The Role of Diabetes Health Care Professionals in Diabetes Discrimination Issues at Work and School

Editor’s note: This article, which is also being published in

, reflects the collaborative efforts of the American Diabetes Association and the American Association of Diabetes Educators in the area of legal advocacy.

When Jeff Kapche applied to be a police officer for the city of San Antonio, he was told “no” solely because he has type 1 diabetes. He sued the city. The case has been pending in federal court for the past 8 years. During that time, he has successfully held the position of sheriff in a neighboring county, experiencing no problems in his job because of his diabetes.1

When Celeste Barselou wanted to start kindergarten at her neighborhood school, she was told “no.” The school district wanted to send her instead to a school more than an hour’s drive away where there was a full-time school nurse. No one would be able to help her with diabetes emergencies during the long bus trip each day.2

People with diabetes face discrimination at work, at school, and in many other places in their lives. While this certainly does not happen in every workplace or in every school, these problems are widespread, and they are serious. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is committed to ending this discrimination through its legal advocacy program.

This article provides background on the legal landscape of diabetes discrimination, describes ADA’s efforts to combat discrimination, and explains the essential role that diabetes health care professionals can play in ending discrimination against people with diabetes. It focuses on discrimination in the workplace and at school, but discrimination can and does exist in many other places and situations, ranging from obtaining private driver’s licenses to securing proper medical treatment in correctional facilities.