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Louisiana School Forces Students to Take Pregnancy Tests, Kicks Out Girls Who Refuse Or Test Positive
Think Progress / News Report
Published: Tuesday 7 August 2012
If students test positive for pregnancy, they are no longer allowed to attend classes on the school’s campus and will be forced to either switch to another school or begin a home school program.
One Louisiana school is dealing with the state’s high rates of teen pregnancy by taking an “out of sight, out of mind” approach. No pregnant students are welcome at Delhi Charter School in Delhi, Louisiana — a policy that the institution enforces by requiring students who are “suspected” of being pregnant to submit to a mandatory pregnancy test.
If students test positive for pregnancy, they are no longer allowed to attend classes on the school’s campus and will be forced to either switch to another school or begin a home school program. If a student refuses to take the test, she is “treated as a pregnant student” and also kicked out of Delhi Charter School, according to the student handbook:
If an administrator or teacher suspects a student is pregnant, a parent conference will be held. The school reserves the right to require any female student to take a pregnancy test to confirm whether or not the suspected student is in fact pregnant. The school further reserves the right to refer the suspected student to a physician of its choice. If the test indicates that the student is pregnant, the student will not be permitted to attend classes on the campus of Delhi Charter School.
If a student is determined to be pregnant and wishes to continue to attend Delhi Charter School, the student will be required to pursue a course of home study that will be provided by the school…Any student who is suspected of being pregnant and who refuses to submit to a pregnancy test shall be treated as a pregnant student and will be offered home study opportunities. If home study opportunities are not acceptable, the student will be counseled to seek other educational opportunities.
The American Civil Liberties Union points out that Dehli Charter School’s discriminatory policy for pregnant students is “in blatant violation of federal law and the U.S. Constitution.” On Monday, the ACLU of Louisiana and the ACLU Women’s Rights Project sent a letter to the school asking it to suspend its policy, on the grounds that New Delhi Charter School’s unfair treatment of its pregnant students violates the following laws:
- Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, for excluding students from educational programs based on sex.
- The Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution, for treating female students differently than their male peers, as well as stereotyping “suspected” pregnant studies on the basis of their gender.
- The Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment that recognizes the right to procreate as well as the right to decide whether to terminate a pregnancy, for targeting students in a way that appears to stigmatize pregnancy.
Aside from its unconstitutional premise, the charter school’s policy toward pregnant students is also furthering a serious education gap between teen mothers and the young women who do not have unplanned pregnancies. Thirty percent of all teen girls who drop out of high school cite pregnancy as the main reason. And a full 70 percent of teenage girls who give birth end up leaving school — although if New Delhi Charter School had its way, that statistic might be closer to 100 percent.
37 comments on "Louisiana School Forces Students to Take Pregnancy Tests, Kicks Out Girls Who Refuse Or Test Positive"
August 14, 2012 11:52am
Are the fathers of these children being sent off to learn home study also? This policy wrong in so many ways.
August 13, 2012 5:48am
First let me say that if Delhi Charter School's policy is as describe, in my view it would be wrong. Further, to the extent that such a policy would be legally sustainable (which I doubt), it would also be wrong to allow the boys who caused the pregnancy to remain the charter school.
The real purpose of this comment, tho, is to say that the pregnant girl would not be excluded because of her "sex," but because of her pregnancy. Put differently, not all girls are excluded from Delhi Charter School, but only pregnant girls.
I similarly have trouble with the equal protection argument. Males are not "similarly situation" because they cannot get pregnant. Consequently, it is not treating them differently -- one is pregnant, one is not.
However, eventho I don't agree with the ACLU's (of which I've been a member for over 40 years) Title IX and Equal Protection analysis, I agree with the result based on equitable considerations. (I also believe that the Christian Right would not loudly disapprove of abortion if men could get pregnant.)
August 12, 2012 12:28pm
Are you sure this report is accurate? I just checked the school's policy document and it says this: DELHI CHARTER SCHOOL STUDENT PREGNANCY POLICY
Delhi Charter School (“DCS”) is cognizant of the challenges of marriage, pregnancy and
parenthood among students prior to graduation from high school. The Board of Directors of
DCS authorizes the Headmaster and the school administration to assure that such students have
the opportunity to earn the education they deserve. Marital, maternal or paternal status shall not
affect the rights and privileges of students at DCS to receive a public education or to take part
in any extracurricular activity offered by the school.
Pregnant students will be permitted to continue in any education program or activity, including
any class or extracurricular activity, at DCS. The school shall not be held responsible for any
medical problems related to the student’s pregnancy while attending DCS.
Should the student need to be absent from school for a prolonged period of time, she may
voluntarily enroll in DCS’ Homebound Study Program. After the birth of the child, the student
shall be permitted to return to DCS as soon as she is physically able.
Effective Date: August 10, 2012
August 08, 2012 8:53am
This is decidedly right wing. Yet more proof of their disdain for the female sex in all things.
How blind can people be when the vote Republican thinking the right is there to protect their individual liberty. Hogwash. The only "liberties" the right and Tea Party are there to protect are the selected liberties they decide you are permitted to hold.
It is not a liberty if they don't approve it...plain and simple.
Any vote for the GOP is a vote for corporate take over and a vote for restricted liberties and reduced constitutional protections.
The GOP does not care about "people" unless you are a rich campaign donor. For them you ONLY purpose in life is to vote for them on election day.
Read what one of their own insiders says about the GOP.
http://www.joethevoter.org/confession-of-a-gop-operative.html
August 08, 2012 1:57am
"Thirty percent of all teen girls who drop out of high school cite pregnancy as the main reason."
What has happened to the morals we young women had a few years ago?
No wonder this nation is failing!
August 07, 2012 9:33pm
IF this were a private school, I suppose they could do anything they want. It would only be fair if the suspected father also be expelled. Since I assume this is a public school, they need to adhere to the constitution and back off. What kind of charter school is this anyway? where I went to school, we didn't have a teen pregnancy problem because we had to take a class called Reproduction. After a whole semester of watching up close films of every type of birth and all the complications and the afterbirth and films showing up close all the sores and symptoms of std's. Nothing was held back. There were only 2 pregnancies where in both cases, the girls were in very bad situations at home and a pregnancy was the only way they could get emancipated. We were hit hard with the hard reality of what really happens to the body during pregnancy and the reality that the act of giving birth is absolutely NOT beautiful in any way. Reality over fairytales and myths made all the difference.
August 07, 2012 2:24pm
The "real" election that desperately needs to transpire in this rapidly retrogressive country of ours is one of "secession." We MUST figure a way to divide the nation up between the cognitively sane and the certifiably looney. I've often wondered just what the hell was in the drinking water of vast swaths of the American South and Mid-West. Whatever the hell it is...its spreading. Stupidity, intolerance, bigotry, zealotry, fundamentalism, cruelty, violence idolatry, environmental feeble-mindedness, the repudiation of higher education, rampant (and exalted) ethnocentricism, the embracing of ignorance.
Let the inmates have their own damn asylum. It won't be long before millions of Goober's and Gooberette's have been knocked up, shot up, locked up, and fucked up most everything they can get their drooling oblangatas to recognize.
No offense to anyone in any particular state. I live in California and we've got plenty of "the South will rise again-er's" out here. It would just seem a preponderance of these types of articles comes from the infamous "Bible Belt."
W.E.B. Dubois, who many years ago spoke of this region often, surely would not be surprised.
August 07, 2012 1:53pm
Write them, instead of sputtering here. I did. http://www.delhicharterschool.org/
August 07, 2012 1:36pm
Shame is a very powerful thing. I personally know of a young man who killed himself because he could not live with the shame and guilt of his girlfriend getting pregnant. This is a family matter, not a school matter. And, I wish religion would stay out of it, too, unless requested by the people involved. I wish that young man had gone to ANYONE to get help as many of us would have forgiven him anything. I miss him dearly.
August 07, 2012 1:24pm
I was happy to see that eventually other commenters had the same thought I had - the boys were knocked them up sure as heck better be kicked out of school too. And if the girl won't admit who they are, DNA test after the fact, kick the boys out of school then (or charge their older boyfriends), and take away any credits earned while they lied about it.
Oh but wait! Girls get pregnant on their own. I forgot.
This is the most ridiculous - and harmful - thing I have heard in a long time. But sadly it is the logical consequence of the far-right policies that have taken hold in many places; policies and beliefs that, despite their actual immoral, unethical and illegal consequences, somehow let you view yourself as morally superior if you hold them. Bizarre.
August 07, 2012 12:54pm
Well, what do you expect? Unless the girl can prove that she has been raped by some horny G-d, she clearly has 'done it', done the deed, given in to her primary biological drive. This sort of attitude could be communicable to the 'good' girls around her who never have 'dirty' thoughts or feelings. Female virginity until marriage is the ultimate value here which almost any red-blooded southern American male will testify as being very important (so that she cannot compare a desultory mindless performance from a true physical intimacy). I think hymen examination by a licensed male clergyman would be more appropriate and revealing and volunteer examiners easy to find. But, then, a charter school cannot evict its entire female student body. Money. Teaching birth control as an alternative, of course, is evil as these are 'gateway' techniques into a life of wanton fornication. Yes! Throw them to the wolves, and their b**tard babies as well. How dare these girls openly violate that most cherished of Southern values, hypocrisy. Stone them...
August 07, 2012 11:44am
. . . Wow I'm somewhat at a loss for words - dumb - stupid - ill-c0nceived....anything but intelligent.....I could understand sex education -BEFORE THE FACT -.- NOT AFTER.....
. . . . The school further . . . ."reserves the right". . . . . to refer the suspected student . . . . . "to a physician of its choice." ?????? WHAT RIGHT?????
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . no longer allowed to attend classes on the school’s campus and will be forced to either switch to another school or begin a home school program.
WOW -.- HOME SCHOOLING ??? DUMB -.- STUPID
Students havd no rights ??? HELL EVEN PRISONERS HAVE RIGHTS......
. . . Are there any mental healthcare facilities around for that administration - they are in dire need of it........
. . . .I would like to say something like with the best intentions - - - - -but even as a joke that doesnt work...WOW. . . . . . seriously at a loss for words......
. . . .
it doesn't cover the age of the students.......molested / raped....
whose the dictator - passing these edicts????
August 07, 2012 11:04am
Expect to see the reintroduction of anti-literacy laws! They did it before there. For people who rightly argue that this is anti-constitutional remember that when the constitution was written slavery (and the slave trade) was permissable. Ah, the good old days!
August 07, 2012 1:23pm
Also, when the Constitution was written, the framers set-up a system whereby presidents were chosen by the Electoral College instead of a general election, so they expected presidents to be statesmen or executives, not a bunch of sleazy politicians like this current bunch. They probably could never imagined a hack like Lyndon Johnson coming in and destroying the American family in order to secure the black vote for the Democrat party. "If your election process resembles a circus, then you will have clowns in the White House.
August 07, 2012 8:04pm
According to NY Times: "The Electoral College is more than just an antiquated institution: it actively disenfranchises voters and occasionally (think 2000) makes the candidate with fewer popular votes president. American democracy would be far stronger without it.
There is no reason to feel sentimental about the Electoral College. One of the main reasons the founders created it was slavery. The southern states liked the fact that their slaves, who would be excluded from a direct vote, would be counted — as three-fifths of a white person — when Electoral College votes were apportioned.
August 07, 2012 7:46pm
No fan of LBJ but have no idea what you mean--what did he do to destroy the American family in order to secure the black vote? And you have it all wrong about the electoral college. Has nothing to do with framers expecting presidents to be executives (they did not exist at that time) or statesmen.
August 07, 2012 10:54am
I assume that if a student can produce a doctor's statement that she has had an abortion within the last week that she will be welcomed back with open arms.
August 07, 2012 10:48am
Does the same standard apply to the teachers and administrators? WTF. Thank you GW for glorifying and institutionalizing aggressively self-imposed stupidity. If consequences like this motivated people, everyone would retire rich and healthy.
August 07, 2012 10:47am
Perfect Conservative philosophy: encourage the males to be macho shitheads, insist that the females be submissive, outlaw birth control and then deny access
to education for the females once they become pregnant. Brilliant!!!! Oh, and don't forget to distribute the football scholarships, guns and plenty of ammo to
the males!!!
August 08, 2012 2:09am
You can bet most of this is based on the morals of the Bible.
Did you read from what state this all comes?
In my day, girls did not get pregnant while in High School. They actually kept their legs together, and studied.. to do better.
Too bad the morals have gone in the toilet, where the Constitution is now.
If the so-called leaders of this country had followed the Constitution...we would ALL be in a better place. Almost none of the laws that have been put in place, in the last 100 years are supposed to be there, for the US government to handle. They almost all should have either been state laws, or family situations ...for the family to handle.
We let our government take over our lives, and take away our rights.
Are any of you going to fight to get them back? Or do we go the route of other Communist countries, and lose all our rights to those who want power? If we do not fight back, either through voting, or other means, many people are going to die. Many will be hungry. Many will be homeless.
Oh! Yeah! That is happening NOW!
August 07, 2012 10:45am
Well, then, all the fathers of the babies should be made to home school too, and if they are out of HS, then charge them with statutory rape (or incest???) Let's remember, it takes two to tango! What the hell? We are going backwards at lightening speed...
August 07, 2012 10:59am
You got it right, LKB. We need to do DNA tests on every baby found to have been created in the school and identify and expel the fathers, since we really want to stamp out teen pregnancy! Oh, I forgot - only GIRLS are responsible if they get pregnant - the boys "can't help themselves."
Not to mention that they will still be just as pregnant after they're expelled. Talk about closing the barn doors after the horses have escaped!
Of course, we'd better check out all the male teachers and administrators, too, just in case - we don't want incest going on at our schools, either...
August 07, 2012 10:58am
the dark ages are returning...
August 07, 2012 10:49am
here here LKB
Huntsville, AL
August 07, 2012 10:25am
This is how a backwards state deals with the absolute failure of its abstinence only program.
Talk about a race to the bottom. No sex education. Total rejection of contraceptives. Hide the students that are pregnant.
I wonder how many of these students actually know how they got pregnant? The flood of lies coming from right-wing religious groups would make any tyrant proud.
The religious right. They are neither.
August 07, 2012 10:44am
My God, what do they do with pregnant teachers???
August 07, 2012 10:22am
I'd bet that this school teaches "abstinence only" sex education? If they taught comprehensive sex education than the numbers would drop somewhat. I also wonder if they considered the unintended consequence that this school's policy encourages pregnant teens to get abortions so they won't have to leave school.
August 07, 2012 10:22am
I thought EVERYBODY was allowed to have a free education. What if the female student was raped or molested? Forcing tests on people is violating and degrading. I understand that teenage pregnancy can be a problem, but don't only hate on the female students, and understand that this is a free fucking country, and EVERYBODY deserves an education. Louisiana, this was a good idea of yours to lower the damn pregnancy rates, but the way you decided to do is just plain sick.
August 07, 2012 10:20am
This is not just twisted ideology nor misinformed beliefs nor religious/social dogma....this is just plain ignorance. Here is a great opportunity to put into practice the great American strategy of building walls as a way of prohibiting the spread of this type of contagion. However, we need to first find a way to move New Orleans to a safe place where we can preserve the fun and bacchanalia which is Louisiana's only cultural contribution to society. I seriously doubt that those who impose such reprehensible and heinous controls on others are aware of these cultural values.
August 07, 2012 10:06am
Pretty amazing that people who are supposed to be teaching these students The United States of America's Constitution, are instituting policies that clearly indicate that they themselves have not bothered to READ The United States of America's Constitution. Go get 'em, ACLU!
August 07, 2012 9:49am
This is a good idea.. Society must instill in young students that children out of wedlock is not a viable option. It pretty much screws up the life of the girl and makes her not as attractive as a potential life mate due to excess baggage. The boys should be prosecuted for statutory rape if they are of age. Kicking girls out of school might, just might prevent them from having out-of-wedlock kids. yeah, it does violate the equal protection clause but, hey, that's life.
August 07, 2012 12:53pm
coach777b
"This is a good idea...". It might be a good idea in the world of Fascists and Big Brother but it has no place in America. As a veteran, I wonder if this is why I served and defended my country. Whoever these authoritarian criminals are they should be exposed and forced to explain who gave them the right to install such draconian rules.
August 07, 2012 11:56am
How can you even consider this? Punishment is better than prevention? Lives spent in poverty and risk are better than helping our children understand the consequences of behavior? ("that'll learn 'em.) We are better than this. "Yeah it violates the law, but that's life." (paraphrasing...) What? We are supposed to be a county of law. This is key to our very being and you dismiss it so lightly?
August 07, 2012 10:56am
your comment about children out of wedlock not being in option is totally your opinion. i have plenty of friends that continued their schooling and took great care of their children. some of these kids went from being fairly irresponsible kids to very mature and caring parents. kicking kids out of school for this stuff is the worst thing possible, its only going to give the kids more reason to hate school. why would you want to go back when they didnt even want you there before? when a "child" turns 18, regardless of being in school or not, what they want to do with their body is their decision. all in all, kicking pregnant teenagers out of school is an unbelievably horrible idea...
August 07, 2012 10:02am
No, not a good idea. Think it the rest of the way through, if you can.
August 07, 2012 9:48am
It what Jeezuz would want.
Sentence them there sinners to eternal poverty and ignorance, y'all.
August 07, 2012 9:33am
What's next? Lining all the girls up for a hymen inspection every morning before alowwing then to enter the school building? Beam me up Scotty.