Gwinnett College has reached a settlement with a former student who was discriminated against due to her HIV status, in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The college has also agreed with federal authorities to make changes to school policies to prevent future discrimination. According to the article, Gwinnett College, Feds Settle Over HIV-positive Student’s Discrimination Complaint, the former Gwinnett College student was told by school officials that because of her HIV status, she could no longer participate in the medical assistant program.
In his interview with the Gwinnett Daily Post, school president Michael Davis stated that he wasn’t aware the school had done anything illegal. The school’s medical assistant program requires that students participate in “live injections.” Even though precautions such as wearing gloves and glasses are mandatory during such practice, Davis stated, “My fear was that these students could get infected by their own stupidity, and that doesn’t mean anything negative.”
As part of the school’s former enrollment process, potential students were asked if they suffer from any blood related diseases such as HIV. Due to the U.S. Attorney’s investigation into its violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Gwinnett College is now required to make changes to its enrollment process, change certain policies and procedures, and increase ADA training for school employees. The school is also required to pay damages to the former student.
If you or someone you know thinks they have experienced discrimination due to a disability, the team at Radford & Keebaugh can help. Contact us by phone at (678) 369-3609 or use our contact form.