Teen Parents Reject Labels and Hollywood Myths

Boston, MA—On Thursday April 3, at 10 AM hundreds of teen parents from across the Commonwealth will come to the Great Hall at the State House to share the truth about young parenthood with policymakers who make critical decisions that impact young families’ lives. They will challenge the stereotypes and debunk the Hollywood myths as they tell their stories of struggle and triumph, with the hope that legislators will see not just the challenges ahead, but teen parents’ potential for a bright future.

“Teen parents, like all young people, must be supported and encouraged to see and reach their full potential. When teen parents see a ladder to real opportunity, they do all they can to safeguard their futures,” says Patricia Quinn, executive director of the Massachusetts Alliance on Teen Pregnancy. “Despite what Hollywood may show, teen pregnancy and parenting is tough, and the outcomes are uncertain unless we step up to ensure educational attainment in high school and beyond. From day one of becoming a parent, teens should have a roadmap for how to succeed.”

The National Women’s Law Center recently released a report that showed a strong link between pregnancy and parenting and high school dropout. The Alliance is working to identify barriers and supports that impact high school completion for teen parents, and to build bridges from high school and GED programs to community colleges. “Parent educational attainment is the strongest predictor of a child's school success and attainment, and higher education is the best predictor of higher wages. The prosperity of families, communities, and the commonwealth depends on our ability to create education pathways for all youth, especially teen parents” says Quinn.

The teen parent lobby day features artwork from teen parents on the theme “Young Families Reaching Higher.” Over 200 young parents learned how to put their advocacy skills to work through trainings held by the Alliance over the past month. Teen parent speakers will join with legislators including Senator Thomas McGee, Senator Harriet Chandler, Representative Steven Walsh, and many others to advocate for programs and supports that help teen parents and their families achieve.