The D.C.’s rates of childhood obesity, sexually transmitted disease and teen pregnancy are among the country’s highest. A 2009 study found that nearly half of the city’s chlamydia and gonorrhea diagnoses were among District residents 15 to 19 years old. Two-thirds of all diagnoses were among those younger than 24. Also, more than 3 percent of District residents older than 12 were living with HIV or AIDS in 2009, the report said.
While I do not object to this examination, it takes away from instructional time. The D.C. schools already are challenged educating children and have one of the lowest graduation rates in the country. In addition, this seems to be a parent problem. Schools are being burdened with dealing with problems that are societal and should be dealt with in homes. Educators neither have the time or training to deal with these issues.