Teen “Pregnancy Pact”: The Perfect Storm?
The shocking news from the small fishing town of Gloucester, Massachusetts spread across the country and around the world: 17 girls from one high school were pregnant, part of a supposed ‘pregnancy pact’ in which the students intentionally set out to become teen mothers, with a vow to raise their babies together.
It wasn’t the first time Gloucester made international headlines. The tragic 1991 loss at sea of a Gloucester fishing boat and its crew prompted the book and the movie “The Perfect Storm.”
Now a tidal wave of finger-pointing about who or what was responsible for so many pregnancies tipped toward a “perfect storm” of outside influences.
Some blamed Gloucester’s depressed local economy and the demise of its once-thriving fishing industry. Others indicted so-called broken families and directionless youth. Gloucester High, it was suggested, had brought the predicament on itself, by providing easily accessible on-campus day care for the babies of student mothers. And Hollywood shouldered its share of responsibility—the movie “Juno” was blamed for glamorizing unwed teen motherhood, and the media’s obsession with pregnant celebs having babies as “accessories” was called out as well.
But soon cracks began to appear in the cultural blame game. A reproductive specialist noted that the pregnancy trend at Gloucester High began before “Juno” hit the theaters. Gloucester’s mayor said the pregnancy rate was a statistical “blip” and rued the lack of health education funding. And the School Superintendent stated that he’d never heard the term “pact” used by the students, only by the media.
After days of silence, one of the girls finally appeared on national television. 17-year-old Lindsey Oliver denied the existence of a pact. “There was a group of girls already pregnant that decided they were going to help each other to finish school and raise their kids together,” she said. “I think it was just a coincidence.”
Tell us what you think: Are the Gloucester teen pregnancies the result of a “perfect storm” of outside influences, or does responsibility lie elsewhere?
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teens
i think they shouldn’t had sex and it will teach them a lesson in life.
teeaira washington | 2 months, 2 weeks ago
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world is crazy
im a christian i believe not to do it before marriage. especially young girls who ruin their youth by getting pregnant
aimee | 2 months, 2 weeks ago
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I WAS ONE OF THEM.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY I WAS A TEEN MOTHER. I HAD MY WONDERFUL DAUGHTER 2 DAYS BEFORE MY 17TH BIRTHDAY. I HAVE TO SAY SHE HAS BEEN THE GREATEST GIFT I HAVE EVER RECIEVED. I AM VERY BLESSED TO HAVE HER. I WAS PROUD, I’V FACED MANY STEARS AND HAVE GOTTEN ALL TYPES OF LOOKS. NONE OF THAT MATTERED TO ME. TO THIS DAY I GIVE HER MY ALL. THAT IS WHAT SHE DESERVES AND NOTHING LESS. SHE DIDN’T ASK TO BE HERE. I MADE HER (WITH HELP). ALTHOUGH I TAKE CARE OF MY DAUGHTER ON MY OWN IT HAS BEEN WORTH IT. SHE HELP ME TO GROW UP AND BE EVEN MORE OF A WOMEN NOW THAT I’M 23 YRS OLD. I WILL SHOW HER A BETTER PATH TO TAKE THAN MINES.
TIA M.DEWER | 2 months, 2 weeks ago
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teens
Teens shouldn’t be having babies because they can’t take of them.
tedkljhcuki kuggl | 2 months, 1 week ago
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Teen mom speaks out about all this crap
For everyone that think teens are not responsible that’s totally not true. Yeah I have a 2 months baby girl and I take damn good care of her I do what I have to to make sure my daughter has everything she needs.. I feel everbody makes messes up at one put of time. Teen moms just didn’t take the easy or coward way out. We accepted our responsible and womened up. Yeah we could have giving our babies up for adoption or got a abortion and been through with it. But I thank god everyday of my life that I kept my daughter and didn’t let people’s opinions or thoughts get to me cause I know in my heart that I did the right thing for me and my daughter. Yeah don’t ge me wrong it’s hard and a tiring responabilty but it’s worth it… And about he comment about who’s going to take care or these teen mom’s babies what grown person doesn’t ever need help with anything? Even adults need help every so often so what’s so bad about teens need help? I feel like this if your a teen mom or a expecting teen mom then please don’t base you decision on what to do about your child or your expecting child on what these bitter women think…
Natalie | 2 months, 1 week ago
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FOR THE DIAMOND.VH1.COM
IS DANGER REAL PRAGNENT BY RAY J . BECAUS THAT CAN NOT HAPPEN AT ALL!! LIKE WHAT DOSE RAY SEE IN DANGER. BUT RAY YOU SHOUD MARRY PLATNEM (JUST SAYING).
diamond moan'e martin | 2 months, 1 week ago
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i 17 w/a baby
I have an 11month old daughter and i was 16 wen i got pregnant and i take care of her jus fine…she is the love of my love i dont think ppl need to steriotype it like they do a baby will come wen they are ment to come and no matter the age we will love our children no matter what!!!!
christian joy fuller | 2 months, 1 week ago
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yep
I agree 100%. Teens have sex. They aren’t going to stop. They need birth control. The End
Melissa | 2 months ago
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listen
some of you people are rediculous. 1. you cant “blame” pregnancies on anything. 2. age isnt a factor in how well you can raise a child. yes i think that highschool isnt the best time to be starting a family, but age doesnt nessisaraly determine maturity. i was a mom at 17 years old. my daughter is the best thing that ever happened to me. she saved my life. and everyone that knows me would agree. i now have a job and am happy where im at in my life. i am going to be going back to school soon to further my education and its all because i now have the drive to make something of myself, for me and for my daughter. otherwise i would have ended up either majorly screwed up or dead. so its not always a bad thing for a young woman to become a mom.
amanda | 2 months ago
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What the heck?!?
I think this may shock most of the people who read this, but maybe you will learn something. I was sixteen when I got pregnant and there were at least 7 other pregnant girls in my high school p;us a few that already had kids. Almost all of us pay for our babies to live. My boyfriend got his first job FULL-TIME and still went to school. I took care of my daughter and did in fact end up getting my GED, but I am pursuing my dreams of a college degree all the while. We pay our own bills, take care of our own daughter… and to many’s dismay WE DO NOT GET FOOD STAMPS!!! So to all of you out there who think teens are incapable of taking care of the consequences reaped by their actions you are wrong to think that about all teen parents, because SOME of us are responsible. And It has nothing to do with me watching Juno or any other show with teen pregnancy in them. It isn’t due to society whatsoever it is an outcome one chooses by deciding to have sex.
Malone | 2 months ago
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