Every so often, a story breaks that seems too ridiculous, too backwards to be true. The recent news about several Tanzanian schools where HIV-positive children are forced to wear red ribbons definitely qualifies.
Mohammed Lukema, the headmaster of Kibaha Primary School in Dar es Salaam — Tanzania's largest city — offered a (weak) rationale for this practice, claiming that some parents requested that infected students wear the red ribbons so that school officials know who aren’t able to do certain tasks such as sweeping or carrying water that may affect their health.
On face value, this reasoning seems practical, but it's just another way to shame and ostracize kids born into a situation they had no control over. Even more disturbing is the fact that no one at these schools seemed to realize how wrong this practice is.
Considering the gaggle of misinformation about HIV and AIDS floating out there, what can be done to educate everyone so that stories like this don't occur again?
