School District Denies Expelling 11-Year-Old With AIDS Antibodies
An 11-year-old hemophiliac with AIDS antibodies in his blood will be admitted to classes and has not been expelled, despite that claim in a lawsuit, Saddleback Valley Unified School District Supt. Peter Hartman said Wednesday.
Debhorha Phipps, the aunt who has cared for Channon Phipps since he was a year old, contended in her Orange County Superior Court suit that her nephew was told by an assistant superintendent to stay out of school after the antibodies were discovered in his blood as a result of weekly blood extract injections. The boy does not have acquired immune deficiency syndrome.
Hartman denied that anyone told Channon he could not go to school and said he may return as soon as he passes routine county health examinations.
The aunt said she sued because she believes that the average of four hours of tutoring a week given the boy at home by the district is inadequate.
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