From Exclusion to Inclusion: Principals’ Models and Dilemmas in Supporting Pregnant Students

Behind the orderly walls of schools lies a dilemma that is rarely discussed openly: what happens to female students who experience pregnancy? Do schools become spaces of protection, or institutions that subtly push them out? From Exclusion to Inclusion explores this complex reality through an in-depth analysis of educational policies and school practices related to pregnant students. Based on field research conducted in multiple secondary schools and supported by the voices of students, principals, teachers, and policymakers, this book reveals how educational policies are often shaped by tensions between social norms, institutional image, and the obligation to protect every child's right to education. The book critically examines exclusionary practices that continue to occur within educational institutions, including hidden forms of discrimination that force students to leave school. At the same time, it offers a transformative perspective by presenting inclusive and rights-based policy approaches that prioritize educational continuity, social justice, and student empowerment. Using the perspectives of inclusive education, public policy analysis, and Amartya Sen's capability approach, the book formulates a school principal policy model designed to ensure the educational rights of pregnant students in humane, adaptive, and sustainable ways. Intended for academics, educational practitioners, policymakers, and the wider public, this book invites readers to rethink the role of schools not merely as institutions that enforce rules, but as spaces that protect, include, and empower every student without exception.