We’ve been paying attention to The Pregnant Student Rights Act (H.R.6914/S.2974), which Congress is currently considering. When it comes to most written works, including legislation, it’s important to read below the headline (in this case, the bill title) and get the full story.

This legislation, if passed, would require institutions of higher education (IHEs) to disseminate information on the rights to and resources (including protections and accommodations) for pregnant students to carry a baby to term.

But the bill isn’t really about that.

This bill restricts IHEs from disseminating information to pregnant students about their right to and resources for abortion care. The anti-abortion intention of this legislation stigmatizes, restricts, and shames people’s choices. It’s more of the same—as attacks on abortion access, reproductive freedom, and bodily autonomy persist.

Instead, it restricts IHEs from disseminating information to pregnant students about their right to and resources for abortion care. The anti-abortion intention of this legislation stigmatizes, restricts, and shames people’s choices. It’s more of the same—as attacks on abortion access, reproductive freedom, and bodily autonomy persist.

Healthy Teen Network believes young people deserve access to the information they need to make educated decisions about their bodies and health. They also deserve access to comprehensive reproductive health care—which includes full options counseling, contraceptive care, abortion care, and prenatal care.

College students who experience pregnancy are faced with obstacles to accessing information and comprehensive health care. They may fear being stigmatized. Colleges and universities have varying levels of health care on campus. It may be especially challenging for students attending colleges and universities in more rural locations or locations in states with low access to reproductive health care following the overturn of Roe v Wade and severe abortion restrictions. Additionally, faith-based institutions may present greater obstacles that increase stigma and reduce access to information and care. Pregnant and parenting students of color are much more likely to experience discrimination.

The Chronicle of Higher Education recently published an article sharing stories of pregnant and parenting undergraduate and graduate students who faced discrimination from faculty, ranging from pressure to leave college to creating more difficulty for them to finish coursework by shifting deadlines. College students need more, not less, information about pregnancy and their rights.

For example, if a student chooses to take leave, the student is “legally entitled to it for as long as medically necessary, at minimum.

When students take medical leave, their institutions must allow them to “resume studies without penalty,” (U.S. Department of Education), including pregnant students who have complications or other disabilities related to pregnancy.

When students take medical leave, their institutions must allow them to “resume studies without penalty,” (U.S. Department of Education), including pregnant students who have complications or other disabilities related to pregnancy. If campuses provide services to students with temporary medical conditions (such as homebound instruction), they must provide them to pregnant students. Of course, any “mothers belong at home” hostility is blatant sex discrimination. It is illegal for the professors to do it, and for administrators to keep turning a blind eye to it.

We must protect the rights of pregnant and parenting students and support their educational success without bias or harassment due to their pregnant or parenting status – and many organizations spearhead these efforts. In our case, Healthy Teen Network is a co-chair of the Coalition for Pregnant and Parenting Students Advocacy. The coalition has taken an opposition stance to the Pregnant Student Rights Act.

If supporters of the Pregnant Student Rights Act are truly interested in supporting students who are pregnant and parenting, they should place their energies elsewhere. How about:

• Increasing appropriations for the Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) program, which awards funds to institutions of higher education to support or establish campus-based child care services that primarily serve the needs of low-income students.
• Co-sponsoring and urging passage (or introducing and passing a companion bill in the Senate) the Helping Student Parents Succeed Act (H.R. 9185), which would ensure students expecting a child and student parents are made aware of child care, leave options, and other accommodations that are available to them at their schools.
• Co-sponsoring and urging passage (or introducing and passing a companion bill in the Senate) the Understanding Student Parent Outcomes Act (H.R. 6309), which would improve data collection related to student parents pursuing higher education.
• Writing the state secretary of education, college and university presidents, and public school district superintendents of their states urging them to faithfully implement the recently issued improvements to the regulation implementing Title IX, which prohibits discrimination based on sex in education programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance. (Here’s resources on the Title IX rule compiled by the Coalition for Pregnant and Parenting Students Advocacy.)

The Pregnant Student Rights Act doesn’t work as the name implies. It will result in perpetuating bias and shame that contradicts public health. Pregnant and parenting students should be supported in their education endeavors, without fear or harassment, and we will continue to advocate until their needs are met.