When Rights and Responsibilities Collide

About that 13-year-old HIV positive kid from Delaware County who wants to go to the Milton Hershey School but has been turned down because of his HIV status... my print column is up.

The headline sez:

School had right to not accept student

I'm not so sure about that. It remains an open legal question, as the school itself acknowledges. For my part, I think the school should have the power and the right to decide if it can safely - and in good conscience - take responsibility for this kid.

What is clear to me is that the school isn't acting in a bigoted or ignorant manner, as some have suggested. It has good and sensible reasons for taking the position it has taken. Whether a judge will agree, remains to be seen.

UPDATE: From the comments, CurrerBell writes:

"Get a loada this, woudja! All about the school, that's what dey calls it, www.mhs-pa.org/about/all-about-the-school, two girls makin out wid each udder, thas what this school's all about?

Thas why they had that hurricane in New Orleans, cauza this stuff. You tellem Spence! Tellem...

WATCH OUT OR THE AWMIGHTY'S SENDIN A HURRICANE TO HERSHEY!!!"

Ms. Bronte (aka Currer Bell) is a stitch. But it is actually quite legal for a private school to expel professed lesbians if the school finds that sort of behavior in conflict with their moral or religious teachings.

Perhaps lesbianism could be declared a disability, covered by the ADA. But that would open up a whole other can of worms, wouldn't it?