HIV and Schools - Out of Order

posted: 13/03/2009

Discrimination against those with HIV is still rife in schools, according to the National Aids Trust, with both teachers and pupils woefully ignorant and prejudiced. So why are ministers so slow to take action?

The National Aids Trust has accused the Government of not doing enough to fight discrimination in schools against pupils and teachers who have HIV.

An investigation by the trust found several cases where children have been refused places or temporarily excluded and where teachers have been forced out of jobs.

Ministers: What's the Problem?

NAT met officials from the Department for Children, Schools and Families last week to try to hammer out a deal that will see the department issue health and safety advice to schools.

It is understood that ministers are still reluctant to commit to a course of action, despite most of the main teaching unions throwing their weight behind the initiative.

Deborah Jacks, the trust's chief executive, said its campaign began more than 18 months ago, but it got an appointment with the Government only last month.

"There has been very little pro-active response from the Government on the issue," Ms Jacks said.

"Schools and all public bodies have a duty to promote equality, and under the Disability Discrimination Act, it is illegal to discriminate against people with HIV.

"We want teachers to realise there is no risk of children being able to infect other children or teachers with the disease. And there have been no known cases of it happening elsewhere in the world," she said.

The main aim of the campaign is to try to educate teachers, schools and parents about the level of risk involved and to remove any confusion that surrounds the virus.

"The only information currently available is on teachernet, which actually reinforces the problems, telling teachers they 'need to be aware of particular school subjects and activities where the risk of infection could occur.' " This is ridiculous - "pupils should be allowed to take part in every class," Ms Jacks said.

"I thought I should tell her in case I got injured," she said. "That's when things started to go wrong."

When blood was found on a staff toilet seat she threatened to fire whoever was responsible as "blood can carry disease".

"I knew she was referring to me when she was talking about these things, so I felt I couldn't stay at the school," Ursula said.

"I applied for another job but I had to put her as a referee. She called the school and told them I had HIV ... I was so angry.

"I tried to do the best thing by telling them I was HIV positive."

Ursula knows she will probably have to go through all this again. "In the end I got another job," she said. "I had to lie. I didn't tell them about my HIV status. Only the local authority knows. But I think I will have to tell the school at some stage."

Head told me to go elsewhere

A parent, whose adopted daughter has HIV, said she was shocked by a school's response.

When Mary (not her real name) went to enrol her daughter, she asked what the school's policy was on outbreaks of infectious diseases such as chicken pox. "The head wanted to know why I was asking, so I told her my child has an immune deficiency," she said.

When the head asked for more details, Mary said her daughter has HIV. "She moved away from me, and just said, 'Oh, we haven't had one of those before,'" she said.

The head told teachers, who said they had "concerns" about dealing with a child who was HIV-positive. Mary said: "The head said she thought it would be a good idea for me to try another school, and then she advised me to keep my daughter's HIV secret. To lie, basically."

Unions ask for action

In a letter to the department, the National Association of Head Teachers, the NASUWT and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers said they wanted to see more commitment from the Government to issue better advice.

"It would, we suggest, be a simple matter to send information to all headteachers outlining their duties around HIV under the Disability Discrimination Act, reiterating that they cannot discriminate against a child because they are HIV-positive, and providing guidance on how they can ensure they are operating fair policies and practice," the unions wrote.

A spokesman for the DCSF said after last week's meeting with the National Aids Trust to discuss the guidance issued to schools: "We are engaged in ongoing dialogue about how we can update the information available to schools on our Teachernet website."

Schools Ban HIV+ Pupils

posted: 05/12/2008

The government is being urged by three teaching unions and NAT to issue guidelines, as discrimination against children and teachers living with HIV is uncovered. The unions and National Aids Trust are now calling on the government to write to every headteacher to underline their obligations and give specific guidance on this to schools.

A government spokesman has responded and basically said "No".

Watch a video 'The head physically pulled away from me' - One mother on her experience with sending a child with HIV to a primary school Video share

Staff are "uncomfortable" but parents feel defiled, despairing and broken

In one case, a woman was told that a school's staff were uncomfortable with having her HIV-positive daughter as a pupil. She was advised to find a more suitable school and not to disclose the child's HIV status.

"Right there and then I felt defiled," she told Teachers TV News. "I just looked at my husband and I could see despair on his face, that's the only way I can describe it. And we walked out of there and he was broken, and so was I."

Teacher suffers discrimination and broken confidentiality

In another case, a teacher was discriminated against at school because of her HIV status, and when she left the job she was subjected to a breach of confidentiality when her head teacher informed a prospective employer that she was HIV positive, without her permission.

Teacher Tells

Deborah Jack, the National Aids Trust's chief executive, said: "We've heard of children being refused places at school, and children being excluded from school when people found out they were HIV positive.

"We've even had one case where a child actually found out they were HIV positive from a teacher, when their parents and doctor had decided it would be better to wait until they were older."

The government made discrimination against adults or children with HIV illegal under the Disability Discrimination Act, 2005.

Schools Guidance Gap

But the National Aids Trust has repeatedly called for the government to give specific guidance on HIV in schools. They say that HIV is mentioned only "in passing" in broader literature.

This request is now being echoed by three teaching unions, whose leaders have put their signatures to a letter to the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF).

Clarissa Williams, president of the National Association of Head Teachers, said: "The law is quite clear and, if it's being breached, then we need the department to issue guidance that's much clearer so that schools can no longer do this."

The DCSF said it would be "surprised" to hear that schools were excluding pupils for having HIV or AIDS, as this was certainly not a reason to be excluded.

A spokesperson said that HIV/AIDS guidance was available from the website Teachernet and that the Health Protection Agency had produced a poster on infection control which was available free to schools. [In fact the HPA poster is a 6 page booklet with just 31 words about HIV: "HIV is not infectious through casual contact. There have been no recorded cases of spread within a school or nursery. Good hygiene will minimise any possible danger of spread of HIV."]

The department said there were no plans to release further guidance or to contact schools about this issue.

Campaigning action

Please sign the petition     We’re now asking people to sign a petition to the Government calling for them to act to end discrimination in schools by providing better support for schools. To add your signature go to Number10 petitions

Talk to your local school    We’re also asking people to contact their local school and encourage them to use NAT's excellent HIV in Schools pack to educate their pupils about HIV. By educating a new generation about HIV we can help end HIV prejudice.

Invite Positive Speakers     Schools may be very interested in having George House Trust Positive Speakers come to talk about their experiences of living with HIV.

Source

Stop Schools Discriminating

posted: 21/11/2008

George House Trust, NAT and other HIV support organisations are uncovering more examples of children being discriminated against by schools.

Confidentiality is being broken, children are being refused places and even being excluded. All solely because they are HIV-positive.

NAT has joined forces with three leading teaching unions, NASUWT, NAHT and ATL, to tackle HIV-related discrimination in schools. NAT have written to the Secretary of State for Education calling for guidance to schools on their duties under the Disability Discrimination Act 2005. Campaigning will continue to tackle the Government on this issue until the rights of children living with HIV are upheld.

Please sign the petition to 10 Downing Street

We’re now asking people to sign a petition to the Government calling for them to act to end discrimination in schools by providing better support for schools. To add your signature go to Number10 petitions

Talk to your local school

We’re also asking people to contact their local school and encourage them to use NAT's excellent HIV in Schools pack to educate their pupils about HIV. By educating a new generation about HIV we can help end HIV prejudice.

Schools may be very interested in having George House Trust Positive Speakers come to talk about their experiences of living with HIV.