Teenage mothers face extreme stigma from teachers and fellow students. This discrimination negatively impacts their lived educational experience and that of their children. This prejudice accompanies them all their lives, creating impediments that impede the flourishing of both mothers and their babies. Recent studies and personal accounts highlight the judgment teenage mothers encounter, revealing a pervasive culture of bias that begins in school.
Teenage mothers talk about the stigma they face from their educators with heartbreaking anecdotes highlighting the cruelties teenage mothers have to endure. One former teen mom testified about having a punitive and judgmental teacher. Looking back, she said, “I definitely remember that one teacher in the school was very mean to me since I was a teen mom…No wonder so many find this sense familiar. In their own words, these young mothers tell us what it’s like to be a student and a mom.
Judgment doesn’t only play a role in the classroom. It overflows into social interactions with same aged peers and other parents as well. Teenage mothers have often talked about the loneliness of teenage motherhood, especially when a cohort of their children begin school. One of them thought about her years of wanting to be touched. She recalls, “When they began primary school, all I wished was just some friends, but none of them wanted to be friends with me during primary faculty. These experiences serve to create a climate in which young mothers feel ostracized and unsupported.
The Impact of Negative Stereotypes
In the right context, research shows that the stigma associated with teenage motherhood can be deeply harmful to a young mother’s sense of dignity and self-worth. Teenage mothers are regularly subjected to moralistic outrage. Far too often, they are made to feel like failures or second-class citizens due to the conditions in which they live. A lecturer’s harsh remark during a class encapsulated this stigma: “if you were brought up by a teenage mom, basically you’ve got no hope…” This kind of rhetoric further stigmatizes the woman. It dims the child’s long-term educational and economic opportunities and reinforces a cycle of discrimination.
In addition, these stereotypes can impact children’s social relationships. Many of these young women have recounted stories of other parents not letting their children play with theirs. One of these mothers described her experience. She explained, “They wouldn’t speak to me at all, and they wouldn’t allow their kids to come over and play with my kid. Yet, this exclusion can have long-term impact on children’s emotional and social development.
Overwhelmingly, narratives that stigmatize teenage motherhood control society’s perception of these women, demonizing them and negating their value. Unfortunately, not enough people empathize with and support these young women. What we’re starting to see is that many teenage mothers display phenomenal resilience and grit. Sadly, society continues to underestimate what they are able to achieve. This stigma can persist even as these women reach their thirties, severely impacting their self-esteem and ability to connect with others.
The Need for Understanding and Support
The stigma linked to teenage motherhood underlines the importance of inclusive communities and sensitive teaching practices in schools. What’s more, most teen mothers focus on being good parents themselves, usually feeling a strong sense of purpose and meaning from being a mother. As one woman articulated her feelings about being perceived as less capable: “One thing I found as well as a single young mom was not being taken seriously at school… they’d treat me like I was a child.” Such experiences underscore the importance of fostering a more inclusive atmosphere in schools where young mothers are respected and valued.
Educators often hold the key to changing the harmful stories told about our nation’s teen mothers. When teachers take a more empathetic and humane approach, we can work to dismantle stereotypes that further damage these mothers and their children. Providing resources and support systems within schools can enable these young women to thrive academically while fulfilling their roles as dedicated parents.
