HIV+ Toddler Banned from Pool

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by AlphaGamUGAAlum

My impression was that the mother or father told a person involved with running the establishment, as opposed to talking it over with another guest.

I repeat again that I'm not a fan of discriminating against people with HIV; I just think that you and the parents are over-estimating the average person's level of information and willingness to make people with HIV truly feel welcome.

Sure the guy who ran the place should have known better.

I'll repeat this for what is probably the third time. One of them discussed it with a desk clerk. Not in a, HEY I HAVE HIV way like you were suggesting. Just chatting. It's not inconceivable you'd talk that way to a waitress too. Hence my example. if you were the person eating in that restaurant, what would you do?



And seeing how HIV is covered under the ADA, saying that people aren't willing to make those with HIV welcome doesn't matter. It's the legal equivalent of "I'm sorry Ms. Wheelchair but you can roll here unless you give me a doctor's note"

[UGAalum94]

In hindsight, was it wise for the mother to have done that?

Would you do it if it had been you?

My point is not that it justifies the reaction that she got, just that she probably isn't going to get the reaction she expects or is entitled to in other situations either.

And I'm glad that she has legal protection in the ADA, but it only works if she's or someone else is willing to sue to enforce it. So it might be easier to quit having casual conversations with desk clerks and waitresses about the kid's HIV. As a culture, I don't think we're generally there, and as this case demonstrates, RV parks are Alabama are definitely not.

(People do become concerned and need reassurance about the risk to themselves and others when they find themselves meeting or working around the first person they know has HIV. You or I might google it up if we had questions; other people might want to hear it from the health department. It might be unreasonable (and illegal) for them to expect the mom to provide it for them, but their wanting reassurance is not in fact exceptional when for the first time they are aware of, it's not a completely "what if" situation.

Whether she wants to or not, she's going to spend a lot of time educating people from here on out if she chooses to reveal the kid's status. It's either going to be about how there's no risk to others or about her legal rights. But I'd be really surprised if this is the last time it ever comes up.

Personally, I'd start carrying formation about risk and universal precautions and about my kids legal rights. Should she have to? no. Will her life be easier if she does? probably.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

And seeing how HIV is covered under the ADA, saying that people aren't willing to make those with HIV welcome doesn't matter. It's the legal equivalent of "I'm sorry Ms. Wheelchair but you can roll here unless you give me a doctor's note"

I hope you are right, but she's still going to need to have a plan to enforce it. I don't think you can call 911 with an ADA complaint, but I may be wrong. She has to function is the world she actually lives in and with the idiots in it. It's nice to know that she has the law on her side, but I don't think it will change her day to day experience much.

Personally, I wouldn't chat up waitresses or death clerks about my or my child's health issues. I particularly wouldn't do it if the issue were HIV/AIDS. It freaks people out whether you want it to or not.


ETA: you may have already seen this but here's a link to a letter that the ACLU sent the park. It backs up your point and it makes clear that the RV is a public accommodation, which was one of the things I was wondering about. So you're completely correct about the legal issues and there application in Alabama. It'd be nice to think that the publicity about this case will inform others, but who would have thought it would have been necessary in 2007 either?

http://www.aclu.org/images/asset_upl...e499_30571.pdf