Teens' Pregnancy Pact Shocks Mass. Town

(CBS)  It's news that has people talking in the sleepy fishing village of Gloucester, Massachusetts, reports CBS News correspondent Michelle Miller.

"I think it's awful," one woman says. "They're kids having kids."

Seventeen girls at Gloucester High School not only got pregnant, but according to some, it was no accident.

"Pregnancy was the desired outcome," school superintendent Christopher Farmer says.

"So they did it on purpose?" Miller asks.

"That's what it sounds like, yes," Farmer says.

School officials discovered the pregnancy pact after some girls seemed disappointed that their pregnancy tests from the school nurse came back negative.

"They will have a baby as part of their life to give them status," Farmer says. "motherhood gives them status."

Status in Gloucester is hard to come by. The once thriving fishing community has seen jobs drift overseas. Economic depression has left many teens trying to fill the void.

"It sort of gives you the impression of being an adult, an independent. It may give you an opportunity for unconditional love and attention from the baby and also that you give to the baby," Dr. Elisabeth Guthrie, a pediatric psychiatrist, says.



According to the superintendent, all the girls were 16 or younger. Most of the fathers weren't in high school and at least one of them was a 24-year-old man.

Amanda Ireland, mother of 3-year-old Haley, just graduated from Gloucester High. She says she's tried to warn her peers about the tough road ahead.

"Don't, don't try to get pregnant," she says. "People say, 'I know what it's like because I have siblings.' But you really don't. No one knows until they actually go through it. And it's a lot of work."

School officials have their work cut for them. They are now considering a plan to provide birth control services in the high school next fall.

Their biggest challenge is how to change the mindset in some of the girls who come here.

[virginiagurl19]

you know these young girls 14 15 getting pregnant they have no idea how hard it is to be a teenage single mom because that is whats goin to happen trust me i know from experience i got pregnant at eighteen it isn't fun its hard to get diapers sometime i had a hard time during pregnancy now that he is 8 months old i have to keep takin him to doctors because he has been getting ear infections out the ying yang and on top of that his dad dont help at all with him the only money i ever got out of him is twenty dollars and i was lucky to get so its really hard bein a single teenage mom!!!

[atlanta1962]

again the parents are to busy being against gay issues and supporting bush lies and war

[atlanta1962]

well the parents are to busy worried about gay issues and supporting bush war and lies

[sailorsteve4]

This story blows my mind. What''s wrong with these broads? where are their parents? even if they''re raised by tv, they could always watch the baby borrowers, lol.

[luvusa]

What has changed in this country since 1950?
Posted by txgrouch2004

A bj in the oval office.

[txgrouch2004]

Keithle1 sighed
Teenage girls...what can you do. No easy answers/solutions.
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Why? Do you think it''s ALWAYS been like this???

No, this is a problem that has never happened before. It used to be, the GIRLS said "No" to s e x.

What has changed in this country since 1950?

[luvusa]

Take God out of school and this is what happens.

[keithle1]

Teenage girls are victims of their biology. They''re silly & make impulsive decisions regarding s e x which will affect the rest of their lives. ***** teenage boys with permanent erections don''t care about them. They''re just s e x u a l playthings.
Real love is something they can''t comprehend. They can''t give the unconditional love that these teenage girls want.

So many girls live in a fantasy world of unrealistic expectations & crazy dreams. Convince themselves that boys love them. All the boy wants is a roll in the hay. She''ll be lucky if he remembers her name afterwards when he''s bragging about it to his buddies.

S e x is a means to an end for these girls. The end being pregnancy. Of course that''s the last thing the boy wants to be involved in.

Raising kids is a lot of work, money, heartache & disappointment. Not all fun & games. Costs a lot of money even for the basics. We''re not even talking about fancy private schools.

Teenage girls...what can you do. No easy answers/solutions.

[radman5000]

The truth is this all would have happened sooner if the football team hadnt been using steroids.

[txgrouch2004]

RCPasman lamented
They discovered ICE on MARS, but there was little to no mention of this story.
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