R.I.P. HIP at Palmetto

I am involved in the HIP program at Palmetto. It's a club where students teach other students about health topics that are relevant to teens (similar to this blog) and we have candid conversation about those topics that teens might find difficult or awkward discussing with an adult. This program has helped a countless number of students at our school and many other schools across dade county. We used to teach to the biology classes but this year we had to switch to the P.E. classes. We have made accommodations to keep HIP at our school but today the PHE's were informed that HIP will no longer be a program at Palmetto. This might be the most inconsiderate, ignorant, uninformed decision ever made by our new principal. Harley would not negotiate with anyone from our current board and future board. HIP had tons of new recruits coming in for next year and the juniors involved this year were all going to continue on to next year. Now, all of these kids who are eager to help and inform their peers will miss out because Harley is unreasonable. And hopefully I can say all of this because this is my blog and it's freedom of speech but I am infuriated. This is probably THE most important club at our school and it deserves to be taken care of. There are no sex education classes at Palmetto and this year we taught students a lot that they were not aware of. I know that a lot of kids didn't listen but it was worth it if we helped just one person. The HIP website has even helped the PHE's. It has resources to help find free clinics around our school and tells you if you need a parent to get STD checked and what clinics let you go alone and much more information. We need HIP at Palmetto. The school is already so... disgusting, mainly because students are uninformed. Imagine what school will be like without the one program that gives students information that could change their lives? When there are STD outbreaks and more kids dying from mixing drugs and more pregnant girls at our school, maybe Harley will regret her lack of support in HIP. We don't have the club at school anymore but you can still stay informed. Go to the BEHIP.org website and it can show you all of the health topics covered in a year and give you resources and answer questions you may have. You must stay informed and take it upon yourselves to learn about everything you have questions on. Take care of yourselves as best you can and I'm always here to help, as well as www.behip.org