Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/587184
Stephanie Villalobos is 16 years old and five m o n t h s p r e g n a n t . S h e also hated attending reg- u l a r h i g h s c h o o l w i t h a baby bump. When she f e l t n a u s e o u s , o t h e r s accused her of faking it. People stared and talked about her. She figured the stress was bad for the baby, so she transferred to McAlister. Getting to school each day is a challenge; it requires two buses and one hour of travel each way. But Villalobos says it's worth it because she wants to finish school and avoid joining the 70 percent of pregnant teens who drop out in the United States. McAlister High School has several satellite campuses throughout LAUSD, including the Central Site Ramos and Villalobos attend. It has been helping pregnant and parenting teens for decades. Students range from sixth to 12th grade and receive a combination of direct instruc- tion and online learning. The school day is from 8 a.m. to 12:30, so students have time for doctor appointments and can care for their children in the afternoon. Core classes, electives and parenting classes are all part of the curric- ulum, with the goal of preparing students for a diploma — and motherhood. Most of the campuses, including the Central Site, do not offer child care. But McAlister High School does offer moral sup- port, encouragement, understanding — and a place where students don't have to hide their condition or fear being judged, say United Teachers Los Angeles members who work there. "We don't do a lot of lectur- ing or moralizing here," says s c h o o l n u r s e E l a i n e B ay a n . "Enough people are already doing that. Our job is to edu- cate them." Cindy Posadas, 19, had her daughter Jayleen a year ago and has continued with her studies at McAlister. She will soon earn her diploma. "The teachers are great here and want to help everyone," says Posadas. "You can do the same work as a regular school, but you get extra support." Not everyone believed that she could continue with school after motherhood, and Posadas is pleased to prove them wrong. "Some people say that when you become pregnant, you're not going to go to school anymore. But that's not true. I want to go to community college. Eventually, I would like to become a social worker." A different kind of school McAlister High School isn't your typical high school. The Central Site is located on a portion of an elementary school. Students are rewarded for good attendance with diapers and gift cards to buy baby supplies. Guest speakers discuss topics such as breast-feeding, car seat safety, the hazards of lead paint, and parenting skills. Some guest speakers are former students who share success stories. There have been students as young as 13. Many of the girls have boyfriends who are older, incarcerated, or both. Most of the pregnancies were unplanned. Some have been a result of rape. Some students have come back a second time, despite receiving instruc- tions from school staff on birth control. The population of the school fluctuates; the Central Site usually has under 100 students, with a staff of four teachers and one counselor. A teacher at McAlister must be com- passionate, nonjudgmental, and able to teach more than one subject. It also helps to be an optimist who can convey a sense of hopefulness to students whose families are often angry and disappointed with them. Simon Lakkis, who teaches English and parenting classes, believes he is truly making a difference. "I like teaching here because classes are small, and I can give students individual attention to help them catch up, graduate, and hopefully con- tinue on to college. I tell them it will be hard for them after their babies "We don't do a lot of lecturing or moralizing. Enough people are already doing that. Our job is to educate them." Elaine Bayan Robin Vander Mei- Roos, who teaches history, science, health and PE, says she "loves this population." Students study core classes, electives and parenting classes. 47 V O LU M E 2 0 I S S U E 3 Learning