Focal Point: Love Child

Original air date: June 18, 2008

Studies show that teen pregnancy costs North Carolina taxpayers more than $300 million a year. Most of that money is spent on the children of teen mothers, from health care and other support services when they are young to welfare and incarceration when they are older.

Black girls have the highest teen pregnancy rate among the major racial and ethnic groups in the United States and double the rate of white teens in North Carolina.

Although that rate decreased dramatically between 1990 and 2002, it is on the rise again.

Focal Point: “Love Child” takes an in-depth look at the disproportionate number of teen births in the black community with candid interviews and revealing insight from teen mothers and young men.

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Focal Point: Love Child

Focal Point extras

Two local film students helped WRAL gather the opinion of black male teens about teen pregnancy in their community. Here’s what the teens had to say:

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Host: Gerald Owens
Writer/Producer: Clay Johnson
Photographer/Editor: Jay Jennings
Research & Production Assistant: Laura Riddle

7 Comments

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Latest Comments

**I just watched the video.**

What a vicious cycle this family has. I just don't want people to think we all live like this. If you don't want anything out of life..then what do you expect from your children?

Men are not the answer for not having a daddy? My parents got divorced, and I didn't seek comfort in boys. These girls did exactly what they saw mom do.

I believe losers...seek out other losers. Cut off welfare for everybody.

FlyByNight
June 19, 2008 3:02 p.m.

ressipoo...i think they chose to highlight the black community in this piece since the rate of teen pregancy for this group is so much higher than in other races...i dont think they were trying to "generalize" them.

Shadow213
June 19, 2008 2:48 p.m.

I saw this last night and I actually thought these people were incredibly selfish! Absolutely everyone started preaching "oh don't do it, it'll ruin your life. it's so hard on you, etc" NO ONE said "oh don't do it because you'll ruin YOUR KID'S life. it is not fair to the child to be raised in this way" all of these mothers seemed to think it was about them...but the problem is that if you are making this irresponsible decision to have a child, but are unfit to be a good parent, then the poor kid will NEVER have a chance to get out of this cycle. They all wonder why it keeps happening. It's because they see this as an adversity to them first, not the unucky child who doesn't stand a chance.

Shadow213
June 19, 2008 2:45 p.m.

**What is this thing in the black community (that is where I am hearing it from) that how much of a man you are depends on how many children you have? (No mention/recognition/responsibility to/for the child)**

This is not coming from the black community. I have never heard this before in my life. Yes, teen pregnancy is a terrible epidemic. Don't group a whole race together as one.

I believe this problem crosses all races. They just happen to pick the one race to use. This has more to do with parental involvement(lack of it)...than anything else.

You just have to be involved with your kids. I wasn't a teen mother and neither were any of my friends. Please stop generalizing black people.

FlyByNight
June 19, 2008 2:41 p.m.

A few comments/concerns:

As a school employee I see this happening to my students. Most have absentee parents or parents that don't care enough and here comes this guy willing to give her attention.

I also had a studnet in the last few weeks state to me she was quiting her job a McDonald's because the manager always got on her when she came to work late. She was just going to have another child, it was easier. WOW! Maybe all this "HELP" needs to have some more condidtions with it.

Also-I see just as many hispanic girls pregnant and dating older men. I have a 14-year old hispanic child staying with me and she has been in a relationship with a married 20 year-old male (I can't call him a man). Many of her friends also have older male boyfriends.

What is this thing in the black community (that is where I am hearing it from) that how much of a man you are depends on how many children you have? (No mention/recognition/responsibility to/for the child)

kal
June 19, 2008 10:54 a.m.