Gov. Mark Sanford vetoed a bill this week that would have ended a requirement that state health officials notify the school nurse and district superintendent when a student tests positive for HIV.
Supporters of the bill say the notification requirement leads some students to avoid getting tested. Sanford argues that the state should require more notification, not less, lumping HIV in with other “highly contagious diseases.”
“If my son or daughter was sitting in class or was on the sporting field with a fellow student who happened to have Hepatitis C, as a parent I would want to know,” Sanford wrote.
1) HIV is not a “highly contagious” disease. The type of contact necessary to transmit the virus is remote (almost nonexistent) in a school setting. It’s alarmist and ignorant to claim anything different. If anything, an HIV positive student should be worried about the viruses you’re kids are bringing to school.
2) Even under the existing law, as a parent of another kid in the classroom, you’re not obliged to know anything about the health status of another student. But, apparently the governor is expecting the school to send letters home saying, “You’re son’s classmate, Johnny, has that gay cancer.”
It’s evident that Sanford did not consult state health officials or anyone with HIV/AIDS when he made this decision and certainly not before he wrote his veto letter, which does more to further ignorance than understanding.
One Comment
I am confused…The title refers to HIV but the article refers to hepatitis c and HIV. I believe someone has made an error. Hepatitis C may be abbreviated as HCV (Hepatitis C Virus). Whereas, HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus)refers to the virus that cases AIDS. Both are reportable diseases by the CDC but HIV is considered an STD whereas HCV is not. In addition, they are separate and totally different diseases. While it is true that both can be contracted through blood to blood contact HIV can also be found in other body fluids such as semen and saliva whereas Hepatitis is NOT. Neither should be a concern in a school setting however and making other students aware of another child’s status if infected does nothing more than serve to expose that child to undue stereotyping and emotional harm at a time when it is hard enough to be child in the public school system. Nevertheless this mistake should be corrected regarding terminology especially considering the article is about ignorance in understanding the disease. Thank You, K.Phelps, RN, BSN, HCV Advocate & Survivor