Here's something they don't tell you in orientation: more than one-fifth of community college students are parents . Most are single moms. One in five. That's not a small number. That's a lot of people fighting battles most of us never see. 
They're up at 3 AM with a crying baby. Then up at 8 AM for biology. They're figuring out daycare, pumping milk between classes, taking kids to doctor appointments—all while trying to get the same degree as everyone else.
And what happened at Hinds? This student—she asked for accommodations. Simple things. A place to pump. Understanding if she was late. And instead, they failed her for missing class while she was in the hospital after an emergency delivery . They mocked her. They called her baby a parasite. I can't even.
My cousin is a single mom in community college. She wakes up at 4 AM, gets her kid ready, drops him off, goes to class, works a shift, picks him up, and studies after he sleeps. Every. Single. Day.
The data says student parents often have higher GPAs than traditional students—they're more motivated, more focused . But they're also way more likely to drop out because of things like no childcare, no money, no support.
When I read about that Hinds student, I saw my cousin. I thought: if someone targeted her, would anyone help? Would the college have a plan? Or would she just be another name on a list?
Schools love to talk about diversity and inclusion. But that has to include parents. It has to include real policies, not just posters on a wall.
They're up at 3 AM with a crying baby. Then up at 8 AM for biology. They're figuring out daycare, pumping milk between classes, taking kids to doctor appointments—all while trying to get the same degree as everyone else.
And what happened at Hinds? This student—she asked for accommodations. Simple things. A place to pump. Understanding if she was late. And instead, they failed her for missing class while she was in the hospital after an emergency delivery . They mocked her. They called her baby a parasite. I can't even.
My cousin is a single mom in community college. She wakes up at 4 AM, gets her kid ready, drops him off, goes to class, works a shift, picks him up, and studies after he sleeps. Every. Single. Day.
The data says student parents often have higher GPAs than traditional students—they're more motivated, more focused . But they're also way more likely to drop out because of things like no childcare, no money, no support.
When I read about that Hinds student, I saw my cousin. I thought: if someone targeted her, would anyone help? Would the college have a plan? Or would she just be another name on a list?
Schools love to talk about diversity and inclusion. But that has to include parents. It has to include real policies, not just posters on a wall.
