Education Lab: Are Fresno schools providing breastfeeding rooms for high school moms?
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Let’s talk about sex education and women’s health.
Up until 2010, the only federal funding provided for sex education in schools was the Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage program. AOUM was created in 1982 and it has been the highest federally-funded sex education program in our country.
Many states have taken it upon themselves to fund and create other sex education classes that are based on science and prevention.
Teen pregnancy in the United States has been on the decline in recent years. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention released a study in 2017 showing a 7% drop in teen birth rates for women 15-17.
Although teen birth rates are declining in the United States, socio-economic status and sexual education play a role in high teen births, CalMatters reported late last year. Read their report here.
Over the years, laws have passed to ensure young moms can finish their education. California in 2016 passed a law requiring schools to provide lactation accommodations for teen moms (and teacher moms) on campus. State lawmakers expanded on those laws last year.
So, we want to know, how is your high school doing? Are there enough resources on campus? Are the rooms comfortable and private? Are young student parents being informed of their rights?
You can answer our short poll, or if you have direct experience with this, contact us.
We are also setting up listening sessions to learn more about this and other education issues. Would you like to invite us to your community? If you’d like to have the Ed Lab come in for a listening session, please contact us at edlab@fresnobee.com.
What else is happening in California education?
Last week, we asked readers whether the SAT and ACT should be mandatory for college admission?
A total of 56 people responded to our poll. Here is what we heard from those who responded. 67.9% said yes, while 32.1% said no. I also did a mini poll on Twitter and there 81.8% said it should not be mandatory.
It’s an interesting topic with potentially significant consequences, so the debate is far from over.
If you want to join this debate, our online survey remains open until Feb. 19. You can take it here.
Also in the news
In case you missed it!
Reedley College last week made national news when CBS This Morning took a look at a story first reported by The Fresno Bee Ed Lab’s Monica Velez about a planned partnership between the college and Boeing to train a new generation of pilots and develop an all-electric aircraft. Check out the CBS story here.
‘A completely different place’
The Fresno Bee’s Cresencio Rodriguez-Delgado took a deep dive into the efforts in Fresno-area schools to create career pathways for students to land better-paying jobs and increasing industry investment in the ‘up-and-coming’ central San Joaquin Valley. Read the story here.
Censured Fresno trustee Slatic eyes lawsuit
Monica Velez also broke news last week in this report. Embattled Fresno Unified trustee Terry Slatic continues to fight the censure imposed upon him last year by his follow board members. In an exclusive interview, Slatic said his decision to file a formal claim for damages was a last-ditch effort to quash the censure before suing the school district he was elected to represent.
Mother and Daughter were awarded the President’s Medal of Distinction
The Fresno Bee Ed Lab attended the State of the University breakfast at Fresno State on Tuesday morning. While there, President Joseph I. Castro presented the President’s Medal of Distinction to Joan Eaton and her mother 96-year-old Virginia Eaton. The ceremony took place at the Save Mart Center in front of 750 community leaders.
Gender discrimination in PE?
Gov. Gavin Newsom last week proposed suspending for three years certain physical education tests for students, arguing the tests can lead to bullying of transgender and special education students and body shaming. The Sacramento Bee’s Sophia Bollag and Sawsan Morrar break down the idea here.
Education Lab has a Flipboard
If you want to keep up with all of the stories the Ed Lab is doing, be sure to follow us on Flipboard.
Thank you for signing up for our newsletter. Be sure to share and tell a friend! They can sign up for our education newsletter here: fresnobee.com/newsletters.
The week ahead
Be on the lookout for an announcement about a third reporter coming to The Fresno Bee Ed Lab, and a new report from Monica Velez examining a unique decades-old student career program that continues to get impressive results.
‘Til next time,
Isabel Dieppa
Ed Lab Engagement Reporter
The Education Lab is a local journalism initiative that highlights education issues critical to the advancement of the San Joaquin Valley. It is funded by donors. Learn about The Bee’s Education Lab here.
This story was originally published February 12, 2020 at 6:36 AM.