Mom upset with outdated HIV/AIDS curriculum takes charge
WOODINVILLE- Two years ago, Jodie Howerton's daughter started fifth grade.
At the time, the Northshore School District invited parents to view HIV/AIDS educational materials that would be used in her daughter's class. What she saw shocked her- a video so outdated, using the Grim Reaper to stress how many people were dying of AIDS at the time. The video was produced in the late 80s-early 90s officials said.
Jodie is also the mother of an HIV positive boy she and her husband adopted from South Africa.
Howerton is now leading a campaign to ensure that supplemental HIV/AIDS video materials utilized in public schools are up to date. She wants to create four 12- to 15-minute educational videos to help students in grades 5-12 understand HIV in a real life context.
The videos will be available free of charge to all school districts in Washington state and will eventually be available to other school districts across the nation.
To learn more about Jodie's efforts, you can visit her fundraising page. We will hear from her on Q13 FOX News at 4 and 5 p.m.