Jump to content

Menu

Rant to woman ahead of me in the grocery store(nut free classrooms/anaphylaxis)


MedicMom
 Share

Recommended Posts

So, I tell my friend that I wish this classroom could be like my youngest's snack time.  Parent send a snack from home for individual child that cannot be a type of dessert item.  I said how glad I was that I could send my daughter with apple slices and carrots.  She said that she already had to stress so much about getting her child's lunch ready that she didn't want to have to send an additional item.

 

To back up a bit,  when she began conversations with the teacher before school, the teacher said that she did daily snack for 2nd graders.  The allergy family was upset by that and tried present this list, the teacher thought it too complicated and cancelled snack.  We were both thrilled with that, although my child has high metabolism, is underweight and really doesn't concentrate well if he is hungry.  Two weeks into the school, the teacher changed positions and said that she was adding the snack back in because the kids were too hungry.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 142
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Well we know that heart disease IS the leading cause of death in this country.  I was trying to talk with the parent of the peanut allergy classmate to see if there could be some compromises in the approved snack list, and she told me that dh's heart attack at age 37 was a "fluke". 

 

A fluke?  Yeah, that's what the doctors said also because he is athletic and we had no reason to see it coming.  Two blocked arteries, didn't happen overnight so the solution can't be as dramatic as a peanut ban.  However, even the tootsies rolls and skittles on the approved snack/party list have transfat.  Not to mention, oreos, cheez-its and doritos. 

This is all very, very true and since I have a ds with a heart condition, I'd raise the roof over a school that expected my kid to eat that 180 days a year. Yah, once or twice a month won't kill him, but every day year in and year out at school would just be a HUGE issue for me. It may not cause imminent death, but it is the leading cause of death in adulthood and will contribute to the possibility in the future in a very tangible way.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 

I wonder about the school policies here.  Are they saying "no may contains" about shared snacks? Snacks that a teacher is going to pass out to the entire class?  Or lunches that are not to be shared?  

 

My thought is that asking a non-allergic family to police their entire lunch, not just for nuts, but for may contains as well... That's a bit much.  But for shared classroom snacks - I don't think that's unreasonable.  (Though you don't want me to start on shared classroom snacks, really.  I think there are way too many snack times in our culture, but apparently I'm in the minority there!)

 

Yes, it is the school policy. In NY anyway.. DS is in a nut free room. The principal sent letter before school started and asked parents to check the label. not just content but also "trace of peanuts that might exist beacuse the food is processed in the same factory".  food are not shared, kids are not allowed to bring food item for the birthday celebration, calssroom arranged part has a food list and you only allowed to bring what is on the list.. They are allowed to have lunch with peanuts as long as you don't take it out in the classroom. (they all eat in cafeteria, i don't know what is nut free arrangement there)

It seem consistance with other school my DS and DD went before.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If packing is that difficult, then why not eat school lunches?  School lunch isn't that atrocious at every school. Push the school for cafeteria reform for healthy lunches. Or older kids usually get to leave campus to go home or out to eat, right?  It's really not rocket science.  

 

We were gluten, peanut, cashew free for 2 years, with dh allergic to almonds and two of us allergic to kiwis.  I thought I was intolerant to dairy, but I get hives now, so I try to avoid every trace of that. I know how tedious checking labels is.  But it's a kid's life at stake here.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wonder if dn's dietary issues are a reason why dbil and dsil has decided to do the public online academy? Dn is diabetic, has celiacs, lactose intolerant and various other issues I don't remember. I don't blame them if it is, I know at one point they had to change schools due to another child's nut allergies.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wonder if dn's dietary issues are a reason why dbil and dsil has decided to do the public online academy? Dn is diabetic, has celiacs, lactose intolerant and various other issues I don't remember. I don't blame them if it is, I know at one point they had to change schools due to another child's nut allergies.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here they give free lunch.  I don't think it's terribly healthy, but it is free to all.

 

That said, they serve PB & J as a lunch choice every single day.

 

Older kids don't get to leave and go home around here.  They don't get out until 3:30.

If it's a nut free school they wouldn't serve that, though.  ;)

 

It must depend on where you live.  Every high school I've had experience with allows off campus lunches, and usually younger kids can leave with a parent to eat.  My daughter's school only had a 20 minute lunch including getting into and out of the lunch room, though. Crazy. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

I personally feel that whatever food is the leading cause of immediate death should be banned, or at least given a very long gaze askance.  Today and for the last 20 years, it's been peanuts.  If for example tomorrow, strawberries became the new death trigger, then even I would push strawberry protein in the front.  

 

 

Do you mean in schools, or do you think the growing of peanuts and production of peanut products should be banned outright?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If packing is that difficult, then why not eat school lunches?  School lunch isn't that atrocious at every school. Push the school for cafeteria reform for healthy lunches. Or older kids usually get to leave campus to go home or out to eat, right?  It's really not rocket science.  

 

We were gluten, peanut, cashew free for 2 years, with dh allergic to almonds and two of us allergic to kiwis.  I thought I was intolerant to dairy, but I get hives now, so I try to avoid every trace of that. I know how tedious checking labels is.  But it's a kid's life at stake here.  

So you do not have a problem with requiring hundreds of other families to become nut-free, gluten free, dairy free, shellfish free, whatever in their own homes? This is exactly what would have to occur in order for a building to be Nut-free. One can label a building nut-free because no one brings a Reese's, Snickers, or PBJ to school, that is not a nut-free building.

 

This is what is being discussed at this point. The degree to which the policy can or should occur and how to implement it. I can tell you that the nut-free classroom at my local PS elementary school is not nut-free and they are fruit loops for advertising it as such. I guarantee you that every single family is not capable of that level of hyper-vigilance so that no product that has any potential nut contamination is banned from the home of each and every student.

 

That is literally what is required in order to truly keep an anaphylactic allergic to nuts child completely safe. We are discussing if that degree of safety is even possible, much less if it is acceptable to force that upon every family whose child attends school with someone with that allergy. I have ZERO problem with asking people to forgo peanut butter sandwiches, or snickers...the obvious choices. But, to make them all remove every product and never buy a product that may contain cross contaminants is not acceptable.

 

Let me put it this way, lets say your child is allergic to latex. Hyper allergic...can't be touched by someone who has recently touched latex and not washed. Do you think it is reasonable for the school to send a letter home to all of the students' families stating that they are banned from having balloons in their home, latex gloves, latex paints, a large array of items contained in chemistry kits, .....?

 

I think we have to agree that it is not acceptable to control other peoples' homes to such a degree or their pocketbooks for that matter. Again, guaranteed to be nutfree breads, crackers, etc. are more expensive.

 

But, I do get what you are saying. As fellow citizens of planet earth, taking reasonable precautions such as not sending muffins with walnuts, or a PBJ sandwich to school is acceptable. But, this is not a nut-free situation, just an attempt to rein in the worst offenders without putting an undo burden on everyone else. It is dangerous to label it as "nut free", and I would hope that parents of the children with this allergy would not be lulled into some false sense os security because a school is ignorant enough, like the one down the road :banghead: , as a nut free environment.

 

As for "why not just buy the school prepared food". If my two oldest ds's were enrolled, the school would not be able to meet their dietary musts. Eldest has a heart condition and is not to be eating HCFS and transfats which I don't obsess about, but also would be adamantly opposed to him eating 180 days a year. What they serve down the street isn't healthy for ANYONE and certainly not in terms of every day consumption and life time exposure if the child attends there for 12 or 13 years.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wonder if dn's dietary issues are a reason why dbil and dsil has decided to do the public online academy? Dn is diabetic, has celiacs, lactose intolerant and various other issues I don't remember. I don't blame them if it is, I know at one point they had to change schools due to another child's nut allergies.

I know of a family doing this for health reasons. Mom has serious LD's herself and doesn't read well so she never felt like she could traditionally homeschool, but regular school is a nightmare for her diabetic daughter to deal with since her sugar levels are very, very difficult to control. Online academy through the PS is working out great for them.

 

I would imagine that there are many parents unaware that this is an option for them. Our local PS is loathe to advertise this except to the students they've expelled either for just reasons, or any one of their perverse zero tolerance policies.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This seems like a reasonable compromise.

I guess what I'm baffled by is the snacking in class.  We never had that growing up.  We could eat at recess, but that was not in the classroom.  Stuff like cupcakes, etc. were not allowed.  Parities were not allowed. 

 

I know, and DS told me this year they are allowed to eat snack in the classroom whenever they want. They don't even have to wait until snack time. It will drive me crazy if I am the teacher.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I know of a family doing this for health reasons. Mom has serious LD's herself and doesn't read well so she never felt like she could traditionally homeschool, but regular school is a nightmare for her diabetic daughter to deal with since her sugar levels are very, very difficult to control. Online academy through the PS is working out great for them.

 

I would imagine that there are many parents unaware that this is an option for them. Our local PS is loathe to advertise this except to the students they've expelled either for just reasons, or any one of their perverse zero tolerance policies.

I know there was a lot of issues regarding all the school being missed due to doctors appointments (and with these doctors, you go when they have an opening), or sending dn home because her sugar was too high or low. I'm thoroughly thankfully dd is able to eat whatever she wants with out worry.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If packing is that difficult, then why not eat school lunches?  

 

I went to 5 schools. The only ones I know of that even had a cafetaria where highschools. Those served lunches that you could buy. Usually french fries, hotdogs, a soup. If you wanted you could get in line and order whatever you wanted.

 

Till highschool everyone ate lunch in a classroom. 

 

As for nurses in schools. With the exception of highschool I had never seen a nurse in a school. Then in highschool the nurse was in an office abotu once a week. You could go talk to her about birth control and stuff related to that. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I haven't read the whole thread, but I have a question.  I have wondered, if a classroom is nut free does that just mean no food with nuts in it or does it also mean no food processed on equipment also used with nuts?  Or not just a question for the classroom, but is there a risk posed to those severely allergic by being around people eating things processed on equipment also used for nuts even if the product doesn't have nuts in it?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I haven't read the whole thread, but I have a question.  I have wondered, if a classroom is nut free does that just mean no food with nuts in it or does it also mean no food processed on equipment also used with nuts?  Or not just a question for the classroom, but is there a risk posed to those severely allergic by being around people eating things processed on equipment also used for nuts even if the product doesn't have nuts in it?

 

At my nut free school it means that the cafĂƒÂ© and cafeteria does not cook with nuts or use products with traces of nuts in them (no chocolate with nuts or peanut oil for example). If we have students with extreme nut sensitivities there are extra precautions taken but as I have yet to have a student in my building this applies to I don't know exactly what they are. In my building we were asked not to wear body lotions with scent or perfume as we had a severely asthmatic student. It isn't that much of an issue actually. I believe that a persons right to life and right to an education trumps my right to eat nuts or wear a scented body lotion.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If packing is that difficult, then why not eat school lunches? School lunch isn't that atrocious at every school.

School food are very costly

For K-5

Breakfast is $1.50

Lunch is $2.75

For 6-8 graders

Breakfast is $1.75

Lunch is $3.00

 

Our school cafeteria does not cater for recess time.

 

My boy just made do with drinking milk for recess and lunch until school dismissal at 2:15pm.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

At my nut free school it means that the cafĂƒÂ© and cafeteria does not cook with nuts or use products with traces of nuts in them (no chocolate with nuts or peanut oil for example). If we have students with extreme nut sensitivities there are extra precautions taken but as I have yet to have a student in my building this applies to I don't know exactly what they are. In my building we were asked not to wear body lotions with scent or perfume as we had a severely asthmatic student. It isn't that much of an issue actually. I believe that a persons right to life and right to an education trumps my right to eat nuts or wear a scented body lotion.

 

Exactly. Every time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

At my nut free school it means that the cafĂƒÂ© and cafeteria does not cook with nuts or use products with traces of nuts in them (no chocolate with nuts or peanut oil for example). If we have students with extreme nut sensitivities there are extra precautions taken but as I have yet to have a student in my building this applies to I don't know exactly what they are. In my building we were asked not to wear body lotions with scent or perfume as we had a severely asthmatic student. It isn't that much of an issue actually. I believe that a persons right to life and right to an education trumps my right to eat nuts or wear a scented body lotion.

 

But it is more than a right to wear scented body lotion--- it COULD be about more expensive scent -free laundry detergent vs house brand. or deodorant or....just about anything.  And it is not about someone's right to live, but their right to congregate with others (school or work or church or movies etc...)  vs someone else right to quality of homellife--- meaning if I have to purchase expensive laundry soap or higher dollar cookies-- then I cannot afford meat-- or heat. 

 

  I have a pretty serious allergy to sun screen--- yet people think their right to not get cancer or burns trumps my right to be with them on sunny days.  Agreed!!  It doesn't mean I cannot get sunshine or go to the park-- it just means I cannot do it near others who wear sunscreen.  I shouldn't be able to force them to buy super expensive brands that are all natural and don't contain the ingredients I am allergic to just so that I can be near them. 

 

And where would it stop??  It won't be long before we cannot go anywhere without causing someone else harm. Perhaps we should go back to the "separate but (not really) equal"  thing from the 20th century -- instead of black and white separation have allergy and non allergy schools and churches and water fountains and restaurants..............

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Additionally, there are issues such as my middle boy with the metabolic disorder. He is required to take in 3500 calories per day, part of that has to be from nuts and seafood as per his endocrinologist because he has to take in large amounts of omega oils due to low absorption issues. If he attended PS and they restricted or eliminated his nuts and seafood, I'd be UP A CREEK! I simply would not be able to get it all in him if he were gone so many hours per day and couldn't have those foods. So, what about his rights? My nephew at the age of five was on mandatory peanut butter, amongst other things, because of some feeding problems. There just aren't any easy answers. I am so blessed to be able to homeschool him and NOT deal with another system that might be unwilling to let him eat what he needs to eat. 

 

They have a right to life and education as well. It's not as simple or clear-cut as some here are claiming.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So what do middle schools and high schools do for kids with allergies?  Because there is no way you could have a "nut-free" high school.  Kids around here always have snacks.  They eat them in class.  So the kid in first period eats a bag of trail mix and gets her peanut-dusted hands all over the desk.  During second period an allergic child sits at that desk and has a reaction.  A kid eats a Snickers bar in the hallway between class, and then enters a classroom and sharpens a pencil at the sharpener.  The allergic kids who then sharpens his pencil gets peanuts on his hands.  I see no way for something like that to be prevented much past elementary school.  You can have whatever policy in place that you want....the students aren't going to abide by it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Do you mean in schools, or do you think the growing of peanuts and production of peanut products should be banned outright?

I meant "banning" just in public schools or wherever people (like minors) with no sense of agency or autonomy are compelled by law to stay. And that's only for public schools who have accepted federal funding and are subject to terms and conditions such as compliance to 504 plans. Universal bans or ostrocization plans are ineffective.

 

Pretty much I am a non-stakeholder in the public schooling feeding debate. I do believe obesity now as an AMA disease diagnosis will eventually be way more inconvenient and costly than peanuts ever were. Sorry to go off on a tangent.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

we don't have 48 things on our vaccination list and we still have peanut allergies. I don't think I ever had peanut butter as a child though I'm not sure it was available here in the 1970's. I have never heard of anyone being allergic to vegemite or Marmite so i put that on my son's sandwiches.

 

Off-topic, but my son LOVES Vegemite (as do I)! I can't find it in-state and shipping costs are nuts, so I have relatives send jars to me. You reminded me that I am about to break into my last jar so I need to request more. :) Do you put cheese in the sandwich? My silly boy stopped liking cheese, so I just put Vegemite on buttered toast and top it with a sunny-side-up egg. I'd love to use it in a sandwich though, as he takes lunch to school.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Marylou, I would've pushed "like" for your posts but I'm not sure how to do that w/o seeming flippant, so I'll just say I'm very grateful you've found several links to bring their story to the forefront.

If that one clip (from Australia?) is correct . . it says deaths in U.S. 1,000, but deaths is U.K. Australia are less than 20!  Why????  I guess I'll have to get the book that was linked and see if it says the reason(s).  Even 1 death is sad.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/56217364-78/allergy-tanner-henstra-allergies.html.csp?page=1

 

This was last April, and though he didn't die at school I think it shows how easily mistakes can happen.  The child grabbed a snack the other kids were eating, without thinking, it was a mix up.  He tasted it, spit it out, but it was too late.   They used the epi, but were delayed in doing so.  But it didn't work.  He's gone.  There aren't any do-overs.  He can't exercise or do anything else to minimize his risk of future problems because of consuming this.  He's just gone.  His parents are bereft.

 

I could link a lot more like this.  Last school year was a bad one in the allergy world.  There were deaths.  

 

There are healthy snack alternatives that don't include nuts.

 

FWIW, I think if *any* child has an anaphylactic food allergy, his/her classroom should be free of that particular allergen (providing there is a doctor's note to address the need, just as food allergy parents already have to provide, along with an action plan in case of exposure).  If that means that food is limited to the cafeteria, where lunch is consumed, then all will survive.  If another child truly, medically, must consume nuts, or an additional snack during the day, then a doctor's note to that effect could enable that child to either switch classrooms, leave and snack (following some protocols) or some other accommodation could be made.  There must be a way to accommodate these needs.

 

I don't think anyone here is trying to say that one type of allergy is more important than another, or that one medical condition trumps another.  I do, however, see that something that causes an immediate, life threatening medical event is essential to address.  No one wants their non-allergic child to witness an allergic child go into anaphylaxis and potentially die in front of a classroom, right?  

 

As for manufactured snacks - we don't eat them.  I personally don't trust Nabisco or the other companies a PP has listed as on the peanut-free safe list.  I would not trust a non-allergic family that I don't know to prepare apple or carrot slices for my child though, if what is being discussed are shared snacks.  Too much potential for cross contamination on surfaces or knives.  I would have no problem with another child consuming those close to DS, though.  He'd be eating the same thing, but from our kitchen.   :)

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As for manufactured snacks - we don't eat them.  I personally don't trust Nabisco or the other companies a PP has listed as on the peanut-free safe list.  I would not trust a non-allergic family that I don't know to prepare apple or carrot slices for my child though, if what is being discussed are shared snacks.  Too much potential for cross contamination on surfaces or knives.  I would have no problem with another child consuming those close to DS, though.  He'd be eating the same thing, but from our kitchen.   :)

This is exactly what I have been wondering throughout this whole thread. There is no way I am careful enough or keep a "clean" enough kitchen to feed someones super allergic child. I do not want to be assigned that responsibility. I will happily do my best to keep another child safe but please don't ask me to feed them.

 

Ds spent the day baking in my kitchen. Nut products are everywhere. Months before things could possibly be nut free after today. I kept thinking of this thread.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

But did you see my post on how the requirement of manufactured snacks eliminated the foods that keeps my child safe.  Why can't we find a middle ground of apples and carrots? 

 

I'm lost here? What are you meaning in regards to my post?

 

 

As an aside, our local nut free school rooms allow apples and carrots....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm lost here? What are you meaning in regards to my post?

 

 

As an aside, our local nut free school rooms allow apples and carrots....

Another poster here stated that her child now attending Ps is not allowed to bring

vegetables or fruits from home because the mom of the allergic child asked the

school to not allow foods prepared in the home.She issued an approved list of

prepackaged items that she felt would eliminate cross contamination issues. Oreos

was one of the items along with other simple carb items such as microwave popcorn

and heart disease runs in their family so items with transfats, HCFS, and lots

of preservatives are of great concern to her and especially when consumed during

two snack periods at school 180 or more school days per year.

 

That's the problem...finding an agreeable middle ground. I think she should be

allowed to give her child carrots and apples for school. I can't get behind a

policy that replaces apples with oreos, but this is exactly what has happened.

 

So that is an issue where policies are not moderate.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When my nephew was in 1st grade, a classmate had a severe peanut allergy so the class was nut free.  At some point during the year the kid had a reaction and the school sent home letters telling the parents to not let their kids have ANY nut products before coming to school. I guess they determined some kid had peanut butter on toast for breakfast and didn't wash hands well enough- or maybe had some on his shirt or whatever. And the allergic kid reacted.  I wonder how many parents really followed that.  I feel for allergic kids- it made me think that if I had a kid with a severe peanut allergy that I might never let the kid out in public. 

 

The worst we dealt with was a severe bee allergy- our daughter turned blue and had trouble breathing- but at least with bees there is usually a warning!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

alright---- can we just stop the snacks???? I don't recall needing them past kindergarten..... are they really needed or just something to keep children entertained?

Some educational studies show that children do far better in their studies when

their blood sugars are not allowed to plummet. In our area, children can be on the

bus as early as 6:15 a.m. and do not get lunch until noon. If they ate first thing

in the morning upon awakening, they go six hours without food. My niece has to be

up at 5:45 a.m. and doesn't get lunch until 12:30. She gets to be pretty fuzzy

headed by noon.

 

In my classroom at the Lutheran school, we found that ifbthe children had water

at their desks and midmorning healthy snack and mid afternoon same, they were

better behaved, more alert, able to accomplish more.

 

That said we meet for 2.5 hrs. for 4-H and have parents think we should have snack

break. We don't do it. The kids seem to maintain just fine and the above issues

make us quite leery to take on food responsibilities at the meetings.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

(Though you don't want me to start on shared classroom snacks, really. I think there are way too many snack times in our culture, but apparently I'm in the minority there!)

AMEN, sister!! I completely agree. My homeschool group has clubs that are an hour and a half long and they have to have snack in the middle of it. To the tune of $30 per family a year. Come on people! If I want my kid to have a snack I will give it to him in the car!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

AMEN, sister!! I completely agree. My homeschool group has clubs that are an hour and a half long and they have to have snack in the middle of it. To the tune of $30 per family a year. Come on people! If I want my kid to have a snack I will give it to him in the car!

That's CRAZY! I would not put up with that!

 

However with the long bus rides out here causing kids to eat breakfast at 6 am or

even earlier, not get lunch until noon, and not arrive home until 4 pm or after,

they do need more and especially when you consider that most kids will be fed are

mostly simple carbs, that's not enough. Also, students below a certain income

level get school breakfast and in my district that is a single poptart and 4 oz of milk! Going longer requires eggs, oatmeal with fruit, more milk, or some meat or

eggs with vegetables plus toast....you get the idea. This is not

how a lot of families around here feed their kids in the morning...one bowl of

Lucky Charms and off they go. My sil used to give my nephews each Mountain Dew

and two twinkies ache morning. Don't ask me what I think of her parenting skills.

I do have a dark side!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

But did you see my post on how the requirement of manufactured snacks eliminated the foods that keeps my child safe. Why can't we find a middle ground of apples and carrots?

Seeing as you can get the individually packaged apple slice and baby carrots, I don't get that either.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

But it is more than a right to wear scented body lotion--- it COULD be about more expensive scent -free laundry detergent vs house brand. or deodorant or....just about anything.  And it is not about someone's right to live, but their right to congregate with others (school or work or church or movies etc...)  vs someone else right to quality of homellife--- meaning if I have to purchase expensive laundry soap or higher dollar cookies-- then I cannot afford meat-- or heat. 

 

  I have a pretty serious allergy to sun screen--- yet people think their right to not get cancer or burns trumps my right to be with them on sunny days.  Agreed!!  It doesn't mean I cannot get sunshine or go to the park-- it just means I cannot do it near others who wear sunscreen.  I shouldn't be able to force them to buy super expensive brands that are all natural and don't contain the ingredients I am allergic to just so that I can be near them. 

 

And where would it stop??  It won't be long before we cannot go anywhere without causing someone else harm. Perhaps we should go back to the "separate but (not really) equal"  thing from the 20th century -- instead of black and white separation have allergy and non allergy schools and churches and water fountains and restaurants..............

 

I completely agree with you.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

But it is more than a right to wear scented body lotion--- it COULD be about more expensive scent -free laundry detergent vs house brand. or deodorant or....just about anything.  And it is not about someone's right to live, but their right to congregate with others (school or work or church or movies etc...)  vs someone else right to quality of homellife--- meaning if I have to purchase expensive laundry soap or higher dollar cookies-- then I cannot afford meat-- or heat. 

 

  I have a pretty serious allergy to sun screen--- yet people think their right to not get cancer or burns trumps my right to be with them on sunny days.  Agreed!!  It doesn't mean I cannot get sunshine or go to the park-- it just means I cannot do it near others who wear sunscreen.  I shouldn't be able to force them to buy super expensive brands that are all natural and don't contain the ingredients I am allergic to just so that I can be near them. 

 

And where would it stop??  It won't be long before we cannot go anywhere without causing someone else harm. Perhaps we should go back to the "separate but (not really) equal"  thing from the 20th century -- instead of black and white separation have allergy and non allergy schools and churches and water fountains and restaurants..............

 

 

Yes, but in my case the kids are required to be in the school so yes I think it IS my responsibility not to wear the scented lotion. Usually it isn't that much more expensive to wear a non-scented lotion one, actually I find that they are often cheaper.

 

 

So what do middle schools and high schools do for kids with allergies?  Because there is no way you could have a "nut-free" high school.  Kids around here always have snacks.  They eat them in class.  So the kid in first period eats a bag of trail mix and gets her peanut-dusted hands all over the desk.  During second period an allergic child sits at that desk and has a reaction.  A kid eats a Snickers bar in the hallway between class, and then enters a classroom and sharpens a pencil at the sharpener.  The allergic kids who then sharpens his pencil gets peanuts on his hands.  I see no way for something like that to be prevented much past elementary school.  You can have whatever policy in place that you want....the students aren't going to abide by it.

 

I work in a high school. Actually I think high schools are easier to keep nut free because you can definitely explain to the kids that the Snickers bar is not allowed because John could die.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share


Ă—
Ă—
  • Create New...