[summer]

Well, many school across the country have eliminated PE and banned recess entirely, because the principal wants to focus more time on reading, writing and math.

In addition, IMO, until parents agree to stop using the schools as a litigation playground, and parents are required to either waive their right to sue (unless the charge invoves sexual abuse), I think eventually all sports will eventually be prohibited in schools because the schools simply can not afford the cost of potential lawsuits.

BTW, did any of you know the following true fact?

If your child plays a contact sport, let's say - football - in high school or middle school or whatever, and, a kid on the team has HIV and knows he has HIV, and, that kid and your kid "contact" during such sport in a way so as your kid gets an open wound and mixes blood with the other kid, by federal law: you are not allowed to be informed that the other kid was HIV infected (and, your kid may now be too).

I was shocked when I learned this at the school district orientation session in the district where I now teach, and the other teachers in that training session (especially the men who are also fathers) were outright furious.

But, the nurse explained it this way, as she supports this federal law: If the school told you who was HIV infected, then, you'd watch out for "that" kid - but not another kid, who may well have HIV too and not even know it yet. Consequently, the law is designed in part to make you cautious of every kid (and to treat every blood/saliva exchanged injury as if there is a possibility your kid now has HIV).

BTW, I am not kidding around here, and my facts are right. After hearing this, I am not so sure I would ever allow a child of mine to play contact sports - the risk of getting an open wound and exchanging HIV-infected blood or saliva seems to me too big of a risk.
And, under federal law, the school is not allowed to tell you if they know half the team is already HIV infected.

I feel sorry for anyone who is sick with any illness, including HIV, but I must tell you, when we heard about this law and the risks involved now with kids playing contact sports, it was clear some teachers/parents were on their way to pull their kids out of those sports right after the orientation session.

[summer]

FYI, see my post #19 re a federal law, contact sports, HIV infected kids, and other kids.

[ladylib]

Home school. Obviously, the public schools are too dangerous to attend.

[demkicker]

Sorry, but me thinks you are over reacting about this.

[Political Junkie Too]

But, the nurse explained it this way, as she supports this federal law: If the school told you who was HIV infected, then, you'd watch out for "that" kid - but not another kid, who may well have HIV too and not even know it yet.

You know, that sounds a lot like the rules for a game of Tag. "That" kid is It and everyone tries to stay away from It.

-PJ

[jalisco555]

Several issues here. First, the move to ban dodgeball, tag etc. is just silly PC nonsense. Second, kids need some kind of physical outlet during the school-day, especially younger kids. Banning recess, PE etc. will only lead to a school full of kids bouncing off the walls by the end of the day which may even be more dangerous than supervised physical activity.

As for the HIV issue it is true that the rules on HIV confidentiality are extremely strict. I handle blood and body fluids all the time and usually I'm not told about a person's HIV status. I have to assume they're all positive. That being said, I'm not aware of a single case of documented HIV transmission during athletic activity. Due to the nature of the virus this sort of transmission is very unlikely and I would not tell people to withdraw their kids from sports because they would be playing with an infected child.

BTW, among medical people there is really very little concern about occupational AIDS exposure. The disease we really fear is Hepatitis.