Who Really had a Pact?

This morning Mayor Carolyn Kirk, of Gloucester, MA, held a press conference (see below).  It was the basic, "It's not our fault," speech.  Teachers say it is the parents.  Parents say it is the teachers.  I can't imagine the brewing contempt these seventeen students must feel for all of these authorities to jam the channels of responsibility. 

The most extraordinary thing is the search to be certain it is or is not a pact.  Why is this the primary issue?  What on earth does the pact have to do with it?  And people keep talking about how did this happen.  Seriously?  I know how it happens.  They know how it happens.  I wish they all would read Self-Reliance by R.W. Emerson and have a conversation. 

You can watch the interview below.  You may not even be able to count how many times she called these teen mothers, children.  You would think she is talking about premenstrual, pre-puberty humans who cannot cross the street without supervision.  Oh, let me assure you, they know how to cross the street. 

What is interesting to me is who are these 17 souls that insisted on incarnating  in Gloucester and being raised by young adults who are infantilized themselves?  Now they had the pact.  They came in together.  Their story is the one I want to know.

Comments

[Melissa]

I don't know why they're going to be wasting time convening experts to study the problem. We already know what reduces teenage pregnancy rates: comprehensive sex education and ready access to all forms of contraceptives. I don't know what's wrong with the Gloucester School COmmittee, or how they got the sole responsibility for making policy decisions, but you don't have to be a rocket scientist to start taking immediate action. If I were there, I would advocate for a youth health fair, a la the one we had in San Bernardino in April...with free condoms and lube samples for all.