Teen pregnancy rates in the United States have reached historic lows, with 31.3 live births for girls between the ages of 15-19 (CDC, 2013). Yet, there remains a significant gap among minority groups, particularly African American females ages 15-19 years old. In most recent data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2011, African American girls recorded approximately 48 live births per 1,000 girls. White girls recorded approximately 21 live births per 1,000 girls. The main purpose of this poster presentation is to discuss the implications of the public education system on female, African American high school students in the United States examining teenage pregnancy rates. By assessing previous data on African American female students aged 14-18, the authors discuss the ways in which the current educational system does not prepare female students of color to make positive choices regarding their sexual health. An extensive literature review is developed to demonstrate particular areas of the schooling system such as the large focus on African American boys at the expense of African American girls, the “school effect,” and several types of capital (social, cultural, human, economic, physical, and mental). The presentation will discuss several aspects of this issue including a brief history of the schooling experiences of African American girls in the United States and the culture of teen pregnancy at the intersection of race and socioeconomic status as defined by teens, both pregnant and not pregnant, as well as by society. This will assist in uncovering connections, patterns, and important details that will be useful in creating policy recommendations to address these issues with a more comprehensive and holistic approach to preventing teen pregnancy among African American teen girls. The goal is to bridge the gap of teen pregnancy rates of African American teens and White teens.
| Presenter: | Divine Sebuharara (Ithaca College) -- msebuha1@ithaca.edu |
|---|---|
| Topic: | Education - Poster Session |
| Location: | Edwards Hall Lobby |
| Time: | 10:30 am (Session II) |
Collaborative Training Dinner
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Faculty Staff Convocation
8:30 am - 10:30 am
Collaborative Training
1 pm - 5:30 pm
Red Cross Blood Drive
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