Health Class May Be Waived

High schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District may not have to offer a one-semester health course that used to be required for graduation. At least for next year, “the district will continue to allow schools that are electing to choose an alternate option for meeting the health requirement to continue,” Supt. John Deasy said in a June 6 memo to LAUSD’s Board of Education. The document lists potential exceptions to such a requirement that eventually could apply to all high schools.

Some districts have dropped health classes, which are not needed for admission to California’s college system, to save money. However, LAUSD officials recently agreed to continue offering health courses, after an earlier proposal to do away with the requirement led parents, teachers, and students opposed to the move to descend on board meetings.

California law requires high schools to teach students about AIDS and STDs, but these units can be offered in health classes or incorporated into other courses.

Four LAUSD high schools managed by a nonprofit entity under Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s control do not require a health class to graduate. Seven other large high schools plan to drop the course next year, said Bennett Kayser, a member of the LAUSD board who said he is prepared to ask for the board’s involvement in the matter.

“I was shocked by this,” said Kayser. “We asked to make sure there was a comprehensive health class taught in high school and we get a memo saying how you can get waivers to avoid it.”

Another member, Steve Zimmer, said that while flexibility and local control are important, “youth health is a tipping-point issue that affects whether students are successful in school.”

Deasy and other district officials had no comment on the memo.

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.

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