Detroit School for Pregnant and Parenting Students Will Stay Open

A protest rally was planned for yesterday in support of Catherine Ferguson Academy, a school for pregnant and parenting students that was slated for closure by Detroit Public Schools. Instead, Principal G. Asenath Andrews broke the news to the crowd that no protest was necessary: The school will remain open as a charter school.

Catherine Ferguson provides a comprehensive high school education and child care services to 300 of Detroit's pregnant and parenting students each year. The school has a graduation rate of 90%, and almost every graduate goes on to college. The school's work is critical, as pregnancy and parenting responsibilities are significant risk factors for dropout. The services it offers are particularly vital in Detroit, where one in four births is to a single woman younger than 20 who has not completed high school. Catherine Ferguson's students, many of whom consider the school to be their lifeline to a secure future, were devastated when Detroit Public Schools announced plans to shut the school's doors in the name of budget cuts. They held a peaceful sit-in earlier this spring where several participants were arrested for trespassing.

The school district agreed to turn over operation of Catherine Ferguson to a company that operates other charter schools in the Detroit area. Roy Roberts, Detroit Public Schools' emergency manager, said, "We have found a solution. This is a great day as far as I'm concerned for everyone in this community."

Today's news means that at least some of Detroit's pregnant and parenting students can continue to go to school without many of the burdens that often put such students at risk for dropping out of traditional schools, like lack of support, lack of child care, and discriminatory practices that violate Title IX. We applaud Detroit Public Schools for taking the educational needs of pregnant and parenting students seriously and working toward a resolution to preserve their opportunity to get an education and succeed. Now if only the district could find a way to ensure that even more of Detroit's pregnant and parenting students get the services they need...