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Janine Brignola grew up in a rural
area near Ord, Neb., and then graduated from high school in Lincoln, Neb.
Brignola, who is HIV-positive, stated that none of the schools she attended
ever warned students about the HIV virus. Classmates told her it was a “dirty
disease” that could take her life, but she believed that only sexually
promiscuous people, prostitutes, or junkies could become infected with HIV and
that “Nebraska was not a place that it could happen.”
Brignola testified March 12 at the
Nebraska Legislature on behalf of a bill that would require public schools to
offer more complete education about sex and STDs. State Senator Ken Haar of
Malcolm, Neb., introduced Legislative Bill 619, and stated that 2,300
Nebraskans age 19 and younger contracted STDs in 2011. He also pointed out that
African-American and Hispanic teens’ birthrates in Nebraska are among the
highest in the United States, and noted that the bill would address those
problems. Currently, Nebraska requires general health education classes, but
allows individual school districts to choose how they present the topic.
The Education Committee public
hearing on the bill drew varying opinions, as those present debated whether
parents or teachers were the best sex education sources and whether decisions
such as these should be left to local school boards and not mandated by the
state. Karen Bowling of the Nebraska Family Council and Nebraska Family First
testified in opposition, stating “Nebraskans want local school boards to be in
the driver’s seat.” She criticized the bill as undermining parental authority
by dictating what their children should hear. Bill supporters urged lawmakers
to use their power to ensure that students in all Nebraska schools are taught
comprehensive sex education, stating that much of the information currently
provided to teens is inaccurate.
The Omaha Public Schools district
requires students to take human growth and development courses starting in
eighth grade. Abstinence and contraception are both among the topics taught.
Parents have the ability to opt their children out of the courses. This option
would also be provided under LB 619. The Lincoln school district requires nine
weeks of instruction on health in high schools, including two weeks on sex
education. Janet Tucker, a recently retired Lincoln East High School health
teacher, noted that in 39 years of teaching, she could count only a handful of
parents who opted their children out of the class.
The committee took no action on LB
619, and it is doubtful that the full Legislature will debate the bill this
year because no lawmaker chose it as a priority bill. However, the issue could
be raised again if supporters take the idea to the State Board of Education,
which sets policies for the state’s K-12 schools.
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.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
