If you’re in school and unexpectedly find out you’re pregnant, your life just got a lot more complicated. You may be asking whether you will be able to complete this semester, how your current teachers will treat you differently, and whether your education will be temporarily interrupted. The good news is that you have legal rights that will protect you, and you have support as well.
What Title IX Means for You
Title IX prohibits discrimination against pregnant students at federally funded schools. So if you attend a public high school or post-secondary school (community college/university) that receives federal funding, it cannot limit your enrollment, choice of classes, or participation in school activities because of your pregnancy.
Title IX also requires that you receive reasonable accommodations from the school as a result of your pregnancy. Accommodations may include: extra time on tests, a larger desk, more frequent access to the restroom, permission to carry a drink with you, and time off for doctor’s appointments related to your pregnancy. The school is also required to allow you to make up any work you miss because of your pregnancy. So you don’t need to have all the details worked out before talking to your school about these options. Just knowing there are options available can help ease some of the pressure on you.
What About After the Baby Arrives?
You are still covered by Title IX after you have your baby. Your accommodations during recovery should be the same as what you’d receive for any other temporary medical condition. In most cases, you will be given 6 to 8 weeks of absence from school to make up any assignments or tests that you missed during your recovery.
If you are a high school student, your school is required by law to allow you to continue your education after your child is born. Some schools may offer alternative schedules, independent study, or may have childcare at the school; you should ask your guidance counselor or a teacher you trust about what options are available to you.
What Your School Can and Can’t Ask
Your school cannot require you to provide a doctor’s note just because you are pregnant unless they have a similar requirement for any other temporary medical condition. Your school cannot require you to change to a different program or school unless you want to. You have the right to remain in your current classes, remain in honors classrooms, and graduate with your class.
If you feel you have been discriminated against, you can file a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights, United States Department of Education. However, most complaints are resolved before that step through a simple conversation with your administrator or parent about your rights.
Free Help Near Elizabethtown
You do not have to face this alone! We provide free and confidential services at Mercy House, including pregnancy testing, options counseling, and material assistance like diapers and bottles. We can help you think through your options, including talking with your school, finding a doctor, or figuring out what you need right now.
Mercy House also provides assistance to men who are confused about their role in the pregnancy or how to support their partner. If you are a man and are in this position, please see our For Men page for specific information.
Would you like to discuss your options further? Call us at (910) 247-6303. We are located at 501 Doctors Drive, Elizabethtown, NC 28337. We welcome walk-ins during our open hours: Tuesday and Wednesday from 10:00am to 4:00pm, and Thursday from 3:00pm to 6:00pm. You may also schedule an appointment online.