Forced Pregnancy Tests Or Expulsion? ACLU Blasts Louisiana Charter School For Illegal Policy

Forced pregnancy tests have been written into the official student rules at a Louisiana charter school, one that is public, and the American Civil Liberties Union has blasted the school in a letter for what they say is clearly illegal action under federal laws.

The sexist forced pregnancy tests included in the school’s policy seem like a privacy violation no matter how you look at the rule: Girls at the school (and girls only) are subject to the invasive action under the institution’s “School Pregnancy Policy.” But even, and perhaps unbelievably, it’s right there in black and white, despite being a clear and obvious violation of the decades-old Title IX act.

The Delhi Charter School, which is the one requiring the invasive and illegal testing of any female student they wish to determine whether or not she may be pregnant, has the guidelines published online in a PDF document. The “School Pregnancy Policy” reads:

“If an administrator or teacher suspects a student is pregnant, a parent conference will be held. The school reserves the right to require any female student to take a pregnancy test to confirm whether or not the suspected student is in fact pregnant. The school further reserves the right to refer the suspected student to a physician of its choice. If the test indicates that the student is pregnant, the student will not be permitted to attend classes on the campus of Delhi Charter School.”

The document continues, stating that a student who wishes to continue in school if they are discovered to be pregnant will be forced to do home study:

“If a student is determined to be pregnant and wishes to continue to attend Delhi Charter School, the student will be required to pursue a course of home study that will be provided by the school.”

According to the ACLU, the policy violates the portion of Title IX that protects female students from exclusion from school “including any class or extracurricular activity, on the basis of such student’s pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy or recovery therefrom.” The civil rights organization also says the Student Pregnancy Policy at the Delhi Charter School violates the equal protection clause under the 14th Amendment.