Mandates Won't Save Our Kids from HIV -- Actual
Follow-Through Will
By Tracie M. Gardner and Kymsha Henry
August 18, 2011
This article was provided by the Legal Action Center.
It would be an understatement to say Mayor Bloomberg's announcement of a sexual education mandate as part of his Young Men's Initiative was welcome news. Finally, advocates
cheer, New York City is starting to get that sex ed is part of any smart
solution to the challenges facing our youth, and our communities of color.
But sex ed advocates -- and especially those fighting HIV specifically -- also have plenty of reason to be skeptical. For us, mandates are nothing new: In 1987, we celebrated the long overdue addition of a required HIV/AIDS curriculum in New York schools; this was followed in 1991 by the New York City HIV/AIDS Education Mandate, which included condom access, and a Board of Regents' policy on HIV/AIDS instruction that emphasized abstinence.
Setting aside the specifics of those programs, we have learned one thing from all these mandates: They are not enough -- not even close, as the numbers have shown. After the fanfare, implementation of these new sex ed policies was spotty and disorganized from the beginning, with no state or city oversight to ensure that schools were even teaching sex ed -- or to evaluate the effectiveness of the programs that did exist.
As a result, the number of HIV infections spiked instead of falling, with a particularly alarming upswing among girls and young women of color. Now, nearly a quarter-century after the first HIV education mandate, the city's AIDS case rate is almost triple the U.S. average, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene reports, with HIV as the third-leading cause of death for New Yorkers age 35 to 54. In 2008 alone, there were 1,186 new HIV diagnoses among New Yorkers age 13-29 -- the very age group that should've been learning, in school, how to avoid this fate.
The key to change, then, is not the mandates but the follow-through. Which brings us to Bloomberg's news: While it's too late to right the
missteps of the past two mandates, we do have an opportunity to integrate the
three mandates and change the game with thoughtful planning and consistent
implementation. The first step, however, is for the mayor to expand on what,
exactly, is required under this new policy, as the lack of detail thus far is
troubling, to say the least. He may be moving slowly because of the potential
for backlash on this controversial topic, but there's no time to spare when AIDS
is claiming lives every day. The second step is for Chancellor Dennis M. Walcott to convene a planning and
implementation group of stakeholders who know this issue, from the practitioners
to the community groups that have sprung up to fill the gap. He would do well to
consult with, say, the Young Women of Color HIV/AIDS Coalition, which is working in
the community, and members of Just Ask Me, who are in the schools themselves.
This time around, we know to demand more than just mandates. If Bloomberg and Walcott want real change, they will know well enough to deliver more, too.
Tracie M. Gardner is the Director of State Policy/WISH-NY of the Legal Action Center and Kymsha Henry is the Co-director of the Young Women of Color HIV/AIDS Coalition.
Get e-mail notifications every time Positive Policy is updated.
 |
Tracie M. Gardner
|
 |
Kymsha Henry
|
But sex ed advocates -- and especially those fighting HIV specifically -- also have plenty of reason to be skeptical. For us, mandates are nothing new: In 1987, we celebrated the long overdue addition of a required HIV/AIDS curriculum in New York schools; this was followed in 1991 by the New York City HIV/AIDS Education Mandate, which included condom access, and a Board of Regents' policy on HIV/AIDS instruction that emphasized abstinence.
Setting aside the specifics of those programs, we have learned one thing from all these mandates: They are not enough -- not even close, as the numbers have shown. After the fanfare, implementation of these new sex ed policies was spotty and disorganized from the beginning, with no state or city oversight to ensure that schools were even teaching sex ed -- or to evaluate the effectiveness of the programs that did exist.
As a result, the number of HIV infections spiked instead of falling, with a particularly alarming upswing among girls and young women of color. Now, nearly a quarter-century after the first HIV education mandate, the city's AIDS case rate is almost triple the U.S. average, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene reports, with HIV as the third-leading cause of death for New Yorkers age 35 to 54. In 2008 alone, there were 1,186 new HIV diagnoses among New Yorkers age 13-29 -- the very age group that should've been learning, in school, how to avoid this fate.
This time around, we know to demand more than just mandates. If Bloomberg and Walcott want real change, they will know well enough to deliver more, too.
Tracie M. Gardner is the Director of State Policy/WISH-NY of the Legal Action Center and Kymsha Henry is the Co-director of the Young Women of Color HIV/AIDS Coalition.
Get e-mail notifications every time Positive Policy is updated.
This article was provided by Legal Action Center. You can find this article online by typing this address into your Web browser:
http://www.thebody.com/content/63562/mandates-wont-save-our-kids-from-hiv-actual-follo.html
General Disclaimer: The Body is designed for educational purposes only and is not engaged in rendering medical advice or professional services. The information provided through The Body should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or a disease. It is not a substitute for professional care. If you have or suspect you may have a health problem, consult your health care provider.
http://www.thebody.com/content/63562/mandates-wont-save-our-kids-from-hiv-actual-follo.html