6 HIV Students at Texas School Top U.S. Rate

Six of the 197 students at Rivercrest High School in northeast Texas have tested positive for the human immunodeficiency virus, which causes AIDS, Supt. Freddy Wade confirmed at a news conference Thursday. That is more than six times the national average infection rate of one in 250 people.

Although none of the infected students participate in extracurricular activities, two junior varsity girls basketball games have been canceled when opponents refused to play Rivercrest.

At other games, opposing athletes will not shake hands. “They won’t touch us,” said Donna Strain, a 17-year-old senior.

Students at the school said Thursday they were afraid for their future and angry about attention focused on them.

“I was devastated,” said Julie Hammond, 15. “I can’t believe that many people, you know, have the AIDS virus.”

Some students were angry at the media for coming to the school Thursday after the Dallas Morning News reported the cases. Television crews and reporters after the news conference were met with shouts of “Go home!”

School officials do not know the students’ identities and will not try to find out or have them removed from school, Wade said.

“An individual has a right to privacy,” he said. “I don’t waste my time questioning it.”

Teachers have been issued rubber gloves and told to treat all injured students as if they have the AIDS virus.

Neither school nor health officials could say why the six students sought testing. The six told health officials they contracted the virus through heterosexual sex.

School officials were informed in November that six students had the virus but did not tell teachers and students until December.

Parents have never been formally notified, Wade said, although the community was aware of the situation.

Students and health officials praised school authorities for their handling of the situation.

“I am so proud of that school district,” said Dona Spence, HIV-AIDS case manager at the Ark-Tex Council of Governments in Texarkana, where the six students went for counseling. Spence notified school officials of the cases. “They’re really trying to educate their kids. They are living in the real world,” she said.