Miss America Censored in Fla. Over AIDS Views

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1993. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Miss America Censored in Fla. Over AIDS Views

Baltimore Sun (06/03/93), P. 13A

Miss America Leanza Cornett, who enjoys educating people about AIDS, has been asked not to mention the disease when talking with elementary school students in Florida. Some school officials demanded that she not use the word "condom" when talking to students, while others advised that she not mention AIDS at all. "When the notice said I couldn't talk about AIDS or sex, I was floored," said Cornett. She was told not to mention the disease when visiting three elementary schools Tuesday in Bradford County, Fla. "I can adhere to any school board's needs. But I will not be an accomplice to the spread of this disease," she told a Rotary-Kiwanis meeting after her school visits. She added, "People are dying from this disease. I feel guilty that I didn't speak about it. I don't want to lay blame, but the school board should feel guilty." She went to the schools to present awards for Chevrolet's "Driving for Education" program, and gave 10-minute motivational speeches to the students. Jo Ann Rowe, the Bradford County school superintendent, said Wednesday that school officials must inform parents in advance if an outside speaker is going to discuss sexual issues such as AIDS. The disease is addressed in the fifth grade and in sex education in the sixth grade, according to the school district's curriculum. Cornett indicated that this is not the first time she has been told not to discuss AIDS.

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