I don't even know how many there are anymore. I did a count at some point and it was over two dozen. Every week or so, I feel like I'm hearing about another one.
My babies keep having babies. I know I shouldn't be shocked. I know, I know, I know. It isn't even that, it isn't shock. It is an overwhelming sense of sinking sadness. These kids wanted more for THEMSELVES, and yet, I couldn't even teach them sex ed. Nobody could. It was illegal. I had students who thought that if they peed or did some exercise after sex they couldn't get pregnant. "Miss J, like, if you don't love him, you won't get pregnant, right?" What?! Are you kidding? (Or are you Todd Akin?)
And now, so many are.
It hurts my heart. You need to understand-- I'm not judging the kids. They are good people. But they are so wayward, and it isn't their fault. Where the hell was the education system? Why couldn't we teach them about STDs and childbirth? Why couldn't we disarm the myths? Why couldn't we just tell them the TRUTH so they could at least make an EDUCATED DECISION?
Where the hell were the parents? Why the hell after THEY THEMSELVES had kids so young, allowed their daughters to do the same thing? It isn't like they don't want better lives for their kids-- they do! Or many of them wouldn't have come to this country. I know they care. So, why? And when you bring religion into it, it gets even muddier. So many of my kids. Catholic, Catholic, Catholic. Gotta keep the baby you know. Abortion? Unheard of. A sin! A black mark across your soul forever. But let's ignore the whole part in the bible about sex before marriage being a sin. That doesn't factor in.
I can't untangle all of my emotions. I'm heartbroken, I'm pissed, I'm deeply sad. Some of my smartest, brightest kids.
Yeah I know. It is POSSIBLE to be an amazing single parent. It is POSSIBLE to have a career and go to college and be successful. But in that neighborhood.... how LIKELY is it? Let's not look at possibilities for a second. Let's look at the damn track record. Let's look at what actually happens. Let's look at the vicious cycle that continues over and over and over.
I don't want my brilliant, creative, wonderful kids to be doomed to a life of poverty. I know I'm ranting. I just don't know what else to do.
