Date: Fri, 29 Mar 1996 06:24:19 -0800 (PST) From: jessea@uclink4.berkeley.edu (Jessea NR Greenman) Subject: Chicago Board of Education Adopts New AIDS Policy || Gender Equity Resource || Happy ending in Dallas TX Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund 17 E Monroe Suite 212 Chicago IL 60603 LLDEFNY@aol.com Press Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 28, 1996 Contact: Barry Taylor or Mona Noriega (312) 759-8110 Chicago Board of Education Adopts New AIDS Policy Lambda's Challenge Results In Elimination Of Discriminatory Inquiries (CHICAGO, March 28, 1996 ) -- In response to pressure from Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, the Chicago Board of Education announced today that it has revised its AIDS policy. Lambda had written the Board voicing strenuous objection to the Board of Education's previous policy, which required prospective teachers to disclose their HIV status as part of the application process. HIV-positive applicants were also required to report their t-cell count, history of opportunistic infections, treatments the applicant is currently undergoing, and even the manner in which the applicant was infected. "We credit the Board for acknowledging that its previous policy required immediate revision, and we are pleased at their stated commitment to continue working with us to refine the current policy," said Barry Taylor, AIDS Project Staff Attorney in the Midwest Regional Office of Lambda and counsel in this case. "Requiring job applicants to disclose whether they are HIV-positive or have AIDS violates federal anti-discrimination laws and personal privacy rights." Lambda's challenge to the Board was on behalf of a teacher who was subjected to intrusive inquiries and medical examinations when applying for a job in the Chicago Public Schools. Lambda's negotiations with the Board of Education continue with respect to other aspects of the policy and the compensation its client should receive. "While eliminating the mandatory disclosure of HIV status is an important first step, the new policy still contains provisions that must be addressed," Taylor said. "The policy's inaccurate characterization of teachers with HIV as a potential direct threat, and the restrictions on HIV-positive school children, are especially troubling." Lambda and other HIV advocacy groups are reviewing the language of the new policy and expect to see changes to the policy which better reflect current knowledge about HIV transmission and the rights of people living with HIV and AIDS. -------------------30----------------- The Women's Educational Equity Act (WEEA) Publishing Center, located at the Educational Development Center, Inc., is a national resource center providing gender-fair multicultural materials, training, consultation, and referrals. We at The P.E.R.S.O.N. Project believe that homophobia is related at a deep level to sexism (sexism used in a gender-neutral sense, i.e. prejudice directed toward women and toward men because of their gender). We therefore wish to recommend to you this excellent source of materials. The WEEA Publishing Center has just released its 1996 catalog, which is available FREE by contacting *them* [not us!] at Women's Educational Equity Act (WEEA) Publishing Center Educational Development Center, Inc. 55 Chapel St, Suite 200 Newton MA 02158-1060 Customer Service 1-800-225-3088 Fax 617-332-4318 Internet: WEEAPUB@EDC.ORG ----------------------------------------------------------- From a member of the Board of the Dallas Gay Alliance comes this late-breaking word: [Thursday night March 28, the Dallas (TX) Independent School District's Board of Education passed an anti-slur policy which DID INCLUDE provisions regarding slurs based on sexual orientation!!!] "The policy was passed unanimously, 8-0, with one board member absent. We were expecting the religious right to show up in droves, so we were well-prepared with 10 strong speakers for our side. But only ONE person spoke out against the inclusion of sexual orientation in the policy. No heckling or anything. Of course, it was the LAST item on the agenda, and didn't come up till nearly 10 p.m. One board member told us after the meeting that there never was really any question about whether they would pass the policy. A couple of school board members made it quite plain, though, that the policy shouldn't be construed to approve any kind of 'lifestyle.' " [The P.E.R.S.O.N. Project should have the full text of the Dallas policy by next week...if anyone wants it, email ] *+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+ YOU MAY RE-POST. Jessea Greenman The P.E.R.S.O.N. Project (Public Education Regarding Sexual Orientation Nationally) CHECK THIS OUT FOR TONS OF INFO - - http://www.youth.org/loco/PERSONProject/ Please cc us (for our files) on correspondence you send or receive re our action alerts.