Suffering in Silence: Teachers with AIDS and the Moral School Community

Abstract:
"If the HIV hasn't killed me yet, the secrets certainly will." These are the words of Elizabeth, one of three elementary school teachers who share in this book their personal stories about being a teacher with HIV/AIDS. The stories help us to examine schools as "moral communities," focusing on the moral roles of teachers, institutions, and educational leaders. They reflect the fear, discrimination, and (in one case) open-armed acceptance that the teachers met in their respective school communities. The book sheds light on the public and private ethical conflicts surrounding the teachers' decisions to reveal their HIV status in school. It highlights the need to adopt, communicate, and adhere to appropriate HIV/AIDS policies, and it looks closely at the role of school leaders in determining the type of moral communities their schools become. Ultimately, the book provides a message of hope for acceptance and reform. As Peter, one of the teachers, states, "If I'm dealing with something life-challenging, I'm willing to go for the challenge. Challenges can be met." These stories are an excellent first step toward meeting the challenge of building strong moral communities in schools nationwide.

Author(s): ZAPPULLA, Catherine


Date Published: 5/1/1997

Pages: 368

Comments:
Alternate phone number: 212-647-7700. Book is located on shelf in Research Coordinator's office.

Location Code: 12047