Colman Chadam was born in 2000 with a congenital heart problem, resulting in extra tests run
on his DNA. This led to the discovery of some DNA markers for cystic fibrosis. Cystic fibrosis is a
disease that is spread easily through cross-infection. This means that if a person with cystic fibrosis
comes in contact with another person with this same disease, they can transfer bugs from their lungs
to the other person's lungs. While these bugs are not harmful to someone who doesn't have the
disease, they can settle in an infected person's lungs and cause harm to them.
In his case, Colman attended a middle
school with two siblings who had the disease,
and although he never contracted the disease and
solely had the markers in his DNA, he was
forced to leave the school. His parents filed a
lawsuit against the school, not because their child was forced to leave the school, but because his 1st
amendment right to privacy was violated. The parents of the siblings who had cystic fibrosis found
out about Colman's DNA because they had to fill out paperwork to put him in the school and in
parent-teacher conferences, the teachers had leaked the information to the other parents.
school with two siblings who had the disease,
and although he never contracted the disease and
solely had the markers in his DNA, he was
forced to leave the school. His parents filed a
lawsuit against the school, not because their child was forced to leave the school, but because his 1st
amendment right to privacy was violated. The parents of the siblings who had cystic fibrosis found
out about Colman's DNA because they had to fill out paperwork to put him in the school and in
parent-teacher conferences, the teachers had leaked the information to the other parents.
The district court that first heard the case, dismissed it, but then the Chadam's appealed the case
and the federal courts have taken interest in it. A
research scholar at Johns Hopkins, Michelle
Lewis, who is also a pediatrician and attorney
shows her concern by stating that “As we do
more screening earlier and earlier in life, there’s
potential for misuse of information in ways that are harmful, that could potentially discourage parents from seeking genetic testing even if it’s medically indicated”. Recently, the decision to remove Colman from the school was revoked and after a couple of weeks out of school, he has been allowed to return.
For more information about this story visit: http://theweek.com/articles/471209/boy-kicked-school-carrying-cystic-fibrosis-gene
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