EdD, University of Cincinnati, 2005, Education : Urban Educational Leadership

Historically, the issue of HIV and adolescence has not generally been considered a priority for most school educators and administrators. As treatments for HIV have advanced over the years, more students infected by the disease have been able to participate in learning environments in the public schools. With the No Child Left Behind Act permeating schools, urban administrators, and educators are forced to focus primarily on academically based achievement standards; negating the social, medical, legal, and moral complexities of students who are infected with HIV. The purpose of this research was to explore the attitudes of administrators and teachers in urban schools. This study found that their attitudes about HIV and HIV positive adolescents centered on 3 main themes:(1) the (non)compassion on the part of the administrator or teacher depending on the mode of HIV transmission, (2) their beliefs about factors that impede student learning, and whether a medical condition can be considered an impediment, and (3) the professional experience of the administrator and teacher that impacts school change.

Committee: Dr. James Koschoreck (Advisor) Subjects: