by Jalyn Britton and Alpha Mansaray
Most students carry a book bag or purse to class, but students in one relationships class are carrying extra weight for a grade.
Teacher Victoria Ferris requires students in her relationships class to carry a baby or wear a pregnancy suit as part of a unit on parenting and pregnancy. This is one way Varina students learn about the reality of teen pregnancy.
“It helps prevent pregnancy because it shows the consequences of having premarital sex,” Ms. Ferris said. “It helps them pick a path to go on in life.”
In health and physical education, students study a unit commonly referred to as “sex ed.” The unit teaches abstinence as the means of preventing pregnancy.
Health and physical education teacher Gretchen Hiort teaches family life classes that include the unit recommending abstinence for pregnancy prevention. She said ninth and tenth grade family life classes cover many topics, and parents can sign a form for their child to opt out of the “sex ed” unit.
“Students will be explained the factors to be considered in preparing for dating and marriage. This is being taught according to the provision in Senate Bill 905 passed in July 2011,” Ms. Hiort said.
Assistant Principal Cody Streightiff said teaching abstinence is a statewide policy, but teaching other forms of pregnancy prevention remains a matter of social debate.
Mr. Streightiff said the school is doing what it can to teach teens about pregnancy prevention.
“We do things such as freshman mentoring with kids who are in eighth grade that are at risk for making poor choices or students that we run across that we are aware of that are making poor decisions,” Mr. Streightiff said.
School counselor Gena Jones said the school counseling does not teach pregnancy prevention, but they do provide resources and set up meetings between pregnant teens and their parents.
“When a student comes in, basically, I just ask them if they are okay physically, how they feel about the situation and just provide them with a list of resources as far as medical resources,” Ms. Jones said. “I can’t tell the student’s parent that they are pregnant, but I can be there when the two have a conversation.”
In the past, only the female students in Ms. Ferris’ class had to wear the pregnancy suit, which simulates the eighth month of pregnancy, but this year, the boys had to do it, too.
“Most boys don’t know their role in pregnancy, and this shows them that they play a vital role when it comes to pregnancy,” Ms. Ferris said.
Ms. Ferris said the pregnancy suit, which costs nearly $750, simulates the weight and warmth of a pregnant woman’s abdomen. The suit has suspended weights that simulate fetal movement, a rib belt that constricts the lungs of the mother, two lead balls to simulate fetal limbs and a bladder pouch that simulates the fetal head on the bladder of the mother.
After wearing the baby bump, most of the boys said they understood what a woman goes through to carry a fetus to term.
“I only had the baby for a day, and I realize that I was not ready to be a father because of all the work it takes to take care of one,” senior Charles Chenault said.
Ms. Ferris said she chose to teach the relationships class to help make students aware of the realities of pregnancy.
“Children are very special, and kids need to know that it is very important to wait because it is a lot of work and care that goes into caring for a child,” Ms. Ferris said.
Not only does this class prepare students for real life experiences, but it also gives them insight into the experiences of pregnant classmates. Freshman Shanta Jackson said she learned something from taking the fake baby home for the weekend.
“I learned the experience of motherhood because I learned how to put someone in front of me,” Shanta said.
Senior Jacob Bowman said the school is doing its part by teaching abstinence.
“I think the school is doing a good job at educating the students. Maybe some of the students aren’t doing the best jobs of listening or controlling themselves or using the tools that are available to them to prevent teenage pregnancies,” Jacob said.
Mr. Streightiff said that teens need to hear one message clearly.
“The biggest thing that kids, students, teenagers need to understand is how hard it is to have a child,” Mr. Streightiff said.
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