Texas School Embraces Parenting Students, Allows Babies in School

Innovative School in Texas Supports Teen Mothers and Promotes Education

In the early morning hours, Yarezi Alvarado, a seventeen-year-old from Brownsville, Texas, begins her daily routine of preparing for school.

However, Yarezi’s daily preparations don’t end with packing her backpack. As a mother to her one-year-old Kamila, who joins her onboard the bus, she consistently supplies the essentials, such as diapers, milk, wipes, and her “must-have” clean clothes to ensure a fresh start to the day. Located just a couple of miles from the Mexican border, the Lincoln Park High School is situated amid a low-income Hispanic community.

Supporting Sustainable Development Goals

• SDG 4: Quality Education
• SDG 5: Gender Equality
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

Education and Childcare for Teen Mothers

Catering to girls between ages 14-22 who are currently expecting or have recently given birth, Lincoln Park High School provides educational facilities alongside an on-site childcare centre. The centre assures care for the little ones while the aforementioned mothers attend their respective classes. They are even permitted visits for nursing purposes. Yarezi praises the level of special care and proximity, expressing immense relief for her child’s well-being. It’s safe to say this setup has a major impact on her life.

Over the past year and a half, several states, including Texas, have implemented bans on abortion following the US Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v Wade. This landmark ruling has safeguarded American women’s abortion rights for the past fifty years.

Challenges Faced by Teen Mothers

The Lone Star State seems hesitant to approach certain issues. Although there are no mandates for sex education in schools, minors seeking contraception must obtain adult consent. While Yarezi’s mother is supportive of her access to contraception, some of her peers experience discrimination within their families or previous schools. Consequently, a few of them reside with a relative or the father of their child.

Interestingly, data from the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) depicts a downward trend in adolescent birth rates, particularly for those between the ages of 15 to 19, which has dropped by three per cent from the last year. The current birth rate is 78 per cent lower than it was thirty years ago, a significant decrease. However, in Texas, young Hispanic women have a birth rate that is 2.4 times higher than that of young white women, according to data from 2021 provided by the NGO Healthy Futures of Texas. The CDC suggests that limited access to healthcare, as well as low education and family income levels, contribute to the high birth rates among teenagers and young women. Interestingly, there have been cases where former students of Lincoln Park, a school established in the 1990s, have returned years later with their daughters who are now pregnant. Lincoln Park stands as one of the few educational establishments of its kind in the entire United States.

Supporting Teen Mothers’ Education

Lincoln Park students encounter a range of obstacles such as absences resulting from medical appointments or nights spent tending to their infants. Although English is the main language of instruction, most students are proficient in both English and Spanish, as they live close to the border with Mexico. To assist students who are unable to attend school after giving birth, teachers conduct home visits. Furthermore, the school, which receives state funding, employs a dedicated nurse to offer specialized support.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The SDGs that are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article are SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being, SDG 4: Quality Education, SDG 5: Gender Equality, and SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the article’s content, the specific targets that can be identified are:

– Target 3.7: Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive healthcare services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programs.

– Target 4.2: Ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care, and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education.

– Target 5.6: Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights as agreed in accordance with the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the Beijing Platform for Action and the outcome documents of their review conferences.

– Target 10.2: Empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion, or economic or other status.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

There are no specific indicators mentioned in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets. However, the article provides information on the existence of an on-site childcare center at Lincoln Park High School, home visits conducted by teachers for students unable to attend school after giving birth, and the employment of a dedicated nurse to offer specialized support. These can be considered as indicators of progress towards achieving Target 4.2: Ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care, and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education.

4. SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.

Source: mwakilishi.com

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