School Board Votes to Bar AIDS Victim

KOKOMO, Ind. — The school board voted unanimously Tuesday night to continue its battle to keep a 14-year-old AIDS victim out of school, saying it wants to safeguard the health of the boy and his fellow students.

The Western School Corp. board voted 8 to 0 to appeal a state hearing officer’s ruling that Ryan White should attend Western Middle School.

Ryan, a hemophiliac, contracted acquired immune deficiency syndrome through tainted blood tranfusions and was diagnosed as having the disease one year ago. He has not been back to school since the diagnosis, but has kept up with classes via a special telephone hookup.