New law lets Wis. teachers force HIV tests [View All]

[jono]

MADISON, Wis. -- Gov. Jim Doyle signed first-of-its-kind legislation Friday that requires students to get tested for HIV if teachers think they were exposed to contaminated blood.

Privacy advocates say the law infringes on students' medical privacy and could lead to discrimination against gays. Simon Davies, director of Privacy International, called the law "a wild exaggeration" of HIV fears.

"It's appalling," Davies said. "My first reaction was it can play to the worst ignorance and bigotry of people."

Republican Sen. Carol Roessler introduced the bill after a student at an Oshkosh alternative school cut his hand on a window and splattered blood in a teacher's eye in 2001.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/apscience_story.asp?category=1500&slug=Student%20HIV%20Tests