Sunday, December 26, 2010

South Korea: Should Foreign Teachers Be Tested for HIV?

This was an article in TIME magazine about mandatory HIV testing for foreign English teachers.

I personally think its crazy, but I didn't protest it when I had to do it twice. Why is it only for foreigners? And why are "Entertainment" Visas and migrant workers exempt? Are English teachers the only ones who spread around HIV/AIDS?

In 2007 a former English teacher was charged with sex crimes with children in other countries. Parents got upset and demanded that English teachers be screened more carefully. Then HIV testing and criminal background checks were required for English teachers.

Most people think the practice is ineffective and discriminatory. There have been no known cases of a Teacher-Student infection.

A health official said that "We've decided to ease the rules as HIV is not transmitted through air or water but through human contact most of the time." (regarding why E6 visas don't have to get tested)

Another official from the Ministry of Education also gave a reason for keeping the teacher tests: Mandatory HIV/AIDS testing for foreign English teachers "does not mean the government regards foreign teachers to be HIV positive or have the potential of transmission," he said. "It is just intended to assure the parents."

**Who are all these teachers who are sleeping with students??? Shouldn't there be a stricter system to make sure child molesters don't gain entry into Korea? And why aren't Koreans who teach tested? There's no possible way they could have HIV? Do only foreigners have AIDS? Koreans can't have it?

Here's the link to the article: http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2039281,00.html

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