AEGiS-06IAC: Changing the AIDS education of New York City youth: the AIDS Coalition To Unleash Power (ACT UP)/New York.

6th International AIDS Conference

San Francisco, California, USA — June 20-23, 1990

Changing the AIDS education of New York City youth: the AIDS Coalition To Unleash Power (ACT UP)/New York.

Int Conf AIDS 1990 Jun 20-23; 6:340 (abstract no. Th.D.856)
Ricks PM; ACT UP/NY Youth Brigade Caucus, NY, USA

OBJECTIVE: ACT UP/NY created its Youth Brigade Caucus in late 1989, in response to the alarming growth of AIDS cases among New York City (NYC) teenagers and the inadequate AIDS education within the schools. Our objective is to ensure that children in NYC obtain explicit, accurate and unbiased information regarding AIDS, Safer-Sex, Needle Use, and AIDS-related bias. Our poster demonstration will present our methods of improving AIDS education within the NYC school system.

METHODS: 1) Direct distribution of AIDS education fact sheets and condoms to high school students on the sidewalks outside of school grounds; 2) Approached the NYC Board of Ed. with concerns about the K-12th grade AIDS Curriculum and were invited to participate on the AIDS Curriculum Advisory Panel; 3) Direct discussion with schools and parents about AIDS education; 4) Protests and demonstrations to raise consciousness about the lack of AIDS education in NYC schools and the alarming trend of AIDS among teenagers.

RESULTS: 1) High school students reacted with either indifference or great interest to the materials given to them, indicating the need for greater educational efforts. Educators and parents reacted strongly, either pro or con, indicating the need for further involvement of these groups; 2) As members of the AIDS Advisory Panel, we have provided a consistent voice for drastic change to the AIDS Curriculum; 3) We are in the preliminary stages of engaging in direct discussion with schools and parents; 4) Protests and demonstrations have provided significant media coverage and lead to a planned meeting at the Board of Ed.'s Chancellor's Office.

CONCLUSION: 1) Teenagers desperately need AIDS information, are receptive to it, and are capable of handling explicit information; 2) There is strong resistance from the NYC Board of Ed. to providing explicit and unbiased information; 3) Educators privately agree that enough is not being done, but they are constrained by conservative forces; 4) We must impress upon parents the need for greater, more explicit, and more thoughtful AIDS education, so that they will demand that the schools provide such.

Keywords: AEGIS, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, New York City, New York, Condoms, Schools, Curriculum, Adolescent, Adolescent Behavior, Human, Adolescence, Child, prevention & control, ICA6

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ThD856