Some communities calmly accepted the attendance of HIV-infected children in their schools, while others panicked and used the courts and other means to keep children out of school. The research revealed the importance of supportive attitudes by school officials and showed that court victories for students with AIDS and their families do not settle the human issues of acceptance. Factors that were crucial to a constructive response were the superintendent's leadership, careful planning and implementation of an AIDS policy, the principal's role as a source of information and caring, alliances with community leaders, and efforts to confront fears and providing facts. School districts are urged to recognize that they all must undertake AIDS education so that it can become just another disease rather than a source of panic.