Books and Babies: Pregnancy and Young Parents in Schools

The challenges and difficulties of being pregnant and a young parent in South African schools are brought to light in this valuable examination. Drawing on both quantitative and qualitative research conducted in secondary schools in Durban and Cape Town, the book explores how teachers and principals respond to the presence of pregnant learners and young parents and surveys the attitudes of fellow learners towards them. Interviews with the young parents themselves yield rich narratives which, accompanied by a visual essay, delve into their lives as they confront the overwhelming demands of pregnancy, parenting, and education. Providing a finely textured analysis of these demands, this reference demonstrates the ongoing need to challenge the unequal and gendered load of pregnancy and parenting—both in schools and the broader social context.