This is what happens when (as a society) we tolerate teen pregnancy. High school day care centers, contraception-on-demand (not in this case) without parental consent, abortion without parental knowledge, not to mention a floundering local job market that offers bleak opportunities for its young people.

So they have nothing better to do with that low self-esteem, but to get knocked up. Yeah, that’s a good solution…

There’s a stunning twist to the sudden rise in teen pregnancies at Gloucester High School. Seventeen students there are expecting and many of them became that way on purpose.

Time Magazine first reported that nearly half of the girls confessed to making a pact to get pregnant and raise their babies together. None of them is older than 16.

Isn’t this called statutory rape? And I’m sorry, but these irresponsible girls won’t “raise their babies together”. Their parents will end up doing much of the work, financially supporting them along with us taxpayers.

Schools Superintendent Christopher Farmer told WBZ’s Bill Shields Thursday the girls had “an agreement to get pregnant.”

Farmer said these are generally “girls who lack self-esteem and have a lack of love in their life.”

Get ‘em a puppy.

“The common threat is the lack of self-esteem and purpose in life, and a lack of a sense of direction,” said Farmer. “Young women wanting and needing affection.”

Maybe, just maybe, if there were potential jobs in the area, having babies instead of a career might not be considered the best thing to do. And maybe, just maybe, if we jettisoned the whole “judgmental” thing and brought back the negative stigma being unwed teen parents were, young girls wouldn’t be seeking out homeless bums to give them the love they think they lack.

Very disturbing, but expected.