Collection:LPB

Genre: Newsmagazine

Place Covered: Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 1986-10-12

Duration: 00:18:56

Subjects: Teenage pregnancy | Teenage mothers

Contributors:

• Masingale, Sonya Host
• Payne, Melissa Interviewee
• Riley, Sonjalita Interviewee
• Morgan, Angelin Interviewee
• Kemmich, Madeleine Speaker
• Schneider, Marlin Speaker
• Newman, Jewel Interviewee
• Covington, Lyn Interviewee
• Millender, Etta Interviewee

This segment from the October 12, 1986, episode of the series “Folks” features Sonya Masingale’s report on the challenges facing teen parents. Masingale first visits the Teen Parent Center in Baton Rouge and interviews two teen parents, Melissa Payne and Sonjalita Riley. She also interviews Angelin Morgan, the director of the center, who discusses the services available to teenage mothers. Next, Masingale presents highlights of speeches given at the National Council of State Legislatures Meeting in New Orleans on preventing teen pregnancy, including Madeleine Kemmich of the Center for Human Services in Washington, D.C. and State Representative Marlin Schneider of Wisconsin. Masingale also interviews State Representative Jewel Newmanm who discusses the role churches can play in preventing teen pregnancy. Lastly, Masingale conducts an in-studio interview with Lyn Covington, a social worker at the Teen Parent Center, and Etta Millender, the director of youth services at the New Galilee Baptist Church in Baton Rouge. They discuss: the church’s role in helping to prevent teen pregnancy; the youth program at the New Galilee Baptist Church; teaching teen parents to become better parents; the reasons why teens decide to keep their babies instead of giving them up for adoption; and why the teens disregard birth control.