On the outskirts of education: the liminal space of rural teen pregnancy

The historical context of teen pregnancy in the US and its evolution to the present embodiment of the predominantly urban ‘welfare mother’ developed from specific socio-historical contexts that deemed early childbirth, especially illegitimate pregnancies, as morally and socially deviant. Two conceptual elements missing within the literature on teen motherhood are the geographically diverse locations of teen pregnancy and motherhood and the spatial boundaries that arise in the institutional interface of pregnancy and schooling. Since the rural teen mother is rooted within a different social-geographical context than her urban counterpart it becomes essential to examine ways in which rural teen mothers navigate their educational opportunities. Likewise, the literature does not address the spatial boundaries pregnant and mothering teens face as they negotiate their relationship with schools. This study addresses both questions in its attempt to understand how pregnant and mothering teens in rural communities navigate their education and how they perceive themselves within the overall institutional setting of the school.