Series 6000: Instruction

6164.12 Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) 

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a serious health problem in the United States.  Currently there is no cure for AIDS. The Board of Education advocates that education about AIDS  should be provided to students and that it be presented in a societal context. Specifically, students  should be encouraged and instructed in how to make decisions to protect their own health as well as  their responsibility to minimize the transmission of the disease. Further, the Board supports the  public health community's position that sexual abstinence is the best way to prevent the spread of  AIDS. In addition, the Board believes that sexual abstinence protects the student psychologically  from the stress of adult decision making during adolescence. 

The Board hopes that parents will join in partnership with the schools in conveying health  information and sound decision making to the children. For those parents who wish to handle these  topics without the involvement of the schools, the administration will inform parent(s), guardian(s)  of their right to have their child(ren) excluded from AIDS instruction. 

Legal Reference: Connecticut General Statutes 

10-19(b) Teaching about alcohol, nicotine or tobacco, drugs and  acquired immune deficiency syndrome. 

Policy adopted: November 19, 2007 THOMASTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS  Thomaston, Connecticut