Driving home from work today I heard the DJ on a local radio station talking about the nearby town of Gloucester, Massachusetts. It seems that seventeen students at Gloucester High School are pregnant, and it's because they all made a pact to have babies and raise them together. None of these girls are over 16. The DJ's comments was pretty unforgiving, and pretty predictable: basically, "what a bunch of dumb whores, you've gone and ruined your lives." Not exactly the most insightful commentary on the situation.

Curious, I went home and looked up the article that broke this story on time.com. Sure enough, the DJ had all his details right. If you want to check out the article, go to time.com and do a search for 'gloucester high school.' (Unfortunately, I don't know how to post links!)

There was one part of the article that completely rubbed me the wrong way: quote- "The high school has done perhaps too good a job of embracing young mothers. Sex-ed classes end freshman year at Gloucester, where teen parents are encouraged to take their children to a free on-site day-care center. Strollers mingle seamlessly in school hallways among cheerleaders and junior ROTC. 'We're proud to help the mothers stay in school,' says Sue Todd, CEO of Pathways for Children, which runs the day-care center." Anyone else feel like screaming right now?!? According to the article, encouraging young mothers to stay in school and giving them the resources to do it is the direct reason other girls have gotten pregnant. I cringe to think of how the religious right is going to respond to this story.

BTW, does anyone else smell a Movie of the Week here??