A new national poll assessing parents’ views about aids suggests that most would send their children to school with another child who has the disease.
The survey by Louis Harris and Associates, published this month in Children magazine, found that 66 percent of the parents interviewed would continue sending their child to school if a classmate was diagnosed as having aids. Only 21 percent favored removing their child from class in that situation.
More than half of those surveyed--56 percent--said school officials should inform the community if a student has aids; 39 percent favored keeping the student’s name and condition confidential.
The overwhelming majority of those questioned--94 percent--said school officials should take special steps to educate teachers and students about the disease--even if no student is suspected of carrying it.
The nationwide poll of 411 parents was conducted for the magazine in October.