A pro-life non-profit has launched a nationwide campaign to educate pregnant and parenting students about their rights.
Students for Life of America released “Pregnant and Parenting Bill of Rights” which retorts that students who are pregnant should not be barred from utilizing campus housing and should be allowed to make their own decision on utilizing off campus housing upon giving birth.
“Lack of awareness of the rights of pregnant and parenting students is widespread, affecting many students and student athletes. More than one in five students is raising a child, and of those, more than 70 percent are women,” said SFLA President Kristan Hawkins.
It says that students cannot have their academic or athletic scholarships revoked due to pregnancy, while instructors can’t penalize a student because of his or her parenting status.
The “Bill of Rights” further says that professors may not punish pregnant students as a result of a medically necessary absence while athletic directors or coaches have to desist from bullying students into abortion, which could result in loss of future or present opportunity.
“Our goal is to make sure that pregnant and parenting students have the tools they need to create a beautiful future for themselves and their children,” Pregnant on Campus Director Camille Cisneros said.
Currently, there are more than 4.8 million student parents across the nation, predominantly residing in the southeast, southwest or Great Lakes regions of the country. Studies have found that such students, especially single parents, often have lower rates of degree attainment compared to traditional students.
The non-profit is planning to use social media platforms to promote its initiative and use its 1,220 groups and chapters across the 50 states to talk with fellow students, Title IX coordinators, academic institutions, athletic directors, coaches among others to evoke support for rights of pregnant and parenting students.
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