'Evening News' Blames 'Economic Depression' for Gloucester Pregnancy Pact

This could be perhaps the most bizarre application of James Carville's worn out expression, "It's the economy stupid." "CBS Evening News" linked the economy to the famed pregnancy pact that has received national attention.

The June 19 broadcast of "Evening News" faulted the ailing economy for 17 Massachusetts high school students agreeing to get pregnant intentionally around the same time so they could raise children together.

According to Gloucester Public Schools Superintendent Christopher Farmer, the girls did it to gain status. CBS correspondent Michelle Miller took it a step further and made an economic connection.

"Status in Gloucester is hard to come by," Miller said. "The once-thriving fishing community has seen jobs drift overseas. Economic depression has left many teens trying to fill the void."

A story originally reported by Time Magazine said nearly half of the girls confessed to making a pact to get pregnant and raise their babies together, and none is older than 16.

Gloucester is a city with a predominantly white (96.2 percent) population of a little more than 30,000 people. It is located 38 miles north of Boston. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Gloucester isn't exactly an impoverished community. The median household annual income for Gloucester is $59,056, higher than the national median household annual income of $50,978.