HIV+ students shunned in Latur school

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HIV+ students shunned in Latur school

Fri, Jul 10, 2009 New Delhi: Legalising homosexuality may help the fight

against AIDS in India, but the education of some HIV positive children in Latur

has been jeopardised.

Not only are they HIV infected but they have also been victims of

discrimination. Their school - Zilla Parishad School Hosegaon - is allegedly

asking them to withdraw themselves from the rolls because other students and

their parents are not willing to come in contact with them.

Nearly 150 of the 320 students in the school have been boycotting classes for

the past few days demanding that the HIV positive students be asked to leave

school. The students are backed by their parents some of whom have been

threatening to withdraw their children if the HIV positive students are not

asked to leave.

Some students have even allegedly begun applying for transfer certificates.

The Headmaster of the school says, " Students were led to believe that they would

get the disease if they sat next to the HIV positive students. Out of 320

students, 148 have been missing school for the last three days. "

Latur Education Officer, Vilas Joshi, stated, " We want them but the other

students and their parents don't want them. Parents say if their children ever

get into a fight with the HIV positive students and the HIV positive students

bite their children, then there is a risk of infection. We have consulted

doctors on this and they say that in a case where an HIV positive person bites

someone else, there could be a risk of infection. "

However, activists and NGOs have slammed the school authorities for their

callousness.

" This is really wrong because we have a fundamental right to equality and that

someone should not be discriminated on these grounds. On the other hand we see

schools asking students to leave because they are HIV positive. This is

violating their right to education, their right to life and their right to

equality.

An inclusive society cannot function like this, " says Secretary of the Sahyog

Trust - an NGO for HIV positive patients - Rama Sarode.

" I think what the school authority is lacking is trying to bring awareness among

parents who are saying they will boycott classes or get transfer certificates

for their children. There is so much ignorance here. And that's the point. What

kind of education are we imparting to the children? " she adds.

She says that as soon as school starts, there should be a parent-teacher meeting

to bring about awareness.

" Such information about the children's health status should not be leaked by the

school authorities to other parents or to anybody else for that matter so as not

to cause confusion and fear, " she says.

For now the local authorities - after failing to convince the parents of other

students - have said that the children are going to remain in a hostel and will

receive education separately there.

But this was not the first incident of its kind. In 2007 in Kottayam, Kerala,

five HIV positive students were dismissed after other parents refused to send

their children to the school. They had to battle their way back to primary

school.

They were re-admitted at a lower primary school after the state government

intervened on their behalf, but even the year after, it was an ordeal for the

children to continue their education. The government had to intervene again to

get the students a seat.

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/hiv-students-shunned-in-latur-school/96831-3.html