Should School Officials Be Notified of Students' HIV Status?
On February 13, South Carolina’s Senate Medical Affairs Committee approved legislation that would remove a requirement that school officials be notified if a student is diagnosed with HIV or AIDS, reports AP/WISTV (wistv.com, 2/13).
According to state senator Brad Hutto, this move would increase testing, as some students refrain from getting tested because they don’t believe their results will remain private. Hutto also says that the disclosure requirement is pointless because by law, school officials can’t do anything with the knowledge that a student is HIV positive anyway.
According to the AP article, South Carolina ranks ninth in the country in AIDS cases per capita. More than 15,000 people in the state are living with HIV.
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Earl Curtis, , 2008-03-18 10:48:25
It really is insane to give bigots the information they need to discriminate against people living with HIV.
I was fired from my job before courts ruled protecting asymtomatic HIV.
Bigots eventually understand they cannot discrimate overtly. So they will find other reasons to dismiss, suspend, and otherwise encourage students living with HIV to leave their district.
NO ONE HAS A RIGHT TO KNOW YOUR HIV STATUS BESIDES YOUR LOVER AND YOUR DOCTOR.
Joshua, Pantego NC, 2008-03-15 02:46:04
I think its kinda stupid, i went to a school that done that same thing, but they had to change it cause i brought it to a lawyers attention and it was considered discrimination. So, no students should not have to disclose that to school officials
Dennis, , 2008-03-13 10:58:30
I had a false pos in 2000/2001 and then showed neg. I guess I wanted to beleive I was neg. But I did after that and ending my realationship go back to college. When I got to my clinical of the nusring program we all had to disclose if we were carryiing any infectious disease , as hiv, hep. I was diagnosed with aids just after starting the clinicals, I took a lessor deggree and graduated I guess I see it from both sides
T-dot, Brooklyn,N.Y., 2008-03-12 11:07:50
It is my belief that disclosing your status to anyone depends on that person. I know of plenty of people who attend school, work, or other places where there is interaction with people and when I converse with PLWA, it is explained that it is a need to know basis. So as it concerns South Carolina, if young people disclose there status, there needs to be credential clinical professionals (i.e. Social workers, mental health therapist, etc.) who specifically are trained to dealing with children and
James, Minnesota, 2008-03-12 03:27:44
I agree with Fred
I am out with my status and it has made me a stronger person. Any person who would ever try to discriminate against me would lose. I believe that everyone has the right to privacy when it comes to their medical info, and yet I also beleive that the stigma surrounding the disease is because not enough of us HIVers are "out". Anyone who does not like my status can get out of my life. I need support not stigma. Be assertive in your right to be treated like a decent human.
j kenny ireland, ireland, 2008-03-11 06:33:42
it should not be necessary to disclose from a public health perspective but if a student is taking medications that have the potential for serious side effects then the medical staff should have some information as with other medical conditions. there is not enough accountability in this respect and another area where this has had life threatening outcomes is in the over prescription of anti depressants. there should be stronger measures in place to address discrimination - more legal challenges
JOHN HOPKINS, ATLANTA, GEORGIA, 2008-02-21 13:24:57
FINALLY SOMETHING THAT IS GOOD COMES OUT OF SOUTH CAROLINA. HAVING USED BY CDC TO JUSTIFY HIV TESTING IN ALL CLINICAL SITUATIONS, BECAUSE IT DID NOT APPEAR TO BE HAPPENING IN ANY SITUATION IN SOUTH CAROLINA, A CHANGE OF LAW/RULES THAT HELPS TO EASE THE TESTING PROBLEM. BEING A NATIVE OF SOUTH CAROLINA I WAS HAPPY TO SEE ONE OF MY 'LINE BROTHERS, SPEAKING OUT AROUND THE COUNTRY AND HELPING TO GET $1 MILLION FOR CBOs IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA MADE ME PROUD. NOW THIS!
Romulus Okwany, Pullman, WA, 2008-02-21 09:48:08
Despite the reduced stigma associated with HIV I believe this decision is still valid. There is completely no reason for school officials to be notified about a student's HIV status as there is nothing they can do in any case with the information. Also, due to the default safe handling of body fluids for all people eliminates any risk that they may be exposed to if such a student had an open cut or injury. On the other hand, such knowledge may raise undue sensitivity on the situation.
Mark, Maryville, 2008-02-21 09:19:18
Plain and simple the answer is NO.They maybe in shock of the amount of students that would test poz if they were tested. If a student is required so should the staff.
Fred, , 2008-02-20 11:49:02
I had to ask myslef why I find this disturbing, and the reason why is because of the ignorance and stigma that exists for HIV. How do we improve the lives of all poz people (with their higher levels of depression, social isolation, etc) if we don't improve on education and address the stigma within our communities? How many people in the general population say that they don;t know anyone HIV+, and is that reponse accurate? I would say that poz people need to step up and be counted.
Karen Bates, Columbia, SC, 2008-02-19 17:50:10
I was unaware that South Carolina even HAD such a law. It is about time our state legislature did away with such an arcane practice! It should be up to HIV positive individuals to decide when and to whom they may wish to disclose their own status.
K Darnell Williams, Union City, 2008-02-19 14:00:00
I think the government is getting too personal when it comes to indiviudal disclosure. What is the point? And another thing, HIV testing is and should remain a personal decision.
Michael Brewster, Haslett, 2008-02-19 13:47:43
I think this is a good move. Schools can't do anything anyways so why make them be told of positive results. I think this also will make more students be tested.
Penni Cleverley, St Johnsbury, 2008-02-19 09:36:13
This reminds me when my son was scheduled to attend kindergarten and the school wanted to ask me more questions then of other parents just because I am HIV+. This happened in East Haven Vermont (1992) As a family we were treated so badly we decided to up and move and hide the HIV status until my children were old enough to be able to handle the discrimination of others. I began going public with my status in 2004 when my youngest child was a junior in high school. Schools have no reason to know!
Jason Abachiche, Denver, 2008-02-17 00:26:23
Absolutely not! We has an HIV community are not ex-cons, sex offenders, or anything of that sort where we need to be "monitiored" so to speak. With social stigma still as negative as it is and the need for more education concerning HIV/AIDS; it would be a very bad idea. Remember Germany and how the many ways they kept track of people.. This is wrong..
"I'm HIV positive and diabetic (as well as have high cholesterol) and some of my meds specify taking them with 'high fat foods' which I have to do twice a day. I've eaten as healthy as possible, but when it comes to high fat foods, I am in a quandary...about what to eat sometimes..."
