Do you think Kindergarteners should be taught about Aids??

This was a big thing in the news today, how the city is teaching kindergarteners about AIDS and how so many parents are against it at that age. Do you think they should be taught at age 4 or 5???

Re: Do you think Kindergarteners should be taught about Aids??

No, I don't think so. It opens up pandora's box to a bunch of other questions about adult subjects that I don't feel they should be concerned with at that age.

Re: Do you think Kindergarteners should be taught about Aids??

No...I do not think it is necessary. Let kids be kids...they still have time to learn about AIDS.

Re: Do you think Kindergarteners should be taught about Aids??

Unfortunately it's mandated! I don't agree either but they don't actually mention the word sex till fourth grade. However "bodily openings" is taught in 3rd

Re: Do you think Kindergarteners should be taught about Aids??

Posted by aja

Unfortunately it's mandated! I don't agree either but they don't actually mention the word sex till fourth grade. However "bodily openings" is taught in 3rd

Re: Do you think Kindergarteners should be taught about Aids??

I teach kindergarten and I have to teach them about HIV. I mostly have to just teach them about germs and how to take care of themselves. There's only one lesson where I have to mention HIV and that it is a disease. I dont think it should mentioned at all personally. But at their age it will probably go in one ear and out the other.

Re: Do you think Kindergarteners should be taught about Aids??

NO i don't....

My Bil and sil in law (they are 8) were taught about choking last year and for a week they freaked out that they were going to choke when they ate

I really think this is kinda young for kids to learn and comprehend

Re: Do you think Kindergarteners should be taught about Aids??

Re: Do you think Kindergarteners should be taught about Aids??

Posted by Ambersmom

Posted by aja

Unfortunately it's mandated! I don't agree either but they don't actually mention the word sex till fourth grade. However "bodily openings" is taught in 3rd

Get out!

Re: Do you think Kindergarteners should be taught about Aids??

Posted by Ambersmom

Posted by KimH226

I teach kindergarten and I have to teach them about HIV. I mostly have to just teach them about germs and how to take care of themselves. There's only one lesson where I have to mention HIV and that it is a disease. I dont think it should mentioned at all personally. But at their age it will probably go in one ear and out the other.

You're probably right...I was thinking they got into the whole gory details of what HIV was and how they got it! Thanks for the info

Re: Do you think Kindergarteners should be taught about Aids??

I don't think so. How do you teach it in such a way that you won't scare them and without bringing up drugs or sex? They are way to young to learn about that. You can teach them about staying healthy by covering their faces when they cough/sneeze, to wash their hands - but with HIV/AIDS, that's entering a new realm.

Re: Do you think Kindergarteners should be taught about Aids??

Re: Do you think Kindergarteners should be taught about Aids??

Re: Do you think Kindergarteners should be taught about Aids??

I know it's now mandated in NYC. And I support it, for NYC anyway. It's unfortunate, but so many of these kids are living with this, in terms of having relatives with it, etc. I have had several students over the years who were affected by it and lost a parent or a sibling. And I think, if you're in kindergarten and your mom is dying of AIDS, that you should have some basic understanding of the disease.

They do need to know, in terms they can deal with, how one catches the disease. Yes, they are little, but many of them are already dealing with a lot of challenges in their home lives and they are sheltered from nothing.

Sometimes, not telling them is worse. The things kids cook up in their imaginations are often worse than reality. And maybe, down the line, if they learn NOW that IV drugs can lead to something like this, maybe it will help to deter a few kids later on, because by middle schools many of them will have had drugs offered to them.

Message edited 3/20/2006 6:42:17 PM.

Re: Do you think Kindergarteners should be taught about Aids??

No- not at all...

Re: Do you think Kindergarteners should be taught about Aids??

I teach first grade and we are mandated to teach it...but it is more about making healthy choices and knowing consequences rather than AIDS.

Re: Do you think Kindergarteners should be taught about Aids??

We teach about not touching others blood. There is a video we are mandated to show in 2nd grade. It talks about kids who get hurt on the playground and are bleeding, you go to a teacher etc. It is very basic. I feel it is for there own protection.

Re: Do you think Kindergarteners should be taught about Aids??

Re: Do you think Kindergarteners should be taught about Aids??

Re: Do you think Kindergarteners should be taught about Aids??

i am a teacher and I say NO way!!!! unless they are forced to deal with it bc a child died or a parent

Re: Do you think Kindergarteners should be taught about Aids??

i say no....kindergarten is too young and they willl either be terrified the rest of their lives or will complety forget they ever heard about it

Re: Do you think Kindergarteners should be taught about Aids??

IMHO...I definitely think it is a good idea. We live in different times where 11 year olds are having sex and getting pregnant. 11 ...that is only 6 years away from Kindergarten. I think giving them an intro into the disease and some basics to keep them safe is definitely a good idea. They are not telling them about sex, drugs etc..but they are educating them on something that in this day and age is important to know about. Kids nowadays are a lot smarter, know more than we think and even the things that come out of the mouths of 4 year olds I work with shock me. In the way it is being taught, at an age appropriate level...I see nothing wrong with it. I wish it was something they would never have to learn about or deal with, but unfortunately that is not reality.

Re: Do you think Kindergarteners should be taught about Aids??

As a teacher who was just thrown this whole thing 4 days ago, lets just say, I'm so not in the mood for this. The younger grades certainly need to know about germs and how easily they spread and how to prevent getting sick. But bringing AIDS into the picture at that age is, in my opinion, a bit much. Basically, how is the disease spread? Well, they don't need to know at 5 and 6 about STD's. The upper grades, however, need to hear it. The older children are already aware of more than we were at that age. What is aggrivating is that classroom teachers have to teach it and that we were literally just told about this ( at least in NYC we were). Very annoying. The upper grades have lessons that are causing the teachers to scratch their heads. Basically, what ever happened to health or these issues being discussed in science?

Re: Do you think Kindergarteners should be taught about Aids??

I think Kindergarten is way too young for children to learn many things . . .

Re: Do you think Kindergarteners should be taught about Aids??

NO! My son is 5 yrs old an Very intelligent and understands more than I ever think he can sometimes, but HIV and AIDs are something that cannot possibly be explained without answering other questions that they are not equipped to handle at that age.