February 8, 2012

Hershey School Asks Court If It Violated HIV Discrimination Law

The Milton Hershey School has filed a petition asking the court to decide if it violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) when it denied admission to a student because he has HIV, The Patriot News reports. The school, a free private boarding school in Pennsylvania for low-income students, has argued the 13-year-old’s status poses a health threat because the student can become sexually active while at the school; that the school would not be able to meet ADA requirements without disclosing the students’ status to his caregivers and to students, against the wishes of the family; and that to accommodate the teen would require changes to procedures within the student homes. The AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania argues that the school is discriminating against the teen.
 
To read the Patriot News article, click here.

Search: Milton Hershey School, HIV, discrimination, law, HIV, AIDS, AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania, Americans with Disabilities Act

Scroll down to comment on this story.

Previous Comments:

Lori Yeghiayan, Los Angeles, 2012-02-09 15:10:35
AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) is running a campaign calling for an end to HIV stigma at the Hershey School. We are calling for a boycott of Hershey candy for Valentine's Day, until the Hershey Co., funder of the school) denounces this discrimination. To learn more and to send an letter, visit www.endHIVstigma.org. Thanks! Lori

Dave Martin, Austin, TX, 2012-02-09 09:09:12
Since HIV/AIDS is covered under ADA, the Hershey School is in violation. They would not have to disclose the student's status to other students (he was born positive and is more aware about safer sex than them).

Hershey School administrators are showing their ignorance and fail to see this as a teaching/learning opportunity for students, faculty, staff and administrators.

This child could pick up where Pedro Zamora left off.