The Way I See It, today was a pretty fantastic day. My students were on point. They participated, had fun and learned somethings about themselves. I am caught up on my filing, I didn't have office duty today (that's a whole other blog) and life was smooth sailing. Then the last period of the day a student asks if she can speak to me in the hallway. Of course! I say enthusiastically and we head for the hall. Then her happy, smiling face fades to scared with a twist of am I really about to tell my teacher this? Whats going with you? I say, thinking she needs more time to do her make-up work since she has been out. "I think I'm pregnant." comes out of this 16 year old young ladies mouth. In my head I'm freaking out, not because of what she just said, but being new not only to this school but to the school district I have NO IDEA what the policy is regarding such an issue. Then she adds, "And I need you to help me figure out how to tell my mother." Why me!!! Is raging through my head at this point. Followed by how do I fumble my way around this doozy in order not to get fired for saying something outside of our school policy.
Here is some background info on public schools. Every last freaking one has a different policy on "sex" issues. Now I have worked in some pretty strict districts. Some of them so strict that showing the slightest bit of attention to the fact that our students do have sex outside of marriage, could get you fired. Other districts it's acknowledged, but definitely not spoken about. Then there are the few that are more up-to-date, so to speak, and you can just say it like it is.
So here I am and off I go into the unknown. I ask her the common questions like have you taken a test, when was your last period and are you usually regular? No, months ago and Yes are the responses. Then she adds and I've been getting sick allot, which is why I missed class. In my head I'm thinking, yep your prego and I'm the first person you tell, how is this going to end. Then I realize that my co-worker who is teaching the parenting class and has been in this very district for over 28 years, has got to have better answers and solution than I have and knows the boundaries. At the same time I also realize she has no class at this time and can totally bail me out. I tell my student about my lack of knowledge of the area and where, she at her young age, can go without parent consent to get an accurate test done. Then I say would you be willing to talk with this other teacher because I just know she will be much more helpful than I could be. She reluctantly shakes her head yes and off we go from the hall to the classroom next door. As my student stands there scared and afraid to utter those four words to yet another teacher, I ask her if she is still willing to talk about it. She nods. I say do you need me to start you off. She nods again as the color drains from her face. So off I go at the mouth, probably looking as scared as she does, while I explain to my co-worker what is going on. All I can really do is thank the Lord that my co-worker stepped in and knew exactly what to do. I find out later that this school is pretty liberal in their views about sex and teens. By liberal I mean they at least acknowledge that it happens and want our students to go to adults instead of their friends to get the facts. This was pretty refreshing to me since, unfortunately, this kind of thing happens everyday.
So I ask you...What would you have done if in my position? Do you think teachers should be mandated to tell parents if their child suspects they might be pregnant? How far can/should the school go to help these teens out?
