Before I start, I would like to say this: Your body is yours and and what goes on with it is no one’s business. This should be common sense but, unfortunately, it is not. This morning a letter was leaked from Pines City Colleges in Baguio. It was a letter from their medical clinic addressed to the deans and department heads under dentistry, nursing, and pharmacy. Discussed in the text was the mandatory pregnancy testing students had to go through.
The letter started by stating, “In our school’s pursuit for education and social responsibility, the Medical Clinic will be conducting the mandatory pregnancy test on all female students in your colleges.” I have so many questions: Why is it needed? What happens if you refuse? What happens if the test comes out positive?
On Twitter, writer and feminist Elizabeth Angsioco shared, “This is a clear violation of the Magna Carta of Women which prohibits all forms of discrimination against women (in this case, vs. pregnant students). This is also a violation of the right to privacy.” Not only that, she also shared photos from the school’s clinicians manual. In it is a section called Policies on Pregnancy which states, “Pregnant students must not enroll in Clinical Dentistry or any subject (Roentgenology, Anesthesiology, Endodontics, Hospital Dentistry, Community Dentistry II and III) that will endanger both mother and child. Female students are required to undergo pregnancy test to be administered by the institutions medical clinic.” I’m sorry, but i fail to see how taking these courses is harmful to the mother-to-be and her child. Unless, of course, their doctors tell them otherwise due to stress.
This section of the manual continues to explain steps to be taken if a student does get pregnant, which includes dropping certain subjects, and taking a leave from school and returning the next year. Not to mention that if a student “is aware of her pregnancy but did not report her condition,” she will get a failing mark in those classes. I don’t know about you but this is making my blood boil.
As of writing, we have reached out to Pines City Colleges but they have refused to comment at this time.
What do you think of this pregnancy policy? Sound off in the comments section below.
Photo courtesy of Unsplash
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