Cara Beck
Soc. 202
One month ago a routine investigation by the St. Louis County Health Department traced the origin of an HIV case back to Normandy High School. The Health Department found that at least one individual was infected. This individual said that she could have spread the virus up to 50 other students. After the story gained attention the school decided to provide free testing to every student at the high school.
Ingrid Denny, a prevention program coordinator in Missouri hoped to turn this situation into a positive one, allowing for students to become more aware of the disease and the importance of getting tested. Along with this positive angle, groups and health officials feel that this issue should prompt schools in surrounding areas to provide better sex education for kids- especially expanding on the “abstinence only” sex education that is so popular even in the year 2008. Kevin Miller, a supervisor for the Department of Health’s HIV/AIDS prevention program, says that, “This is a real issue that kids need information about”.
I believe it is important to stress that this is not just an issue in the small town of Normandy, nor is it confined to the state of Missouri, but rather HIV/AIDS prevention and awareness is an issue that demands global attention. It is my hope that these small cases do, in fact, raise awareness at home as well as abroad.
http://www.riverfronttimes.com/content/printVersion/605033
2 comments:
There is a serious need for better health and sexual awareness. It is especially alarming that this girl may have possibly infected 50 other students. To be so young and have engaged in sexual activities with so many partners is a definite cry for help. Children these days are reaching for love and support in the wrong ways. Our parents and educators need to step it up and be real with these kids because AIDS and any other STI is no joke.
how is it a cry for help that the person had sex. im 17 i have a great relation with everyone even my parents and i have sex but its not a cry for help. so generalizing people like that is really not a good thing to do.
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