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Children
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It was once said that children are the future, if this statement is true than we need to do everything in our power to protect them. New Jersey law mandates at least 150 minutes of health education during each school week in grades one through twelve. In addition, high school students must acquire 3 ¾ credits of health education each year. School districts must align their health education curricula with the New Jersey Department of Education's Core Curriculum Content Standards. One of the four required health education standards, Standard 2.4: Human Relationships and Sexuality, addresses three subject areas: relationships, sexuality, and pregnancy and parenting. Learning expectations within Standard 2.4 focuses on abstinence and helping students to identify and address internal and external pressures to become sexually active. Standard 2.4 also mandates that instruction in middle and high school classes address the use of contraceptive methods and risk reduction strategies as well as the implications of their use. Standard 2.4 also requires including information about sexual orientation[1]. According to New Jersey Law every student has to take a class, however HIV/AIDS prevention is not mention. I would changes this mandate so that HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention are a standard in the health class curriculum. I would also make sure that HIV/AIDS prevention health classes begin in junior high school. Everyday children are having sex at younger ages.
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