"'As the Fish Flops', New England Caviar, or Eggs for 17"

that what you wrote is not how this went down.

If it is even close, I need to consider moving to Pitcairn Island.

That several of the girls might have FOUND themselves preganant and formed a kind of ad hoc support group works up to a point. That point is way short of 17! Usual number per year is four.
One is led inexorably (sp? I'll check later) to the conclusion that at SOME point a kind of peer ethos, if not pressure kicked in. The desire not to be left out, to be "one of the girls" like "the rest." Pick your over and under, but believing a 400%+ spike is "accidental" strains the bounds of credulity. "Once is happenstance, twice is coincidence, three times is enemy action."

I will say though, that the decision by the RC Majority Community in Gloucester to do what it took to keep unwed underage mothers in school and help the raise their babies IS a good one. As it should be. What seems to have broken down is the equally necessary moral formation of these girls to regard teen preganancy as a BAD choice.

the big mick