Presidential Address: American Foundation for AIDS Research

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Education is critical to clearing up the fears. Education
is also crucial to stopping the transmission of the disease.
Since we don't yet have a cure or a vaccine, the only thing that
can halt the spread of AIDS right now is a change in the behavior
of those Americans who are at risk.
As I've said before, the Federal role is to provide
scientific, factual information. Corporations can help get the
information out; so can community and religious groups. And, of
course, so can the schools -- with guidance from the parents and
with a commitment, I hope, that AIDS education or any aspect of
sex education, will not be value neutral.
A dean of St. Paul's Cathedral in London once said, "The aim
of education is the knowledge not of facts, but of values." And
that's not too far off. Education is knowing how to adapt, to
grow, to understand ourselves and the world around us. And
values are how we guide ourselves through the decisions of life.
How we behave sexually is one of those decisions.
As Surgeon General Koop has pointed out, if children are
taught their own worth, we can expect them to treat themselves
and others with greater respect. And wherever you have
self-respect and mutual respect, you don't have drug abuse and
sexual promiscuity -- which, of course, are the two major causes
of AIDS. Nancy, too, has found from her work that self-esteem is
the best defense against drug abuse.
Now, we know there will be those who will go right ahead --

so, yes, after there is a moral base, then you can discuss
preventatives and other specific measures.