HIV Law Protects Teachers, Support Staff

Governor Doyle hands a pen to Oshkosh school nurse Linda Stoikes after signing the HIV testing bill. Also joining him are (left to right) Rep. Gregg Underheim; Oshkosh Education Association President Len Herricks; Jennifer Halbur, a legislative staff member in Sen. Carol Roessler's office; Roessler, who was author of the bill; and WEAC President Stan Johnson. Winnebagoland UniServ Council Director Richard Kern is behind Roessler. Others who worked on passage of the bill include Oshkosh teachers Cheryl Hartman and Patti Yana, and Oshkosh School District Human Resoures Director John Sprangers.

A bill signed into law in April adds another level of safety for teachers and education support professionals.

The new law allows an education employee to require testing of someone who may have exposed the employee to HIV.

The law requires mandatory testing under very limited circumstances in order to protect the safety of education employees. Emergency workers such as police and first responders already have the right to require such testing.

Governor Jim Doyle signed the bill into law in Oshkosh, home of the teacher who pushed for the law. Cheryl Hartman, a teacher at Oshkosh’s Second Chance School for emotionally disturbed students, wanted a student tested for HIV after some of his blood squirted in her eye. It was important for her to know whether she had been exposed to the virus.

The bill was sponsored by Sen. Carol Roessler, of Oshkosh.

Posted April 22, 2004