Miami Herald Examines Miami-Dade Public Schools' HIV/AIDS Prevention Program

The Miami Herald on Monday examined the Miami-Dade County Public Schools' HIV/AIDS prevention curriculum and efforts to train teachers to adhere to its messages. The curriculum -- called "AIDS: Get the Facts!" -- begins during kindergarten and continues through fourth grade by teaching children that HIV is the virus that causes AIDS and training them to have good health habits. Beginning in fifth grade, Miami-Dade students learn about sexual transmission of the virus and are taught that abstinence is "the only certain form of prevention," the Herald reports. Lessons from grades six through 12 can include "condom demonstrations and information on how AIDS affects society," and parents can choose not to allow their children to attend these classes, according to the Herald. Miami-Dade is the only school district in Florida to allow condom demonstrations during class, according to Jackie White, supervisor of HIV/AIDS education for the county's schools. A group of middle school teachers from the district last week met with doctors who gave them information about safe sexual practices, abstinence and the significance of ensuring that educators do not discriminate against HIV-positive students. Miami-Dade schools have created guidelines that include confidentiality requirements to support HIV-positive students (Bailey, Miami Herald, 12/12).

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