FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Peter Kronenberg, pkronenberg@napwa.org

The National Association of People With AIDS (NAPWA) calls on the Milton Hershey School to reverse its decision to deny admission to a 13-year-old straight-A student solely because he is HIV-positive.

Reaction has been immediate and angry. “I’m furious!”, said NAPWA Trustee Tom Donahue. “This reminds me of a twenty-first century Ryan White story - how can we let this happen again?”

The school argues that this case is completely different from Ryan White’s, because Milton Hershey is a full-time boarding school, not a day school. NAPWA urges the Milton Hershey School to rethink that – urgently, and not just for the sake of the young man denied admission.

HIV is not spread by casual schoolyard contact. If the school is concerned about the possibility of more intimate contact, it should do what every school should do: educate its students about the risks of unprotected sex and the reasons they have to protect themselves. Both parties involved in a sexual encounter are responsible for their behavior.

About NAPWA
NAPWA is today and has been for 25 years the oldest, most trusted voice for saving and improving the lives of people impacted by HIV/AIDS.  Founded as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization in 1983, NAPWA advocates for the lives and dignity of all people living with HIV/AIDS, especially the 1.2 million Americans who live with it today. We want the epidemic to end, and we want life to be better for people with HIV until it does. NAPWA is based in Silver Spring, Maryland. More information is available at www.napwa.org.