Up to 50 teenagers tested for HIV at St. Louis High School

Up to 50 teens exposed to HIV, high school told
Midwest high school copes with HIV scare
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Infected person tells health officials as many as 50 teens might have been exposed

Normandy High School in St. Louis, Missouri, consults national AIDS groups

Students being tested for HIV at six stations in the high school gymnasium

Fallout: Sports rival initially balks at playing team; relationships strained




Students at a suburban St. Louis high school underwent HIV testing this week after an infected person told health officials as many as 50 teenagers might have been exposed to the virus that causes AIDS. Reaction has been swift in the small, working-class city. One student says many of his classmates want to transfer out of the district.

Officials refused to give details on who the person was or how the students at Normandy High School might have been exposed, but the district is consulting with national AIDS organizations as it tries to minimize the fallout and prevent the infection -- and misinformation -- from spreading.

"There's potential for stigma for all students regardless of whether they're positive or negative," Normandy School District spokesman Doug Hochstedler said Thursday. "The board wants to be sure all children are fully educated."

A teacher in a neighboring district singled out a girl who dates someone at Normandy High and instructed her to get tested, Hochstedler said. A competing school's football team initially balked at playing Normandy's 8-0 team.

Jasmine Lane, a 16-year-old sophomore, said her boyfriend from a neighboring high school broke up with her on learning of the news -- after she bought them tickets to homecoming.



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