Gloucester Pregnancy Pact Denied

Tag : Blue Tarps


HOST INTRO: National media attention over an alleged pregnancy pactin Gloucester has prompted Mayor Carolyn Kirk to address the issue.Julie Donnelly has the story.

DONNELLY: There were no fewer than 11 cameras inside the crumblingGloucester City Hall. Blue tarps cover the cupola as the city usesemergency funds to fix it. Mayor Carolyn Kirk tried to quiet acontroversy that is still sparking water cooler discussion.

KIRK: We have not been able to confirm the existence of a pact. Weare seeking to understand whether it is based in rumor or in fact.

DONNELLY: Mayor Kirk now says Gloucester High School PrincipalJoseph Sullivan cannot remember who told him about the pregnancypact. The principal was not invited to the news conference,prompting questions about whether he may be fired. Questions schoolofficials deflected. Sullivan could not be reached for comment.

17 girls became pregnant during the course of the school year.Mayor Kirk says rather than a pact, the spike in pregnancies waslikely due to cuts to the schools, including health education.Resident Michelle Ameno agrees.

AMENO: There should be more money allocated to Gloucester for theirschool system. There are people who love Gloucester, would neverlive anywhere else, but send their kids to another high school.

DONNELLY: The school committee will consider revising its currentpolicy not to distribute contraception. Many residents, like DawnAlves are opposed to any change. They also say it won?t help kidswho want to get pregnant because they see no other options.

ALVES: Before you look at contraception in the school, look at theindividual. Who?s talking to them about what they have to offer theworld?

DONNELLY: Some young people in Gloucester say they have few chancesto escape the economic anemia that has followed the decline of thecity?s famous fishing industry.

At nearby Tally?s gas station, 21 year olds Joe and Michelle, whodid not want their last names used, went to Gloucester High School.They now have a five month old son.

JOE: You graduate from Gloucester High School, what are you goingto do? You?re going to work at Tally?s, you?re going to work out ona boat, or you?re going to work for a contractor.

DONNELLY: Michelle says the school should invest in training kidsfor jobs, not, she says, promoting young parenthood.

MICHELLE: It is promoting - having a day care at the school. It?sfree and they can go to school and drop them off and go to class.

DONNELLY: Many Gloucester residents also bemoan the lack of afterschool activities to keep kids busy.

Amy Randazzo was picking up her two middle school boys frombasketball camp at Gloucester High School.

RANDAZZO: There are no teen centers or anything like that for thekids to go to and that?s why they get in trouble. If they don?tplay sports and their parents don?t work and they?re not right ontop of them, that?s what?s going to happen.

DONNELLY: Gloucester has a three million dollar deficit in nextyear?s budget. The city has just closed an elementary school tosave cash. So finding the extra money for programs to combat teenpregnancy will be a challenge.