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‘Pregnant girls should not be @ school!’ – Talk Show hears

Host of the Speak Your Mind show Julio 'Sam' Henry is concerned about the access to medical care as teen mothers are more vulnerable. Photo: VINO/File
Persons texted the host of the show expressing their concern about girls being allowed to remain in school while pregnant. Photo: VINO/File
Persons texted the host of the show expressing their concern about girls being allowed to remain in school while pregnant. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – A listener of the 'Speak Your Mind' show texted the host to voice his disagreement with the administration in allowing pregnant schoolgirls to continue their education in the same institution.

The show was hosted by Julio 'Sam' Henry on JTV on Saturday evening October 4, 2014.

The listener said in the text, “I congratulate the Minister for Education for the work he is doing however I disagree with the idea of girls going to school while pregnant and returning after birth. That’s crazy. They should be transferred to the alternative or technical school.”

“It is a very touchy situation,” said Henry, whose opinion leaned towards agreeing with the caller that pregnant school aged girls should not be attending school with other children.

According to another listener who texted in, there is no law preventing the child from finishing school even if she becomes pregnant.

However while Henry did not disagree with the listener he said that he had his own reservations of the situation considering its effect on other students and the health considerations for the pregnant student.

“I have mixed feelings about young ladies going to school with the general population while pregnant,” said Henry.

He said that care may not be readily available for her in case of emergencies. He also pointed out that medically, teen mothers are the most vulnerable than fully grown adult pregnant women.

54 Responses to “‘Pregnant girls should not be @ school!’ – Talk Show hears”

  • egg face (06/10/2014, 09:09) Like (26) Dislike (11) Reply
    Where is the dude who got she pregnant!
    • billyb (06/10/2014, 10:36) Like (9) Dislike (17) Reply
      Momma's baby, daddy's maybe

      She have the burden of carrying it 9 months, not he. Shut yuh ashy foot and learn yuh lesson
      • Ak 47 (31/08/2017, 15:27) Like (3) Dislike (2) Reply
        It does mean that if you pregnant you can't go to school . Girls need to know that no matter what situation, difficulty let it not define you.
  • AA (06/10/2014, 09:17) Like (64) Dislike (12) Reply
    If the girls aren't allowed to go to school, if they are pregnant for a high school aged boy, he need not to go to school as well. It should be lesson for both not just the girls.
  • nonsense (06/10/2014, 09:21) Like (86) Dislike (2) Reply
    Typical BVI foolishness! A student should be transferred to the technical school because they're pregnant? When will we wake up to the fact that a Technical School concept is not a place where you put troubled or pregnant kids, but rather kids that want to learn technical skills? How do you expect young people to have pride in taking up technical subjects when this stupid stigma is attached to it? Technical School is not a badboy or bad girl school. Perhaps they should have a separate class for them at the College or something, but what is the benefit of them being out of school as opposed to in school? People need to make their points clear and stop generalizing and going all over the place. Why shouldn't they be on campus? Make a good case or hush. Parents need to be parenting and that's what's killing us. Whether they attend on campus or not won't change a damn thing in my opinion. We always choose the easy routes with issues like this and like to cover things under the rug.
    • billyb (06/10/2014, 11:28) Like (45) Dislike (13) Reply
      @time will tell

      THAT IS THE MOST STUPIDEST THING I EVER HEARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      Back when I used to go to school, you know how many girls kept our legs closed simply because we had to finish school and find a good job(eventhough we were clueless noone could stop us). At least the fear of knowing we would have to drop out, kept us in check, but now that we have people like you who have found a loop hole in the system, giving these hot crotch young girls the amunition to spread dem legs, all of a sudden society outta control.

      When a child have a strict parent, he/she tries to walk the straight and narrow so they don't get on the parent's wrong side. But when you have a lenient/passive parent, the child is aware that there are no consequence to their actions so they do what they want. We need to get a law in there that will water down these hot hooooooozzzz.

      All these children mekkin children and they don't even realize that they can't even find jobs. By time you overpopulate the place with all these pickenee, all we doing is breeding young thieves. Then you will be the first one bawling........Lawwwwwddd, wha deh politician dem doing??? They ain see they have to create more jobs so we could eat???? Lawd wha deh politician dem doing with this rising crime rate and all dis thiefing...all of a sudden you gonna want the poor politician dem solve your problem, when a simple law could have taken care of that. I'm not saying it is a cure, but good lawd it's a start...

      Boy people stupid sah
      • . (06/10/2014, 13:47) Like (11) Dislike (15) Reply
        What a set a ignorant tripe! You think it good to have kids living in fear of parents? You think teen pregnancy is the cause of crime and unemployment? You don't see that the biggest set of thieves is the government self, thieving the rights of BVIslanders to give to their rich foreign friends and giving the work permits to the cheapest imported labour available? Sit your silly @$$ down, apparently non of those dinosaur concepts worked in your case, you still came out ignorant!

        Your vile rant sounds exactly like the racist ranting of a slave master of old. God help my people.
      • the devil (07/10/2014, 09:59) Like (2) Dislike (4) Reply
        Hey Einstein, when calling somebody stupid you should take the time to read your own statement . "Most stupidest" is in itself stupid and redundant. You aee always belittling other peoples comments yet you are clearly under educated.
      • maddd (07/10/2014, 13:11) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
        billyb I agree with u... by these girl getting pregnant and going to school making them go get babies faster and this is what people not seeing. I have so much to say but I only going to waste my time and strength typing cause not matter what we say hear no one going to listen.
    • Lorance (19/10/2017, 14:16) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
      Is when A Learner who fall pragnant while at school should be expelled
  • need to stop (06/10/2014, 09:26) Like (27) Dislike (5) Reply
    This guy need to stop right there. The first thing is that if you going to penalize the female for getting pregnant the male needs to be penalized as well. The next thing is the technical school does teach a trade, and I am not saying that knowing a trade is bad, but in this day and age a trade is just something to fall back on. A child should be allowed to go through regular school if they decide to continue, and if they have the ability to continue. Those trade schools have such a negative stigma surrounding them, and that stigma alone is enough to make a child rebellious. Do not punish the child for the rest of them life, because them made a mistake. That child having to look after their own child is punishment enough.
  • time will tell (06/10/2014, 09:42) Like (23) Dislike (0) Reply
    Regardless of how you might feel, the LAW has never prohibited this. All those who were denied an education because of a mistake should have sued the Education Department. Fortunately, the VI was not a land of unforgiving people back then. However, it is high time we get with programme and teach sexual education to help girls and boys get what information parents are not teaching at home and stop denying them an education. Times have changed and the old shoe no longer fits!!
  • about time (06/10/2014, 09:45) Like (25) Dislike (17) Reply
    Finally somebody seeing things my way. Teenage pregnancy is like a big thing everybody wants a baby because there are no punishment. This is encouraging nonsense.
    • Yea ok! (06/10/2014, 11:09) Like (16) Dislike (4) Reply
      Your comment is stupid. Do you have proof that this is "a thing" going on? And I doubt that those girls go to school not feeling ashamed. Not only do they have to go through the criticism of the public, but of their peers as well. What good will it be for the baby on the way, to have parents with no education!!! As has been said, you cannot get a good job without those papers!! And if you take the girl out, you must leave the boy in school so that at least one of them is educated, you morons.. You want to stop the nonsense, teach them about sex! Go have a talk with them; do something positive from talking crap. AND FINALLY! You cant possibly know what it does to the other students, to see one prego walking around, unless you speak with them!! From experience, I had feel bad for the one girl walking around pregnant and worried for her future, worried that she wouldn't have help, that she might grow up struggling.. not once did I judge her or want her out of the school system!
  • billyb (06/10/2014, 09:56) Like (36) Dislike (18) Reply
    I TOTALLY AGREE.....

    Everyone is entitled to an education regardless of the circumstances by which you were unable to finish High School; however, if my daughter is grown enough to take her focus off her education long enough to go spread her legs and get pregnant, she should suffer the consequences of grown adults and seek other means of obtaining her education.

    Children go to school. Adults go to alternative school. Once you are a mother, that is what you are: A MOTHER RESPONSIBLE FOR A CHILD. We always trying to follow toes to heels behind the American system. How is that system working for them????

    By being able to attend school pregnant, takes away an important incentive to keep yuh ashy legs closed. Today, there aint no shame in these school children game, they on a roll. If there are no laws in stopping a young girl from going to Public school pregnant, it's time we focus on getting one.
    • concern parent (06/10/2014, 11:51) Like (10) Dislike (8) Reply
      Hats off to you billyb for your comment. You have made made the most sensible suggestion. I agree with you wholeheartedly. Children need to be children. I don't not think the high pregnancy rate should be link to lack of sex education because the the children that are involved sexually are aware of what they are doing. Some parents need to take responsibility for their kids.....parenting is not the job for the educators. If they need to be spreading their legs then they need to find jobs to feed the children. The boy and girl should be both expel from school and take responsibility for the life they have created. It is nonsense for a boy (a child himself) to pay child support if he is unemployed and the irresponsible young girls use the child support system to keep laying on their backs as oppose to seeking employment.
  • ---------------- (06/10/2014, 10:12) Like (1) Dislike (14) Reply
    Here is another example of how ball headed has turn the education system into politics now he knows it’s unfair for these mothers to be in school in that condition, but for votes he will do anything
  • No Name (06/10/2014, 10:19) Like (5) Dislike (5) Reply
    To billyb

    I totally agree with you 1000%.
    • Hmm (06/10/2014, 11:38) Like (9) Dislike (1) Reply
      being a mother I would make it my damn business to find out if she having sex. I would encourage her not to and still give her condoms, because I know she is a child and children will sometimes do the wrong thing even though you teach them right. My point is, lets try to prevent the problem.
  • Dont Understand (06/10/2014, 10:28) Like (8) Dislike (2) Reply
    Living amongst indiots. I should have been born 50 years from now when people have more elevate thinking. Still making sex seem like a nasty thing that only yound stupid do. Though I do not agree that high school students should be having children, why should someone be punished or classified as unlearnable (hence the alternative/technical school suggestions) because they are having a child? A lot of people around here do not think for themselves...cant have amind of their own
    • billyb (06/10/2014, 11:38) Like (15) Dislike (7) Reply
      @Dont Understand:
      You sound like you unlearned and 50 more years aint gonna do you any justice. You don't understand now and 50 years from now you still won't understand.

      Who deh R@$$ say sex is nasty?????? It is obvious you need someone to think for you because apparently you ain doing well on your own.
      • Honesty (08/10/2014, 20:42) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply
        @billyb you sound so immature ! You cant tell the kind of home most of you grew up in and you can tell that yours had problems dont trv and bring your problems on other people because i sure if u had children our siblings there worst than these young girls that are getting pregnant i see nothing wrong with going to school everyone needs an education even when they make mistakes so you need check your self before you quick to judge others with your sh*t !!! Hard Headed Ram!
  • Yea ok! (06/10/2014, 11:21) Like (12) Dislike (1) Reply
    How about we focus on educating them and teaching them better!!!!! How about we focus on preventing pregnancy in the first place, by educating them!!!! How about we focus on helping the youth rather than judging them and their parents!!!! You never hear about helping people???!! Every end of the week, a parent can go to the school and have an open discussion with the kids on any topic that is of concern; sex, language, behavior, respect. You can share your own mistakes with them and so on.. BUT NO!! Lets continue to ignore them, let us blame the parents, let us put them in jail, let us throw them out of school, let us deport them!! you people make me sick..
  • wakeup. (06/10/2014, 11:33) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    The Govt. is responsible for educating children to a certain age. The education if gotten elsewhere would be inferior to whats at the high school. The parents and child will claim discrimination under the Constitution. If the Govt. doesn't have comparable education for these girls let all hold the blabbering or help Govt. find the money to compensate those who will sue. I love the law. Mess wid it nowadays and see the outcome.. A few years ago some girls were denied education because of pregnancy. The girls turned around and found education elsewhere.
  • wake up (06/10/2014, 12:20) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Do you all have the slightest idea of what would happen to our beloved BVI if these young ladies are not educated?

    Think about the BVI economy. Think about uneducated females raising these children. Might as well we start putting on bars on our windows and doors and prepare ourselves for our taxes to go through the roof.

  • Dulcina (06/10/2014, 12:53) Like (26) Dislike (1) Reply
    Pregnancy is not a disease.
    Pregnancy is not contagious.
    Pregnancy is not a disability.
    Pregnancy is not a crime punishable by shunning and isolation .
    There is absolutely no reason to quarantine a healthy school girl because of her pregnancy.
    I
    • Mitchy (06/10/2014, 13:15) Like (8) Dislike (1) Reply
      Than you Dulcina
    • ...the bible must be fulfilled (06/10/2014, 14:26) Like (11) Dislike (17) Reply
      Dulcina, if you think that being dramatic gets your point across much better, I am sorry to say, "What's Your Point?"

      Nobody ain say quarantine pregnant teens, the point is they need to be in a different environment once they open their legs and get caught.

      Let's take Elmore Stoutt High School for instance. That is where children suppose to be. Being a child. If your daughter come to that school big wid child and trip up and fall down dem steps, next thing you want the government to do is chop off the steps off the buildings and mek dem install elevator.

      Another child accidentally bump into your pregnancy daugther and she fall down and lose her baby, BAM yuh gone for yuh lawyer.

      Children play, children have accidents, children occupy an environment condusive to their situation. My pregnant daughter have no business rubbing up her hard stomach gence your child in the classroom. I am for an alternative school any time, any day

      The old people dem have a word to say, "A child should know a child's place". I most certainly would not like to be sitting next to a big belly pregnant child; that is waaaaay too much distraction
      • bvi (06/10/2014, 15:33) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
        I agree with your statement...

        In St. Croix when girl get pregnant they are separated from the general public so there will be no accidents.

        They go to separate classes even if its at evenings. They have medical care and proper uniforms.

        The children these days have the nerve to see sex more important that their lesson. Will these children have now burden their parents and a price they have to live with.
        • STX (06/10/2014, 17:38) Like (7) Dislike (1) Reply
          Pah in STX u live? U must be just passing through...

          Alternative education (night school is for everyone. Under the US Constitution alone u cannot deny anyone to an education. True they have access to FEDERALLY FUNDED public assistance such as Medical Assistance Program (MAP) and Women Infant and Children (WIC), etal. But lets stop there. You want crucians have a next fireburn to tell them they have to buy "proper uniforms"? Strupppess
    • pat (06/10/2014, 23:06) Like (1) Dislike (2) Reply
      I so agree. the girl got pregnant! she didn't contract ebola, rob a store or kill someone. The best answer is to keep them in school because education is the best way to move forward. In some schools I have read of programmes for teen mothers to teach them how to be better mothers in between classes. Obviously they never got that kind of training and where would they if they get kicked out of school and possibly the family?
  • . (06/10/2014, 13:56) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
    It is well documented that teen pregnancy is a product of low self esteem, lack of self respect and/or lack of ambition/goals/hope for one's future. These conditions are all the responsibility of the parents of the girl. If the mother is beating her like a slave, verbally abusing her, calling her "ashy leg," or letting her man friend or husband sexually abuse the girl, that mother have no cause being surprised when she come home pregnant.

    Furthermore, as long as foreigners have a better shot at decent, well-paid or interesting jobs in the BVI than a BVIslander does, we can expect our young people to be shiftless and hopeless. Do the math.
    • @. (06/10/2014, 18:48) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
      What part does the father play in all this? Lots of girls who engage in sex, especially with older males, are looking for a father figure. Check the research.
      • . (07/10/2014, 11:50) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
        They would not be looking a father figure if they were properly parented at home. Like it or not, it is for girls to prevent pregnancy. If we wait for boys to take a hand in preventing pregnancy we will have a long wait. Let's empower our girls so that they are motivated to make healthy decisions for their future instead of beating down and humiliating them which is how we got to where we are.

        Starting with comments like "ashy foot." Anyone saying such to any young woman ought to be ashamed of themselves.
  • Flirty (06/10/2014, 14:41) Like (0) Dislike (6) Reply
    Well then I'm glad because I'm a school girl too and I know that when I get pregnant I wil be able to go to school thank God for Myron
  • moralsgone (06/10/2014, 14:49) Like (3) Dislike (5) Reply
    all of our morals are gone we shouldn't be celebrating and normalizing teenage pregnancy, they can finish school at night but they shouldn't be at school further corrupting our impressionable youth
  • elder (06/10/2014, 14:56) Like (5) Dislike (5) Reply
    school is not the place for that, it will give the rest of them the idea that their are no consequences for their actions
  • No (06/10/2014, 15:36) Like (6) Dislike (5) Reply
    pregnant girls should not go to school with regular children
  • Jemma (06/10/2014, 15:40) Like (3) Dislike (2) Reply
    BVI people have backwards thinking. That is why the expats will always take the jobs. Auditors, Lawyers, Doctors, Nurses, Engineers, Electrician, Plumbers, Carpenters etc. You name them and expats take them all. Let the girls get their education. Night school my foot. Who will be home to watch her child when she at night school??? Should she leave the child home alone?? You all need to think.

  • Oh La La (06/10/2014, 16:10) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Is this a good time to talk about sex education in schools?
  • weed (06/10/2014, 21:01) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Finally some real news going on in the BVI, I was getting sick and tired of the court case, Ports bid, crime, unemployment probelms, immigration problems and the rest of it.

    LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!:)

  • OR... (06/10/2014, 21:21) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Isn't this a good time to implement planned parenthood within the health sector for all secondary school students so that all teenagers have access to sexual health counseling, contraceptives like condoms, pills, injection, IUD, implants, etc. We deny our youth access to prevention and then cuss, complain or try to deny them a proper education ( which is one of the only saving grace for them ) after the fact.
  • think about this (06/10/2014, 22:28) Like (1) Dislike (3) Reply
    the regular classroom is not a place for a pregnant school girl. Any woman who has been or is pregnant knows the discomfort that comes with carrying a child, the vomiting, spitting backpain bad feelings, regular bathroom visits etc. Being in a regular classroom will certainly be a discomfort for the mother because of the lengthy sitting period and also a disruption to lessons if she has to leave class often for potty breaks. An education should not be denied them, rather find an appropriate environment for them to continue if they choose to do so. remember its not every child who become pregnant in school has had sex multiple times, it only takes one instant.
  • MY OPINION (07/10/2014, 00:18) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Honestly, i believe the students should stay in school. I don't understand how people can say it's going to cause an effect on the other students. This is where PARENTS come in. TEACHING STARTS AT HOME! Think about it this way once the child is born and the student returns to school, as her parent you need to make sure she understands that, that child is hers. She comes home from school, mother duty starts. So she has to juggle a child PLUS school work. As her parent you need to also let her know that there's no slacking in either department. I'm not saying her parents can't help her out but just show her that being pregnant at this age wasn't all glittery but comes with a lot of responsibility. Also parents BE INVOLVED IN YOUR CHILDREN LIVES! School, friends, opposite sex, SPEAK TO YOUR CHILD!
  • Well Well (07/10/2014, 06:24) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    90% of you bloggers were sexually active in school......now you all want to call the young people hot.....We'll Sah
  • Plank. (07/10/2014, 06:57) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Billyb. I share your sentiments. I totally agree with your position. (Actions must have consequences, but, there still have to be away for pregnant ladies who are interested in having their education) Maybe the high school is not the proper setting
  • ? (07/10/2014, 10:38) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    You all here talking a lot of things that don't make any sense a lot of these young girl are out on the street at late hours while there parents are in their home and we here talking crap Parents need to raise their children and not the children raising the parents.
  • A Girl (08/10/2014, 08:50) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    SMH. People, this has always been a problem. I am happy that these girls have another solution than to abort their child or keep it and drop out of school. Teenage pregnancy is shown at a higher rate now because girls are keeping them and not throwing them away because they now have the opportunity to stay in school and carry their baby. IT WAS ALWAYS A PROBLEM. What you guys need to do is stop bashing each other and pointing fingers at one another and come together to solve the problem! Remember the saying "it takes a community to raise a child"? It still remains. I graduated from high school in 2012. I am not a mother and I can say that I was educated about sex in primary school and I took that advice. Give these girls some sex education! Start from primary school! TEACH THEM TO HAVE SAFE SEX OR TO ABSTAIN! and everything will be just fine.
  • ting to talk (08/10/2014, 17:31) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
    see yall people in the bvi so selfish yall never stop to think ok if that was my daughter and she's getting a baby i won't want her to drop or get kick out of school i would want her to finish her education and be come something in life . because if they drop out of school thats more teen girls on the road behind of man than in school. so stop and ask your self that question is that was my child would i want them to do that too them
  • enoch (08/10/2014, 19:56) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Did she commit a crime by getting pregnant? If not, why should she not be able to go to school? Let he without sin cast the first stone,

    Maybe other classmates will see her and realize that they do not want to be in the same state.
  • pooper (27/06/2016, 14:30) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    we jst need to take sex education seriously embarrassing as it is to talk about we need to sensitite this issue till it is all these kids can think about should they ever try to do something they shouldnt be doing before any law is passed against girls being pregnant in school the first law be against premarital sex
  • QUEEN L (11/04/2017, 07:21) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    I dont think that it is a good idea to keep pregnant girls in school during their term of pregnancy but not allowing them to continue with school after pregnancy is wrong because these girls need to get educated so that they will be able to take care if their babies as well as themselves, parents can come up with a variety of ways to punish their kids or to teach them a lesson but depriving them education is not a solution. These girls need to learn how to stand on their own, how will they become independent if they are uneducated? We are all aware of.the fact that there are a few decent jobs that an uneducated person might get and that is if they are lucky. Also remember that some of these girls are victims of rape therefore we can not pass on the same judgement on them that we pass on those who engaged in sexual intercourse out of their own free will
  • Que*en BEE (16/05/2017, 13:13) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    pregnant teens has to go to school because its their right of course the right to education ...what if the girl was raped ??.. and every parent wants her child to succeed in life.
  • think be4 u dak (23/09/2019, 14:40) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    i think the boy that cause the girl to be pregnant schould also face the consequences because he was part of the pro


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