You also haven’t addressed the fact that what you are suggesting will increase the spread of AIDS.

These are the kind of facts you call “the fluff”.

“I kept it simple because a large part of this discussion is really quite simple once you brush away some of the fluff.”

Again, it’s really this type of thinking that’s the most dangerous.

“But why is it so simple? You give us nothing with this statement. Why is not a human rights violation? You make no arguments, present no reasoning.. I mean, you are welcome to your gut feelings and homespun opinions, but don’t plan on persuading people with this kind of approach.”

It is painfully simple. People already in Korea can get their medical locally and as a result do not have to travel back to their respective home countries….That seemed obvious. The statement you mock as so simple included ALL teachers working with kids. Look up the word ALL and you might find it means an entire group. This particular group includes Foreign Teachers who have resided in Korea for a few years and not lived abroad for extended periods and Korean Teachers who already get a medical on a yearly basis.

The screen is for all teachers and should include a reasonable list of dangerous and contagious diseases. But perhaps thats too simple….and makes my dangerous.

Yikes….

I think that the medical tests should cover numerous contagious and dangerous diseases for all people who will teach kids. So what you said about other diseases that are dangerous as well makes sense. I also beleive that with recent near-pandemics and with the current pandemic that many countries will enact far stricted entry screening measures and far more stringent immigration and foreign labor rules. Why? Cost and who these governments work for. They work for the people that elected them and for the citizens of their countries. In Korea’s case that is neither you nor me unless you are a citizen or a permanment resident with voting rights.

The test should be taken before entry into Korea for those coming from abroad and in Korea for those who reside there and will teach kids.

You can believe the HIV screening is discrimination. I do not see it as discrimination as long as it is made a visa issuance requirement. Furthermore, the HIV testing does not need to be known publicly, and the results are confidential. A person found to infected should be notified and the employer can then make his decision. Honestly, if I ran a school for children I would not hire someone with HIV or another serious contagious disease. The risks are too great (even if they can be considered small).

As for the authority I was speaking about it is the right of a sovereign nation to decide who it lets into its country and under what conditions. This extends to the foreign labor it hires and brings in-country. It is not up to you or me to dictate to any sovereign country what is needed to obtain a work visa. If the restrictions are too much for some people, I suggest they “vote with their feet” and choose another “ESL Destination”. I am not saying this to be harsh. I think people these days tend to see everything as their right and everything that requires something of them as discrimination.

Korean government officials and the government could save itself a headache here and more the health requirements abroad and part of visa issuance requirements.

You can go on a tirade (wrong word perhaps and no offense intended) and bring up unrealistic examples like you did with the blood type screening. All that does is confuse the issue with sensationalism. Really, requiring a screen for an incurable and potentially deadly disease that is contagious is discrimination? It is a Human Rights violation? So the right to spread disease supersedes the right to protect people (as long as we will engage in dramatics I figured I would jump in)?

Your right to travel with contagious disease is higher than the right of others not to be exposed to the disease if they can?

One is a Human Rights issue and discrimination but the other is ok?

I will end this by saying I did not appreciate you calling me an idiot or implying it when you said:

“sadly, it is often people like yourself who find everything so clear and so simple who end up being some of the most dangerous people out there. And you don’t even realize you are doing it.”

A) I am quite aware of what I am saying and doing.

B) I kept it simple because a large part of this discussion is really quite simple once you brush away some of the fluff.

Calling me dangerous I assume meant you consider me being some sort of “Yes man” to what you perceive as discrimination. I do not recall insulting anyone in my previous two comments. I merely provided my input on this question. I honestly find the epidermic reaction people have to every thing that contradicts their values or views is in a way polluting the debate and cluttering judgement. Thats just my two cents.

Also, following your logic of testing for contagious diseases, then we better test for the really contagious ones. AIDS isn’t that contagious. Lets test foreigns for diseases that can really be passed through casual contact, such as skin to skin, or even skin to surfaces. MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus) staph infections killed more people in the US last year than AIDS and its spread by causal contact like touching people or even things, surfaces, etc.

Its a real concern in the school setting. http://www.cdc.gov/Features/MRSainSchools/

I’m sorry, and I mean no offense, but the kind of conclusory statements you make are really part of the problem. People just say stuff, react. They don’t think, research or study enough. If you don’t know the area hold back your judgments til you do.

For example, you say:

“People already in Korea (F-visas, E-visas) should go throug a medical (including HIV) if they will teach kids. Thats simple and it is not discriminatory nor a Human Rights violation.”

But why is it so simple? You give us nothing with this statement. Why is not a human rights violation? You make no arguments, present no reasoning.. I mean, you are welcome to your gut feelings and homespun opinions, but don’t plan on persuading people with this kind of approach.

Also, you say:

“But thats not our call, it is up to Korea to decide what they require of teachers who will teach Korean children. Korea has the right to decide who it lets into its country and what the requirements are.”

Again, from what authority are you speaking from? Or simply put: why? You tell us very little here.

Are you saying that no matter what Korea decides to require for teaching kids, it’s ok? Really? How about if they decide to violate their own constitution, is that ok? What if they require people to have “type A” blood to teach kids because “type O” blood people are too selfish and unreliable? Is that their call? If so you are suggesting an approach far more radical than what the Korean government says it has a right to do.

I realize you think you are just making things simple and clear for people. But, sadly, it is often people like yourself who find everything so clear and so simple who end up being some of the most dangerous people out there. And you don’t even realize you are doing it.

People already in Korea (F-visas, E-visas) should go throug a medical (including HIV) if they will teach kids.

Thats simple and it is not discriminatory nor a Human Rights violation.

Either that or remove the HIV Test. But thats not our call, it is up to Korea to decide what they require of teachers who will teach Korean children. Korea has the right to decide who it lets into its country and what the requirements are. Hence, move the testing abroad.

Jaim made a very relevant point: once you geta visa, Korea and your employer is responsible for you. That includes health care and public health in general. This means Korea has every right to request foreign educators be tested for contagious diseases.

I agree with you – I think all the HIV checks should go away. They do nothing to ‘protect children’ and they certainly don’t do anything to stem the spread of HIV/AIDS.