeah thats funny, carry on.

At the time, it probably seemed like a good idea to have Tom Brady visit your high school.

FTW!

I think it would have been better if the father was all the same guy

And thus was born an army of little bounty hunters.

One of the following things is not true:

1. I have black hair.
2. I was born in New Orleans, Louisiana.
3. I used to work for a coal mining company.
4. I'm married.
5. I read a discussion on an Internet message board about abortion, and it didn't go down in flames.

And thus was born an army of little bounty hunters.
saddle up tex

Give them status?!?!

The teens who got pregnant in my high school were totally ostracised and their status was shit.

But that's a big reason behind the rise of teen pregnancy. While it was the same when and where I was brought up, it's increasingly not true, particularly in hard-hit socioeconomic areas. When the likelihood of productive, employed adulthoods gets lower and lower, people find their 'status' and their fulfillment through other means.

Also note they did this as a group, probably to prevent that fear of being ostracized. Yeah, these girls made a bunch of really stupid decisions, but not being their parents we should probably wonder about what sort of community they're growing up in that this would seem an appealing path to them.

dola

I shouldn't really say 'increasingly' given the rates of teen pregnancy, but I guess I mean since I was a teen.

“It’s the social environment these girls are coming from,” she added. “They think that a baby can give them love or give them status or fill an empty space in their life, and these girls are very, very young.


That line stood out to me. I'm amazed at how many teenager girls of all races and socioeconomic classes I treat who want to get pregnant.

Why would that surprise you? Adult women stuck in loveless marriages get pregnant for the same reason. If no one else will love them, at least the child will. Teenagers aren't the only ones who make bad decisions based on desperation.

where are the ragu teen girls

These girls should be encouraged to get an abortion, or at least have that presented to them as an option. If their parents had any sense they would encourage it also.

Sigh....

It's pretty sad that you didn't mention the option of adoption. Let these girls turn this horrible mistake they made around and do something positive - enable people who desperately want to be parents but can't conceive the chance to become a family.

:popcorn:

:popcorn:

It's pretty sad that you didn't mention the option of adoption. Let these girls turn this horrible mistake they made around and do something positive - enable people who desperately want to be parents but can't conceive the chance to become a family.

I bet there are several newlywed couples in California that would love to adopt.

http://spiffymoms.com/forums/images/smilies/eating.gif

i starved my cat for a week and dressed him up in ratty clothes, and angelina jolie came over and adopted him.

lol i tricked the fuck out of that bitch

Does anyone else like to make a straw out of the Twizzlers?

i starved my cat for a week and dressed him up in ratty clothes, and angelina jolie came over and adopted him.

lol i tricked the fuck out of that bitch

http://209.85.48.12/9715/76/emo/roflbow.gif

Does anyone else like to make a straw out of the Twizzlers?

Oh yeah, good stuff.

I made a pact with Pumpy and I told him I wouldn't sleep with the accountant.

I lied! :devil:

I think someone needs to investigate the whereabouts of Tracy Morgan at or around the likely date these girls were impregnated. Perhaps he had some shows in or around Gloucester, Mass.?

Anyone here wanna make a Pregnant Pact?

I made a pact with Pumpy and I told him I wouldn't sleep with the accountant.

I lied! :devil:
Daaaaaamn.

bsak fuck anything that moves. he come over to my house, the fish stop swimming

Anyone here wanna make a Pregnant Pact?
Sorry, I already made one with Fergie via e-mail. Unfortunately, I don't know if it was the duchess, the singer, or the pitcher.

Sorry, I already made one with Fergie via e-mail. Unfortunately, I don't know if it was the duchess, the singer, or the pitcher.

Most likely the pitcher. He's Canadian too.

Daaaaaamn.

bsak fuck anything that moves. he come over to my house, the fish stop swimming

Who can resist those mouths.

Daaaaaamn.

bsak fuck anything that moves. he come over to my house, the fish stop swimming

You might be the last thing left in Greensburg I haven't fucked.

:popcorn:

Make sure you share.

You might be the last thing left in Greensburg I haven't fucked.
Welp, as of three minutes ago, bsak16 has fucked everything in Greensburg.

Congrats on lasting 3 minutes sak!

I think it would have been better if the father was all the same guy

Jer-ry ... Jer-ry ... Jer-ry ...

Congrats on lasting 3 minutes sak!

Thanks pal...I almost didnt make it past two but I thought of you and then I was able to hold on for that 3rd minute.

btw:

1. crazy wild chick Angelina Jolie, who once carried a vile of her husband's blood around her neck, is considered humanitarian of the year, mom of the year.
For the record, it was a drop of blood on a piece of cloth or something

2. gas prices are so high, people go to work to afford to buy gas to go to work.
Not true. If they can't afford to buy gas at $4 a gallon they need to get a higher paying job.

3. Iran is building nukes to erradicate Israel and spark WW3.

4. Britney Spears' former backup dancer comes out of a divorce looking normal and wins custody of her kids while she pays him tens of thousands per month to support his lifestyle.

5. it's now fashionable for celebs to go to third world countries and adopt kids from impoverished nations and tote them around like an accessory.

6. a group of teen girls (whose hotness has yet to be determined) all agree to get pregnant to "improve their status in society".

gentlemen, it's the end of the world as we know it.


and i feel fine.
The rest is fine!

Surprise, surprise...

http://www.wesh.com/family/16681568/detail.html

GLOUCESTER, Mass. -- City and school leaders in a Massachusetts town met Monday to discuss how to respond to a spike in teenage pregnancies at Gloucester High School -- and a report that the spike was due, in part, to a pact among some of the girls to get pregnant.

Gloucester Mayor Carolyn Kirk said the report of a "pregnancy pact" has not been confirmed.

Gloucester High School Principal Joseph Sullivan told Time magazine that nearly half of the 17 girls expecting children pledged to get pregnant. The number of pregnancies at the school is four times the usual amount.<table class="storyAd" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td class="storyAdObj"> <!-- Begin Ad tag: square--><script type="text/javascript"> IBSYS.ad.AdManager.registerPosition({ "iframe": false, "addlSz": "", "element": "ad_N740071.347B", "interstitials": false, "beginDate": "", "endDate": "", "getSect": "", "name": "square", "qString": "", "width": "300", "height": "250", "section": "", "useId": "16681568", "interactive": false, "useSameCategory": false, "topic": "", "swSectionRoot": "", "useZone": "", "type": "DOM" }); </script><script style="display: none;" src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/adj/ibs.orl.family/national;kw=family+square+16681568;comp=false;ad=true;pgtype=detail;tile=3;sz=300x250;ord=1214339043367?"></script><noscript>http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/ibs.orl.family/national;kw=family+square+16681568;ad=true;pgtype=detail;tile=8;sz=300x250;ord=123456789? (http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/ibs.orl.family/national;kw=family+square+16681568;ad=true;pgtype=detail;tile=8;sz=300x250;ord=123456789?)</noscript><!-- End Ad tag: square-->
</td></tr></tbody></table>However, Sullivan has now told officials he can't remember what his source of information was.At a news conference Monday, Kirk said the principal was "foggy in his memory about how he heard about the information."



http://www.wesh.com/irresistible/16695767/detail.html

GLOUCESTER, Mass. -- A Gloucester teenager who is five months pregnant said there was no pact among girls in the North Shore fishing community's high school to get pregnant and raise their babies together.

Appearing on ABC's "Good Morning America," 17-year-old Lindsey Oliver disputed her principal's theory that a spike in teen pregnancies at the high school this spring was traced to such a pact. Gloucester High School Principal Joseph Sullivan was quoted in Time magazine.

"No, there was definitely no pact. There was a group of girls who decided that they were gonna ... they were already pregnant before they decided this. That they were gonna help each other with their kids so they could finish school and raise their kids together, to do the right thing was their decision. Not 'let's get pregnant, like, as a group,'" said Oliver, whose baby is due Nov. 12.

Oh, so do the right thing as in, USE F'ING BIRTH CONTROL THAT'S FREE????

"No, there was definitely no pact, we just all get bored and like to bang with no protection because we are bored. There was a group of girls who decided that they were gonna ... they were already pregnant before they decided this. That they were gonna help each other with their kids so they could finish school and raise their kids together, to do the right thing was their decision. Not 'let's get pregnant, like, as a group, even though we do like orgies together'" said Oliver, whose baby is due Nov. 12.

Fixed that for her....

Oh, so do the right thing as in, USE F'ING BIRTH CONTROL THAT'S FREE????

Well, to play devil's advocate a bit, I'm not sure that's the only "right" thing. Deciding to get pregnant, getting pregnant, and finding a support grouip to help you take care of your kid and get through school sounds a lot closer to the "right" thing than a lot of things people do. At what age does an individual get to choose whether to have a kid or not?

Well, to play devil's advocate a bit, I'm not sure that's the only "right" thing. Deciding to get pregnant, getting pregnant, and finding a support grouip to help you take care of your kid and get through school sounds a lot closer to the "right" thing than a lot of things people do. At what age does an individual get to choose whether to have a kid or not?

The right thing to have done, since they wanted to have sex, would have been to have used some form of birth control (which is free), since they have no way of supporting these babies financially. On top of that, they are minors, they don't get to choose when they have children.

Well actually they wanted to have babies, that's been stated. This was not, according to the news story, accidental pregnancy. Whether or not they can support them is not known to us. It's unlikely, but plenty of young mothers have supported their kids. And plenty of adults have not. Last I knew there was no income requirement to have kids. One look around my neighborhood tells me that.

So the last point left is that they are minors. As far as I know though minors still have the right to get pregnant, but I can accept that someone might think they shouldn't. Still my question was, is using birth control the "right" thing, if they're a minor who wishes to get pregnant? What if they have the agreement of their parents? We're making a lot of assumptions here.

Going off what has been reported in the news, now it sounds like there was no pact and also they are now saying that this was not planned and the only plan was that since they are pregnant, was to help each other out.

For adults, there are no requirements, financial, mental, etc, at all. I bring up the financial part in this whole thing, because that seems to be one of the things that seems to slip these kids' minds when they get into these situations and then cry that they can't afford to go to college or whatever hardship has befallen them. Sorry kid, shouldn'ta got pregnant. It's no secret on what may happen if you have unprotected sex. I feel zero remorse for stupidity.

They are minors, they shouldn't have been having sex to begin with, since, last I checked, that would be statutory rape. Being a 'parent' myself, who in the world would say that it's ok for their minor child to get pregnant or allow their son to get someone pregnant? I also find it hard to believe that a minor has the right to get pregnant. They may have the ability to, but, the right to??? I'm not making any assumptions at all, I'm ranting about my opinion on these stupid kids' actions.

The absolute right thing = Not have sex in the first place
The next right thing = Using birth control
Choosing to stick together and try and help each other out, does not (in my opinion) make it right or is the right thing to do.

I think it would have been better if the father was all the same guy


http://hoopedia.nba.com/images/5/5c/Larry-Johnson.jpg

We did that in elementary school, and I asked something along the lines of "if a man gets his penis blown off, how does he pee?" I pretty much knew how babies were made at that point, but THIS I did not know (my dad I think had recently mentioned someone he knew who had this happen in Vietnam). I believe my question was the only one not answered.

Damn. The search for knowledge continues.

Greg Verga

I know 1% of FOFC will find this funny..but I wonder if Greg Verga's favorite pickup line is "Quieres Verga?"

Going off what has been reported in the news, now it sounds like there was no pact and also they are now saying that this was not planned and the only plan was that since they are pregnant, was to help each other out.Nice to see people buying the cover story put out by the town "leaders" of Gloucester to cover their ass.They are minors, they shouldn't have been having sex to begin with, since, last I checked, that would be statutory rape. Being a 'parent' myself, who in the world would say that it's ok for their minor child to get pregnant or allow their son to get someone pregnant? I also find it hard to believe that a minor has the right to get pregnant. They may have the ability to, but, the right to??? I'm not making any assumptions at all, I'm ranting about my opinion on these stupid kids' actions.Age of Consent in Massachusetts is 16. (There is a blue law still on the books about "Whoever induces any person under 18 years of age of chaste life to have unlawful sexual intercourse shall be punished." but there's no punishment attached to that section of the MGL code.) I am also intrigued by your world where you could tell teenage boys not to have sex, and wish to subscribe to your newsletter.

At what age does an individual get to choose whether to have a kid or not?

You get to decide that when you are no longer living at home, or at least when you aren't trying to decide whether you are going to have a fruit cup or chocolate milk at lunch.

Something like this would never have happened at a school like Bayside.

I do believe that Jessie went on to become a stripper not long after leaving Bayside.

We were all having a great time making light of the situation and you had to "abort" the thread.

I am officially protesting the aborting of this thread.

Nice to see people buying the cover story put out by the town "leaders" of Gloucester to cover their ass.Age of Consent in Massachusetts is 16. (There is a blue law still on the books about "Whoever induces any person under 18 years of age of chaste life to have unlawful sexual intercourse shall be punished." but there's no punishment attached to that section of the MGL code.) I am also intrigued by your world where you could tell teenage boys not to have sex, and wish to subscribe to your newsletter.

I don't care if it's a cover story or not. The kids are stupid for what they did and should not be privy to any special treatment or financial help. That's how I feel about it, period.

By them saying they are now trying to do the right thing, I find funny and stupid at the same time. If you did the right thing in the first place, you wouldn't have to worry about having a support group to help raise your kid that you shoulnd't have had to begin with.

I know 1% of FOFC will find this funny..but I wonder if Greg Verga's favorite pickup line is "Quieres Verga?"

Chupa

I don't care if it's a cover story or not. The kids are stupid for what they did and should not be privy to any special treatment or financial help. That's how I feel about it, period.

By them saying they are now trying to do the right thing, I find funny and stupid at the same time. If you did the right thing in the first place, you wouldn't have to worry about having a support group to help raise your kid that you shoulnd't have had to begin with.If we accept their story, I don't think a "support group" is that unreasonable. In fact, it sounds like a rational decision. Having 15 peers going through the same experience would probably be good both for the mother and the baby's future.

I mean, the kids are still fucked because they're growing up to single mothers in a town where the only industry (fishing) leads to rampant alcoholism and abuse, and even that is dying out, but the support group of peers seems like a help if anything.

They're also going to be costing the state ridiculous amounts of money even if they aren't given any special treatment. The medical costs, the inevitable DSS and correctional involvement, etc.

Fixed that for her....

Like, what, lol, like what was like fixed, like? omg bff !!!!! like

If we accept their story, I don't think a "support group" is that unreasonable. In fact, it sounds like a rational decision. Having 15 peers going through the same experience would probably be good both for the mother and the baby's future.

I mean, the kids are still fucked because they're growing up to single mothers in a town where the only industry (fishing) leads to rampant alcoholism and abuse, and even that is dying out, but the support group of peers seems like a help if anything.

They're also going to be costing the state ridiculous amounts of money even if they aren't given any special treatment. The medical costs, the inevitable DSS and correctional involvement, etc.

I agree with everything you just said. The support group isn't unreasonable at all and it's going to be nothing but an uphill battle for them and their kids. However, them doing all of that, does not change my opinion on how stupid they are.

or at least when you aren't trying to decide whether you are going to have a fruit cup or chocolate milk at lunch.

So for kids these days that's roughly around the age of 8. Maybe 10. :D

You get to decide that when you are no longer living at home, or at least when you aren't trying to decide whether you are going to have a fruit cup or chocolate milk at lunch.

So college students can't have kids?

Again, I'm only playing devil's advocate because I generally think teen pregnancy is not good for the parent or child, and is a symptom of a problem in a society. But I also don't think we can condem teen parents as a whole. Some turn out to be good parents who made a decision that works for them, or at least works as well as many life decisions do.

Especially in communities where getting out of high school doesn't make much of a difference, it's not surprising that kids take different routes. Maybe taking on the challenge of being a parent will kickstart them to something better.

I mean, the kids are still fucked because they're growing up to single mothers in a town where the only industry (fishing) leads to rampant alcoholism and abuse, and even that is dying out, but the support group of peers seems like a help if anything.

That really confused me until I looked back and realized the article said Gloucester. I was thinking Worcester in my mind all this time.

That really confused me until I looked back and realized the article said Gloucester. I was thinking Worcester in my mind all this time.I'm sure 17 girls got pregnant the past school year in in Worcester HS's too (maybe not Worcester, but certainly Springfield, Lowell/Lawrence, Fall River/NB/Pawtucket etc) but it's not a national story. I wonder why....

On a more positive note, I ran into a girl on Saturday who got pregnant in HS, kept the pregnancy and the kid and just graduated from UMass on time with her class. Just shows that if the support system is in place and the girl has their head on straight, it doesn't have to lead to a poorer life.

So college students can't have kids?

Can a college student support a kid?

Some can, sure. I was mostly just joking about the diet of a college student though.

Some can, sure. I was mostly just joking about the diet of a college student though.

I thought you were joking about the indecisiveness and poverty of college students. :D

I had unprotected sex in Gloucester when I was 16. Looks like I dodged a bullet.

Some can, sure. I was mostly just joking about the diet of a college student though.

Probably about the same diet I have now at 29.. One of these days I will actually start eating correctly. But pizza and beer is so yummy

I had unprotected sex in Gloucester when I was 16. Looks like I dodged a bullet.

I think dodging counts as a form of birth control.