Last night I felt the full wrath of being a woman when the Lifetime movie The Pregnancy Project came on television. I knew that I had to watch it because of the drama and tears I was sure that it held. What I was not prepared for was actually learning a lesson from the low-budget film.
The Pregnancy Project tells the true story of a high school teen that faked her own pregnancy as her senior project. Only a few people knew that it was a lie and most students, teachers, and people in her family were left in the dark about it. She gave the people who were helping her with the project journals and they would write down anything they heard someone say about her. Everyone was extremely judgmental and stereotyped her based on what they saw in movies and on television about teen pregnancy. Nobody believed that she could have any kind of life if she was going to be a mother. When she finally took off her fake belly at an assembly in front of the whole school, everyone realized the horrible things they had said and how those stereotypes had taken away the person behind them.
What I was really inspired by in this film was one of her teachers that supported her throughout. It made me think about how I might deal with the very real possibility of having a pregnant student in my own classroom. After seeing the film, I now feel like the best way to approach the situation is to let the student know you are there for them and encourage them to continue going after their dreams. As an educator, you cannot always hear or control what other students may say, but you can help the pregnant student to know they are supported and you see them for the person they are instead of the person they are carrying. I think the idea of really supporting and knowing what is going on with students is essential to be the kind of role model and teacher that I plan to be.
Below is the trailer for The Pregnancy Project if you want to check it out:
How would you deal with a pregnant or stereotyped student?
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