Forums > Social Discussion > Being unfare to teenage mothers

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spritieSILVER Member
Pooh-Bah
2,014 posts
Location: Galveston, TX, USA


Posted:
This story on CNN has really upset me.

The story says that in March the pregnant teenager was told that she could no longer attend school because of safety concerns. The only thing that she will be unable to do because of safety reasons is PE. There are plenty of teenagers that are pregnant in the public school system (for those not in the US, the girl in the article would be at a private school) and they are allowed to attend classes. What is the difference between this school and a public one at least on that level?

Secondly, it irks me that the father was allowed to walk across the stage at graduation, but the mother was not. If the catholic school wishes to show that teen pregnancy is not allowed and not favorable, then shouldn't the father be punished in the same fashion as the mother?

I guess this is just a hot topic for me since I've been there and not how hard it is for an unwed teenager to be pregnant and actually have the baby. I was just wondering if there was anyone out there that thinks this is fair for the school to do and if it was fair for the father to walk across the stage to receive his diploma.

DomBRONZE Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,009 posts
Location: Bristol, UK


Posted:
Oh, the ironies abound!
These are Christians, theoretically forgiving, loving sheppards. However I'm pretty damn sure that there's no parable where the sheep that's strayed is abandoned to the wolves.
Their Catholic upbringing has provided them with the dilemma of natural desires that, as good Catholics (!), they've expressed without using contraception.

I'm disgusted frown

BirgitBRONZE Member
had her carpal tunnel surgery already thanks v much
4,145 posts
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland (UK)


Posted:
agreed. especially since contraception and abortion are no real options if she is catholic, they should support her.

about the boy, it's unfortunately traditional that men get away with more than women do. they don't have the belly to show off their "sin". even in the old testament, there are nice bits like "if a woman says she got raped but noone hears her screaming she actually agreed to what the man did", or women being more heavily punished for adultery then men, so i guess the boy getting his degree when she couldn't even attend school anymore kind of fits in frown

i feel so sorry for her, everyone makes mistakes and a christian school should at least be forgiving.

"vices are like genitals - most are ugly to behold, and yet we find that our own are dear to us."
(G.W. Dahlquist)

Owner of Dragosani's left half


GothFrogetteBRONZE Member
grumpy poorly froggy
3,999 posts
Location: Nuneaton, United Kingdom


Posted:
I'm with you on this one, and i would of done exactly the same as her. they are catholics were they not? and so don't encourage contraception anway.

Life's too short to worry about where you put your marshmallows


HavokistBRONZE Member

2,530 posts
Location: Manchester, United Kingdom


Posted:
it's like there was a teenage girl in spain who got pregnant, and due to being catholic they said she couldn't have an abbortion, and then when she had the baby she was made a social and religious outcast. they should wake up and live in today, and learn to adapt their beliefs to the modern day, like other religions have done.

We are the music makers, We are the dreamers of dreams,
Wandering by lone sea-breakers, And sitting by desolate streams;
World-losers and world-forsakers, On whom the pale moon gleams;
We are the movers and shakers of the world for ever, it seems.


Tao StarPooh-Bah
1,662 posts
Location: Bristol


Posted:
ditto everything above. i would be proud as well if i was that girl's mother, not only did she manage to fet the diploma in the first place, but it must have taken a lot of guts to stand up in front of all those people and announce herself, especailly as her situation must be clear and a lot of people would dissaprove.


i think that fact that her fellow students showed their support by clapping shows that although the school might be outdated, the students still have good heads on their shoulders...

there is hope yet with a new generation!!!! biggrin

I had a dream that my friend had a
strong-bad pop up book,
it was the book of my dreams.


MikeGinnyGOLD Member
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA


Posted:
Every time something like this happens, the Church loses power as people turn away from it in horror.

Compare the power of the Church today to its power even 100 years ago...and 1000 years ago.

As the Church becomes more out of touch with reality, it loses power...and it will continue to. My wish to the Church is that it reaps what it sows.

-Mike

Certified Mad Doctor and HoP High Priest of Nutella



A buckuht n a hooze! -Valura


FireByNiteSILVER Member
Are you up for it??
349 posts
Location: Auckland, New Zealand


Posted:
good on her for wanting to complete school. not many do & they shouldve supported her. When I had my son at 17 I finished my schooling on Correspondence school. I was 1 of the lucky ones, my catholic family & friends preferred to support me having the baby than what happened to her. Hope she sticks to what she believes in...

Are you up for it?
wink;)


SethisBRONZE Member
Pooh-Bah
1,762 posts
Location: York University, United Kingdom


Posted:
I think the problem is that most religions *especially Catholicism* insist on having old people to be in charge of them. This means that they are still running on 1920s-30s Catholic doctrine, and so are always behind the times. This probably is in every religion, but Catholicism is the best example.

After much consideration, I find that the view is worth the asphyxiation.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I may disagree with what you have to say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.


KaelGotRiceGOLD Member
Basu gasu bakuhatsu - because sometimes buses explode
1,584 posts
Location: Angels Landing, USA


Posted:
That was actually more uplifting than upsetting.

Power to the mother. =)

To do: More Firedrums 08 video?

Wildfire/US East coast fire footage

LA/EDC glow/fire footage

Fresno fire


i8beefy2GOLD Member
addict
674 posts
Location: Ohio, USA


Posted:
As to Sethis's "Catholicism being behind the times"...

The Catholic church is designed to be conservative, not progressive. It is not really a living tradition as such. After all, if Jesus was God, then his teachings (faithfully represented, of course, by the apostles in their Gospels, 30 - 60 years after the fact) are necessarily correct, and living by them vital to avoid punishment. This is precisely why you have the fragmented and diversified views of Protestants, vs. the more structured and balanced unity of Catholicism. Protestants are much more open to differences in interpetation of scripture; Catholics are not. There is one way to interpret the Bible, and it is the Catholic way, supported by scripture, tradition, and authority of lineage.

This is why I think its kind of like banging your head against the wall arguing with them over some issues...

That aside, if Jesus's teachings are so important, why these minor scriptural nuggets are raised to such importance as to overshadow the central teachings of love, mercy and forgiveness, is beyond my grasp. For such a strong tradition, some of these internal inconsistencies are silly if you ask me... I once had it explained to me that while Jesus loves everyone, he hates sin (sin being externalized and compartmentalized). So I guess your still loved if your gay, or an unwed mother, but he still hates the "sins" you've committed, and so should everyone else. This case in particular though just seems to show that this view is not always put into practice as it might be...

In essence, while the school, I feel, is wrong, it is not necessarily due to their being Catholic. Yes, that may be the source of many of their internalized feelings on the matter that led to these actions. Just because some stupid people who happened to be Catholic did something bad doesn't mean the Catholic Church is to blame.

Unfortunatly... Tradition can be good and bad, as anything else. The Catholic Church faces a serious dilema though if it wants to open up scripture to interpetation, as its very foundations rest on conservative doctrine. The weight of its convictions is what holds it down and gives it authority. Remove that and there's really no reason for a Church anymore now is there?

====

Glad to see the poor girl recognized for her bravery and conviction. I hope something was learned from her display by those sheep that may have strayed even farther than she because of their judgement of her.

DurbsBRONZE Member
Classically British
5,689 posts
Location: Epsom, Surrey, England


Posted:
Oooh, don't get me started on Christianity (especially the Catholic church)

I've just finished a crap load of reading about how it's been misinterpreted, edited, warped, hidden and mis-construed throughout history.

As several people have posted above, the really need to update their dogma, especially if they want to survive another 1000 years. (Or, just to be controversial, they could tell the truth about the Gnostic, Isian teachings of Jesus, especially with regards to treatment of women and sancity of physical intimacy)

Burner of Toast
Spinner of poi
Slacker of enormous magnitude



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