KY - 8th grader put peanut butter in allergic classmate's lunch, Lexington, 2008

[Mr. E]

At 13, I wonder if the child did not understand the seriousness of his actions. Sounds like he has issues, though, if he thought it was funny to cause physical harm. Maybe he thought the other student would just get hives or something. Maybe he didn't know that allergies can be life threatening.

My niece has a severe peanut allergy. At her school she ate a cookie that was just NEAR a peanut butter cookie, and it landed her in the hospital! When she was a toddler, she put a candy bar that had been processed in a plant that has nuts in it to her lip and was violently ill; she didn't even eat the candy, it just touched her lip. The severity of her allergy is fairly rare, though, according to her doctor.

 

[KatK]

Hmmm...I'm reading in one post that peanut oil is considered safe. I would have to disagree having a daughter who only has to smell peanuts or the oil to have a serious reaction. She does not even have to be near it so it seems the molecules are in the air and she breathes it in that way.

This is attempted murder, imo, since it was widely known about the girl's allergies.

Safe-er? I only know what the allergist told me, and I'm a newbie to life with a peanut allergy. Thank you for the head's up, and I'll avoid peanut oil too. (The Mr. isn't going to be happy, he loves Chinese food, so do I. *sigh*)

 

[Filly]

I strongly dislike all 13 year olds, and especially this one. What a lousey little D-head.

 

[NewMom2003]

When my daughter was in public school she had a classmate with peanut allergies. The school stopped allowing pb&j sandwiches and all other peanut products during lunch and snack time. I was so angry that because of one child (and yes, she was the ONLY child in the entire school) everyone else had to do without. Her mother was a terrible person too so that made it all the worse.
This little girl is now 12 years old and seems to have "outgrown" her allergies to peanuts.
Crazy and I am guessing liars as well.

If your child could DIE from something that is served every single day at an institution, you do not send your child there and expect everyone else to change! You teach your kid what they can or cannot eat and go from there, or teach your child at home.

I would never expect others to protect my child. That is my job. I would show them the dangers but I would not expect the entire school to give up something they love just because my child could not eat it.

So a child with this allergy should just not be allowed to go to school because of it?

Having an allergy to peanuts does not just cause a few red bumps. I have a friend who's daughter is allergic to peanuts and it can be life threatening. Her throat could close up within minutes if she is exposed and not treated immediately.

It's also not just a matter of teaching your child what they can and cannot eat. If a child with this allergy is even touched by another child that was eating peanuts or peanut butter, it could have the same affects.

As for this 8th grader - He should be punished severely because I believe he knew what he was doing. Where do kids these days get such malice and meaness?

 

[dee10134]

When my daughter was in public school she had a classmate with peanut allergies. The school stopped allowing pb&j sandwiches and all other peanut products during lunch and snack time. I was so angry that because of one child (and yes, she was the ONLY child in the entire school) everyone else had to do without. Her mother was a terrible person too so that made it all the worse.
This little girl is now 12 years old and seems to have "outgrown" her allergies to peanuts.
Crazy and I am guessing liars as well.

If your child could DIE from something that is served every single day at an institution, you do not send your child there and expect everyone else to change! You teach your kid what they can or cannot eat and go from there, or teach your child at home.

I would never expect others to protect my child. That is my job. I would show them the dangers but I would not expect the entire school to give up something they love just because my child could not eat it.

:clap::clap::clap: WELL SAID!

Except for the liar part. Allergies can reverse and go away.

 

[Jen_in_Indy]

Perhaps then we should stop letting kids have recess or go outside while they are at school because of those children that have severe allerigic reactions to bee stings?

 

[dee10134]

I strongly dislike all 13 year olds, and especially this one. What a lousey little D-head.

:clap::clap:

 

[KatK]

Perhaps then we should stop letting kids have recess or go outside because of those children that have severe allerigic reactions to bee stings?

Stop that! Now you know people with allergies are human too. You've seen me say in this topic (if you have read it all) that I don't expect everyone within a 200 mile radius of me to chop down their maple trees because I am allergic to them. Of course there are limits, *BUT* in the case of food allergies, just not allowing that kind of food in the building *IS* reasonable. When are you callous people going to get it through your heads?! IF SOMEONE WHO HAS EATEN THE FOOD TOUCHES A PERSON WITH A SEVERE FOOD ALLERGY IT CAN CAUSE A LIFE-THREATENING REACTION! ETA: Now, of course, outside of school/work, in other places, the person as an adult will have to take risks that they won't be groped by someone with peanut butter (or what have you) on their hands. But schools have it right to just not take the chances on their grounds. Can you imagine how upsetting it would be for little Johnny, if he patted a friend on the arm, and the friend keeled over and had to go the the hospital and nearly died, and it was all because Johnny had peanut butter on his hand? Not to mention how scarey for the friend, and anyone else who witnessed the reaction.

 

[Jen_in_Indy]

Stop that! Now you know people with allergies are human too.

I think I know more than some how it is for people with allergies. I've dealt with severe asthma and allergies my entire life. And I have a best friend who is HIGHLY allergic to all different kinds of food.

These kids need to be taught and their caregivers need to learn to watch that child closely. But I'm sorry. You can't expect everyone in an entire school not to be allowed something because one child is allergic. And I think my analogy was spot on.

 

[NewMom2003]

I think kids with a nut allergy should eat in another area of the school. Banning peanut butter and all things containing peanut oil is ridiculous! Hand them an Epi pen and let them eat in a classroom & keep them out of the cafeteria.

As far as the kid that tried to murder his classmate...throw the book at him, he knew exactly what he was doing!

Then what if the allergic child is touched by another child that ate peanut butter at lunch? It could cause the same reaction as if she/he had ingested the PB.

Also, an Epi pen doesn't always save your life. It's simply a middle-man of sorts to get you to the hospital without dying when you have a severe, life threatening allergy such as this.

We should be tolerable of others and make small sacrifices so that anyone who is "different" isn't excluded from daily activities such as going to school.

We are not a tolerable society at all.

 

[KatK]

<snip>
These kids need to be taught and their caregivers need to learn to watch that child closely. But I'm sorry. You can't expect everyone in an entire school not to be allowed something because one child is allergic. And I think my analogy was spot on.

Read my ETA in the post above. Also, you are all forgetting something. The schools have *LEGAL* obligations to provide a SAFE environment for their students. Well, safe means no <food they are allergic to> exposure. They are making sure they meet their legal obligations, the best way they can. ETA: I dunno how they manage with milk/wheat/whey etc. but for things like peanuts/tree nuts it is just easiest and most efficient to not allow them at school.

 

[dee10134]

Stop that! Now you know people with allergies are human too. You've seen me say in this topic (if you have read it all) that I don't expect everyone within a 200 mile radius of me to chop down their maple trees because I am allergic to them. Of course there are limits, *BUT* in the case of food allergies, just not allowing that kind of food in the building *IS* reasonable. When are you callous people going to get it through your heads?! IF SOMEONE WHO HAS EATEN THE FOOD TOUCHES A PERSON WITH A SEVERE FOOD ALLERGY IT CAN CAUSE A LIFE-THREATENING REACTION!

As a person with a severe food allergy, I don't expect the world to bend over backwards to prevent ME from being exposed to a particular food.

It's my job to ensure my health, safety, and well-being, not the institution's. I would feel the same way if my daughter had a severe food allergy as well. I would educate her on her allergy so she would know what to do in all situations and how to remove herself from potential life-threatening situations.

If what you propose were to happen, then they'd have to ban ALLfood from schools because peanut allergies are NOT the only food allergies out there! Why should peanuts be singled out? Why stop there? How about banning tomatoes, onions, chocolate, fish, wheat, soy, milk, etc., etc., etc. I could probably go on and on with potential "offenders."

 

[Jen_in_Indy]

:clap:

If what you propose were to happen, then they'd have to ban ALLfood from schools because peanut allergies are NOT the only food allergies out there! Why should peanuts be singled out? Why stop there? How about banning tomatoes, onions, chocolate, fish, wheat, soy, milk, etc., etc., etc. I could probably go on and on with potential "offenders."

What she said.

 

[KatK]

<snip>
If what you propose were to happen, then they'd have to ban ALLfood from schools because peanut allergies are NOT the only food allergies out there! Why should peanuts be singled out? Why stop there? How about banning tomatoes, onions, chocolate, fish, wheat, soy, milk, etc., etc., etc. I could probably go on and on with potential "offenders."

Already addressed, see my post just above this one of yours I quoted. ETA: And thinking about it, they do it that way because peanuts/tree nuts aren't a "staple" food. So, excluding them isn't as big of a deal in their minds, and the most efficient way to meet their legal obligations.

 

[pixies]

So a child with this allergy should just not be allowed to go to school because of it?

Having an allergy to peanuts does not just cause a few red bumps. I have a friend who's daughter is allergic to peanuts and it can be life threatening. Her throat could close up within minutes if she is exposed and not treated immediately.

It's also not just a matter of teaching your child what they can and cannot eat. If a child with this allergy is even touched by another child that was eating peanuts or peanut butter, it could have the same affects.

As for this 8th grader - He should be punished severely because I believe he knew what he was doing. Where do kids these days get such malice and meaness?

Newmom, We also give to St. Jude so thank you for having that on your "name thingy". St. Jude does amazing things and is a blessing to many many families.

As for the food allergies, yes, I believe if a CHILD is that allergic to something that it could cause death in a matter of seconds, then that child should be protected, by his/her parents, not the school systems and overworked teachers.
Other people should not have to change their lives and their diets because of ONE or TWO children in the entire school district is allergic to it. That is crazy and it seems so very selfish of the parents to put that huge burden on the entire school.

 

[KatK]

<snip> That is crazy and it seems so very selfish of the parents to put that huge burden on the entire school.

Blame the courts, and the looming legal system. *wry* They ban peanuts/tree nuts because they can feel the courts breathing down their neck.

 

[Jen_in_Indy]

Already addressed, see my post just above this one of yours I quoted. ETA: And thinking about it, they do it that way because peanuts/tree nuts aren't a "staple" food. So, excluding them isn't as big of a deal in their minds, and the most efficient way to meet their legal obligations.

I think PB&J is a HUGE staple for some families. Especially lower-income families.

And what you're saying doesn't make sense. If schools are LEGALLY required to go to all lengths necessary to keep children safe from any allergy they have, you can't pick and choose which kids you are going to "safeguard."

 

[dee10134]

I'd like to add that my daughter goes to school with a student that has a peanut allergy so I'm familiar with classroom policies in regard to his allergy. They are first graders and her teacher requests that if treats are to be brought for the class to make sure that they are 100&#37; peanut-free.

This is not a school-wide policy or ban, but rather is determined on a classroom by classroom basis. His mother is a room mom and is there on days that treats are brought (Halloween, class parties, etc.) so her and the teacher can monitor what comes in on special days to ensure the student isn't encountering peanuts.

They do not dictate lunches or ban peanuts (or other foods). If my daughter wanted to eat peanut butter and jelly for lunch, she very well could, but it happens that she's the only child on the planet that HATES PB&J sandwiches! LOL

 

[JanetElaine]

I've only read a few reactions in this thread and I basically know enough... lol. Just wanted to share our experiences.

For the past three years DD has had a boy in her class who has a bad peanut allergy. He eats at a seperate table at lunch secluded from the other kids. Every year at the beginning of the year his mom sends home a letter with his classmates and the kids can say if they want to sit with him during lunch.
For the past three years that I've known him, every year all of his classmates signed up. His mom then makes a schedule for that, so there's always 2 or 3 kids sitting with him.
The mom comes to school at lunchtime and checks these kids' lunches if they bring them for anything peanutty that might have unknowingly snuck in (anything Little Debbie is out, for instance), all school bought lunches are okay.
The kids know when it's their turn to sit at his table, they don't bring PB&J (and the like) that week. That's all anybody notices from this. No big deal. They don't make a big deal out of it, and nobody else does.

With a little bit of cooperation a lot of things are possible. Sad to read that this does not work that way in all schools. But what else is new, lol.

 

[KatK]

I think PB&J is a HUGE staple for some families. Especially lower-income families.

And what you're saying doesn't make sense. If schools are LEGALLY required to go to all lengths necessary to keep children safe from any allergy they have, you can't pick and choose which kids you are going to "safeguard."

Re-read what I said. They are doing the best they can, and TO THEM banning things that they don't consider staples is the easiest way to deal with it. Again, I don't know what they do for things like milk, whey, eggs, wheat etc. It may come down to making a seperate "allergen free" school for the kids who have them, and there they'd have special lunches provided. Or, it may come down to all public schools are completely " food allergen free". But, for now...