FILE: GAMFA
COMMUNICABLE DISEASES
AIDS
The Plaquemines Parish School Board recognizes the importance of protecting the health and welfare of students, teachers, and other employees of the educational system from the spread of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). The Board's policy and regulations regarding AIDS shall be reviewed and revised regularly as necessary to reflect current medical research and legal opinion. The term AIDS shall refer to AIDS Syndrome, AIDS Related Complex (A.R.C. symptoms similar to AIDS brought about by the same virus), and the etiologic agent for AIDS, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).
Epidemiologic studies indicate AIDS is transmitted via sexual contact or blood to blood contact. Based on current evidence, adult school personnel infected with AIDS, under ordinary school circumstances, will not infect school children or co-workers. Since such an illness may cause severe psychological suffering, every effort should be made to place the infected employee in the least stressful position.
It is imperative that the school system respect the infected individual's right to privacy; therefore, knowledge that a child or an employee has AIDS should be confined to those persons who have a direct need to know. Those persons should be provided with appropriate information and should be made aware of the requirements of confidentiality; however, as with any contagious disease, the public health department will be notified.
Guidelines and Procedures
Statement of Purpose
The purpose of these guidelines is the protection of the right of school system employees who have AIDS to continue employment. The school system also recognizes its obligation as an employer to provide an objectively safe environment where employees and students do not have fears for their health and safety.
Regulations
To continue employment in the Plaquemines Parish School System, any employee diagnosed as having AIDS shall submit proper medical evidence that indicates his/her condition is not a threat to themselves or others. If the employee has cutaneous (skin) eruptions or weeping lesions that cannot be covered or necessitates the changing of dressings during the school hours, he/she should not be in school.
The attending physician, in conjunction with the Public Health Department, shall monitor the health of the adult. Any changes in status of the adult's health shall be reported immediately to the Superintendent of Plaquemines Parish Schools. The school nurse shall assess the adult of the school setting and shall report any significant findings to the Public Health Department, and with the adult's consent, to the attending physician. If school authorities and the adult's personal physician are in conflict, the controversy shall be decided under the directive of the Public Health Department.
The knowledge that an employee has AIDS should be confined to those persons who have a direct need to know. Those persons should be made aware of confidentiality requirements. Those persons should also be educated in regard to the latest medical information concerning AIDS.
In order to alleviate students' and co-workers' fears and to offer the infected adult the least stressful working situation, and one that would minimize the risk of encountering infectious agents, a transfer within the school system may be considered. This would result in no reduction of pay or benefits, but would guarantee a more favorable environment for the infected adult and assure maximum productivity in the school system.
Revised: April, 2010
Adopted: November 1, 2010
Ref: 20 USC 1232 (g-i) (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act)
20 USC 1400-1482 (Education of Individuals with Disabilities)
La. Rev. Stat. Ann. ยงยง17:170, 17:436, 17:437, 17:1941
Health and Safety, Bulletin 135, Louisiana Department of Education
Board minutes, 1-10-94
Plaquemines Parish School Board