First off I would like to appologise for my blog being late. As I was writing my QOTW and responses when the internet went out and I didn't have time before work to get it done.
After saying that I started to look up some points of view on HIV education. I was startled to find out that HIV education really isn't education at all in most schools. The way most school deal with HIV education and other STD's is just to preach abstinence before marriage. To me this is no way to educate some one but just with a an easy way to not deal with the sensitive subject. I also ask this, what happens when somone gets married and has intercourse an their partner hasn't been abstient before marriage? Another way of so called HIV education is the scare tactic. This is also just another way to not deal with HIV directly and not having to educate young students about the disease. I know this tactic was implemented in my school growing up by showing different symptoms cuased by HIV.
Niether of these strategies seem to work in educating our youth about HIV. "In 2007 alone, there were 2.7 million new HIV infections. Almost half of these new infections were among people under 25 years old," (Avert.org 2009).We know young people are having sexual intercourse and we need to educate them on the risks of having unprotected sex and how prevelent HIV is. Also, this should not be limited to just a few hours during one school year (which is what I remember recieving). It should be repeated and be integrated into part of a cirriculum.
To those of you reading this if you would just post what you remember about HIV education you received in public school.
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The generation around 25 seems to be heavily influenced by the degenerate pop culture that is progressivley getting worse in our country. The number of 1.35 million new infections of 25 & younger is quite staggering...I would hope that as a society we are doing a better job with education. A refresher course more than once a year might be that constant reminder that school children need. If you are working in a hospital, you have to do yearly education on HIV/AIDS education, why should it be any different for kids in school? The toughest part is developing a cirriculum that can handle the ever maturing mind of kids...how early do you start this education? I look forward to hearing more about what types of education has been implemented in schools around our nation.
ReplyDeleteI received no health education in high school. When I was a junior they started a health education class but it was for freshman only. I can even bet to this day that HIV/AIDS is only briefly touch up on. It's sad :(
ReplyDeleteYour comment, "The way most school deal with HIV education and other STD's is just to preach abstinence before marriage. To me this is no way to educate some one but just with a an easy way to not deal with the sensitive subject," reminds me of the book I just read "The Naked Truth." The young HIV positive girl expressed her dissatisfaction with how school went about teaching about HIV and STDs by just pressing being abstinent. Her point was that most teenagers in reality ARE having sex, so they need to know what could happen or what they could contract instead of just being told over and over NOT to have sex. It is very sad the schools are not doing their part because they are uncomfortable with the situation.
ReplyDeleteMost teachers, even after educated, are reluctant to talk about it because that means talking about sex. I use to train the teachers in Orange county and I know many of them were very uncomfortable talking about it, even after the training. They always wanted me to go to their classes to talk.
ReplyDeleteGreat question to ask the other students. Perhaps I can make that part of a QOTW for the entire class to respond to.
Next week I want to see your general blog about how you are growing in this class. You are to do that each week.