Andrea Jacobs, a social studies and public health teacher at Maryvale Preparatory School, has an academic background in public health, holding an MS in the field. Her passion for public health education led her to teach at the community college level before bringing her expertise to Maryvale, where she has taught public health for the past three years. “The kids’ interest in public health was sparked by COVID-19,” Jacobs shares. Maryvale stands out as one of the only high schools in the area offering a public health course, providing students with a unique chance to explore how health, society, and policy intersect.
When discussing how the World Health Organization (WHO) factors into her curriculum, Jacobs emphasizes the organization’s essential role. “The WHO is both the keeper of statistics and offers all kinds of prevention and treatment strategies,” she explains. The WHO provides a global framework for understanding public health trends and responses, which she incorporates into her teaching.
Regarding the U.S. withdrawal from the WHO, Jacobs points out that while it hasn’t changed the core material she teaches, it has influenced how she approaches certain topics. “How I teach is actually affected more by what’s happening at the CDC,” she notes. “The data isn’t being collected or published the way it should be. The morbidity and mortality reports are delayed and incomplete, which impacts public health decision-making.”
Jacobs also reflects on the bigger consequences of the U.S. stepping back from the WHO. “The WHO is continuing without the U.S., meaning that the U.S. will not be able to have input into things like the next flu vaccine,” she says. Additionally, she notes that U.S. foreign aid has been significantly cut. “Americans are compassionate and want to help other people. If we send out scientists to Uganda if there is an Ebola outbreak, for example, we want to keep it there,” she explains. She highlights how these efforts are also key to political soft power and diplomacy, building trust and influence internationally.
When asked how the U.S. withdrawal might shape students’ understanding of global health, Jacobs expresses concern. “Students are aware that the systems meant to prevent or manage another pandemic aren’t being prioritized,” she says. “We saw how unprepared the U.S. was during COVID-19, and there’s worry about what might happen next time.” She underscores how these gaps in leadership and collaboration are part of the broader lessons in public health, teaching students that global health requires international cooperation and preparedness.
As a public health educator, Jacobs stresses the consequences of stepping away from the WHO. “We’re cutting ourselves off from vital data and collaboration,” she explains. While she can still use WHO resources in her classroom, she acknowledges that the decision is a loss for the country as a whole. When asked about alternative resources, she mentions that she will continue to use WHO materials and supplement with CDC resources when available.
Jacobs believes the most important lesson for students is understanding the critical role public health plays in protecting populations. “My biggest concern is that this country won’t be prepared for the next pandemic,” she says. She also voices deep frustration over the growing skepticism around vaccines. “It really doesn’t make sense why people are so suspicious of vaccines—smallpox was eradicated because of vaccines,” Jacobs emphasizes. Beyond pandemic preparedness, she highlights the vast disparities in health outcomes within the U.S., particularly along racial lines. “Maternal and infant mortality rates among Black women and children in this country are similar to those in developing nations,” she notes. “Healthcare is a basic human right. We’re one of the only countries without universal healthcare, and I believe we all pay for that.”
For Jacobs, teaching public health is about more than just facts—it’s about showing students how health decisions affect everyone. Whether it’s the U.S. leaving the WHO, health inequalities in the U.S., or misinformation about vaccines, she wants her students to see the bigger picture.
