HIV and Aids in Schools

112 Pages Posted: 19 Mar 2005

See all articles by Barrie Craven

Barrie Craven

University of Newcastle (Australia) - Newcastle Business School

Pauline Dixon

University of Newcastle - School of Education, Communication and Language Sciences

Gordon Stewart

Insurance Information Institute

James Tooley

University of Newcastle - E.G. West Centre

Abstract

HIV and AIDS teaching is compulsory in British Schools but the content is not prescribed. Should teaching in such a difficult field, where there are disputes among experts, be left to secondary school teachers with no specialist knowledge? And is it right that the subject should be compulsory?

These awkward issues are confronted in this controversial paper which examines the materials being used by schools in HIV/Aids teaching and how teachers are approaching the subject. The authors conclude that, because material provided by pressure groups, teachers are exaggerating the Aids problem and failing to stress the extent to which the risk of infection depends on behaviour. Rent-seeking by vested interests results in a serious distortion of the views presented to children.

The authors consider the extent of the Aids problem in Africa, as well as in Britain, pointing out anomalies in the data which lead to doubts about the conventional wisdom.

Their conclusion about Britain is that HIV/Aids teaching should no longer be compulsory. Either the law should be repealed or schools should simply drop the subject.

Keywords: health promotion, health education, HIV, AIDS

JEL Classification: 112, 118, 128

Suggested Citation

Craven, Barrie and Dixon, Pauline and Stewart, Gordon and Tooley, James, HIV and Aids in Schools. IEA Occasional Paper No. 121, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=677445 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.677445

Barrie Craven (Contact Author)

University of Newcastle (Australia) - Newcastle Business School ( email )

City Campus East – 231
Newcastle-Upon-Tyne NE1 8ST, NE1 8ST
United Kingdom

Pauline Dixon

University of Newcastle - School of Education, Communication and Language Sciences ( email )

Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU
United Kingdom

Gordon Stewart

Insurance Information Institute

110 William Street
New York, NY 10038
United States

James Tooley

University of Newcastle - E.G. West Centre ( email )

England, NE1 7RU
United Kingdom
0191 222 6374 (Phone)
07976 403113 (Fax)

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