This week on High School Moms, the focus of the show was the Florence Crittenton School’s first-ever prom. It was completely planned by the students with some help from the community, including hundreds of donated prom dresses and free hair, nails, and make-up services donated by a local beauty school. The young moms (and moms-to-be) were so excited about it.
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| Amber and her daughter |
This week on High School Moms, the focus of the show was the Florence Crittenton School’s first-ever prom. It was completely planned by the students with some help from the community, including hundreds of donated prom dresses and free hair, nails, and make-up services donated by a local beauty school. The young moms (and moms-to-be) were so excited about it.
In this episode we met Carla Garcia, a 19-year old mom of a 3-year old boy, and Amber Martinez, a 17-year old mom of a 2-year old girl. When Amber introduced herself she said that her mom was a teen mom, as was her grandmother, and she said, “I am going to stop the cycle.” I believe she will, not just because she is so self-aware and is quite the go-getter, which she appears to be based on her leadership role in the prom planning, but also because thankfully, she attends a school where she is encouraged to see graduation as a reality and college as a possibility worth pursuing.
Now back to the prom. It is significant that Florence Crittenton was having its first-ever prom because at some separate schools for pregnant and parenting students, young moms don’t get to enjoy the benefits of “normal” high schools. That is unfortunate because as the girls themselves pointed out, planning prom was increasing their school spirit. They seemed so happy that there was something special at school for them to be excited about besides child care and other teen mom supports. So while it was somewhat disruptive to their studies – the teachers and principal complained that it was a big distraction, because the girls were so focused on the planning, particularly the competition for prom queen – it made them feel more connected to school, which is important.
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| Carla |
And Title IX requires that any separate programs for pregnant and parenting students not only be totally voluntary, but also offer the students educational opportunities equal to those available in mainstream school programs. Also, in mainstream high schools, too often activities like the prom can manifest discrimination against pregnant and parenting students. A few years ago NWLC represented students at a school in rural Georgia where running for homecoming queen (among other things) was officially off limits to anyone who was or had been pregnant. This is sex discriminationin violation of Title IX, and is just one example of the kind of mistreatment that can make pregnant and parenting students feel unwelcome at school.
When the big night finally arrived, the Flo-Crit teachers and principal remarked with pride that this was the young moms’ “opportunity to be a normal teenager for one night,” to “not be a mom for a night.” I get that, but it also seems to highlight one of the drawbacks of attending a school where all of the students are pregnant and/or parenting. Everyone is a mom all the time, and that is never separate from their identity as a student or soccer player or group leader. Wouldn’t it be great if pregnant and parenting students could get the encouragement and supportive services they need at a mainstream school while having access to more opportunities to identify as a student and feel connected to school independent of their children? As we pointed out in our recent report, there are other promising models out there. More schools should step up and help pregnant and parenting students follow their dreams.