HIV/AIDS affecting high school students at Normandy High School in St. Louis, Missouri

We often discuss the topic of sex education and how it should be taught in schools, in families, in church and with health care professionals. Normandy High School in St. Louis, Missouri, like several others across the US are facing a crisis that does more than just put the topic in the news. This puts the topic in the mix for parents, educators, health care professionals, non-sexually active students, sexually active students (middle school, high school, and college students), and their partners, their families and the nation at large.

This recent scare will change the lives of the students, their families, the faculty and the topic of sexual behavior and sexual education. This incident has even caused relationships among high school students from opposing schools to end because there is fear that many more students may be infected than projected to be known. Even rival high school teams were concerned about playing this high school in a homecoming football game. We must get more educated about sex education as a whole.

First, people are misinformed as to how HIV/AIDS is transmitted from person to person. Educating people as to how a person can become infected is key to ensuring that the stigma attached to HIV/AIDS does not cause unnecessary responses and reactions to a person who may be infected or exposed.

Second, sex education must include the options of abstinence, emotional effects of engaging in sexual behavior, use and access to proper protection for male and female students who may find themselves making a choice to engage in sexual activity, those already engaged in sexual activity and those expecting to engage in this activity in the future, specific information related to sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy, testing, and help, assistance, guidance, and medications that may be necessary to participating in any or all sexual behavior.

Third, this discussion needs to take place within families, in school, in churches and with health care professionals. At some point, there is a disconnect between the importance of teaching people what behaviors and actions will prevent them from going through the emotional distress, physical diseases and illnesses and personal impact that this could have on them, their families, their future and on any person they get involved with.

Finally, ignorance has never been the exception to gaining the knowledge that each of us needs when it comes to sexual behavior. There are many misconceptions about sexual behaviors of all kinds that can lead to consequences that we see happening at this high school and other schools across this country. Of course, we all know that abstinence from all sexual behavior is the only 100% way to fight against pregnancy, sexual transmitted diseases and the emotional aspect of engaging in sexual behavior. However, HIV/AIDS and some other diseases are not only transmitted via sexual behavior, but can be transmitted in other ways, that should be known, understood and taught.

Just because it has not been reported in your city, your town or at your school, this does not mean that it is not happening at a place that is familiar to you or to me.

We, as individuals, as students, as parents, as coaches, as mentors, as friends and as advocates cannot continue to be so trusting that we do not know all of the facts or whether someone we know is at risk or exempt from this affecting us, affecting them personally or someone we or they know and love.

Now is our chance to make this topic and subject a matter of necessary discussion. How many more middle schools, high schools and colleges have untested students with HIV/AIDS or other sexually transmitted diseases?