Pregnancy Pact
A "pregnancy pact" was made by several female students at Gloucester High School in Gloucester, Massachusetts, leading to 17 teenagers becoming pregnant at once, according to Time magazine. The mayor denied the existence of such a pact. One of the female students and her boyfriend also have denied the pact. Principal Joseph Sullivan told a reporter at Time about the alleged pact and resigned on August 12, 2008.
In October 2008, the school board voted unanimously to allow the distribution of contraceptives at the high school's health clinic, with parental consent.1
Fast Facts
- Location: Gloucester, Massachusetts
- School: Gloucester High School
- No. of pregnant teens: 17
- One of the fathers is 24-year old homeless man2
- Some parents blame films Juno and Knocked Up2
- School did not allow school nurse to prescribe contraceptives2
- School board voted to allow distribution of birth control in October 20081
- Principal Joseph Sullivan resigned from his position after his statement that the pact existed was disputed by school officials
The Baby Pact
17 pregnancies were recorded at the school by the end of the year, and many initially thought that the spike was a statistical anomaly. However, after some of the pregnant teens were questioned, they admitted to agreeing to become pregnant earlier in the year and cooperatively raise the resulting offspring. After Gloucester High medical personnel discovered the rise, they advocated that the school offer contraceptives to students. When the school administration refused to approve the plan, the personnel resigned.2
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