PB&J Bans Put Schools In Sticky Situation, Parents are divided after a teacher confiscates a student’s sandwich in the lunchroom. Peanut butter and jelly sandwich sparks controversy: Can we really ban nut products from schools?, It’s hard to believe something as small as a peanut could cause so much controversy. But put it in a lunch bag and it can divide a school.
In Viola, Arkansas, a debate is heating up, after a student had his peanut butter and jelly sandwich confiscated at lunchtime. The school has a no-peanut-products policy due to a few students with allergies, so the teacher helped the little boy get a new lunch and sent home a note explaining the situation to his mom.
That note didn’t go over well, apparently. Soon after the incident, a ‘School Nut Ban Discussion’ group was launched on Facebook by parents conflicted over the policy.
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Some parents believe allergy-free students shouldn’t have to cater to a few kids’ health sensitivities, particularly if it means cutting out healthy or low-cost snacks packed in their own child’s lunchbox.
The mom who packed the confiscated PB&J sandwich thinks kids with allergies should learn “how to manage the problem” rather than live inside a “bubble,” according to a local news report.
Other parents of special needs kids feel like they’re playing second fiddle to those with allergies. “There are some autistic children that will only eat a PB&J sandwich or nothing at all,” one parent opposing the ban argued on Facebook.
According to the Viola District Superintendent John May, this is the first push-back on a policy in place in his school for some time.
“The policy is in place to protect those with a severe, life threatening problem,” May told Area Wide News, a Missouri-based news site. “Until we figure out something else, it would be foolish to drop the policy.”
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Over the span of a decade, reports of kids with peanut allergies have spiked by 18 percent, according to the CDC. Today, about 1 in 25 children suffer from the condition, and about 18 percent of them have had attacks in school. As a result, school-wide peanut bans have doubled in the past two years. But they haven’t come without a fight.
One Connecticut mother of an allergic child was shocked by the hostility she was met with when proposing a peanut ban at her own kid’s school. “People were extremely rude,” she told the Associated Press. “They just thought it was a ridiculous request.”
A child’s well-being may have triggered the debate, but at the core of the conflict is a turf war. Is one parent’s concerns about their own child interfering with the way other kids are raised? Some parents of allergic kids know being unpopular comes with the territory.
“Nobody wants to be a Peanut Allergy Mom,” writes Mommyish blogger Gloria Fallon, whose son has severe life-threatening peanut allergies. “My main concern is my son’s health, but I also don’t want everyone to hate us. I actually am sorry for all the inconvenience having a PA kid creates. I know if my son didn’t have food allergies, I’d probably think the kid who did was a pain in the a–. So I try to understand that for the most part, no one gets what we’re going through.”
Back in Viola, parents are looking for a compromise within the elementary school–hoping for a middle-ground approach some other institutions have taken. As opposed to banning nuts, some schools require all their teachers to be trained in using EpiPens, a life-saving device used in severe allergic attacks. Separating nut-eaters from non-nut-eaters in the lunchroom is another way to protect kids and raise awareness among students.
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The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network, a nut allergy advocacy group, believes compromise is better for kids with allergies than an outright ban. “What we want is everyone always thinking there could be a possibility (of an allergic reaction) and be on guard for it,” the group’s founder, Anne Munoz-Furlong, told the Associated Press.
But with compromise comes with new problems. Isolating a child at a separate table because of his or her allergies can create social ostracism and lead to bullying. (The American Pediatrics Association even cautions parents and teachers about the risk of harassment kids with peanut allergies face.)
Sitting at a special nut-free table or being the subject of a health lesson in class may save a kid’s life but it won’t win him any popularity contests. Fallon says that every time she drops her allergic son Nick off at a party, she has to run through worst case scenarios and procedures with the person in charge. “This usually results in the person looking frightened and probably wishing they didn’t invite Nick,” she says. “Nobody likes the finale, me especially.”
This country is getting too out of hand. I really don’t think a kid eating a PB&J Sandwich is such an emergency that you need to ban nut products even from kids whom are not allergic to them. This is ridiculous. Shows how much more socialism is taking over our laws
Wow. Autistic children WILL do many things that we think they won’t. It just takes unbelievable patience. This I know from experience. If they get hungry, they will eat.
However, this is a ridiculous policy. Have they banned all foods to which children may be allergic? Why did this allergy not exist 20 years ago?
The elementary school that my grandchildren attend has one table in the cafeteria set aside for children who have nut allergies. The allergic children can sit there w/o being influenced by what the others are eating.
Yeah…it’s a great feeling to be segregated, don’t you think? I went through school being teased about my weight, my clothes, heck, even my name. Kids are ruthless these days…can you imagine if you can’t eat something because you are allergic? Bullies might, if they wanna tease the allergic kid, bring a PB&J to school and wave it in the kids’ face…guess what will happen…in the most severe case…death.
I wonder if we could all imagine what it is like to BE the one with this type of allergy. OR, even the parent of a child with this allergy.
Food for thought…(No pun intended)
Just make those little fuckers carry some Benadryl with them at all times. Why is our country breeding a bunch of junior faggots and pussies?
This is ridiculous, there has to be a compromise. Up until last year, the only thing my kids wanted for lunch was PBJ’s, I don’t think it’s right to say my child can’t have a food because there is a chance that another child in the school will have a reaction to it. In that case, the same could be said for perfumes, air fresheners, cleaning supplies, other types of food such as eggs, milk, gluten products, if schools start banning products because of a possible allergic reaction, then there will eventually be nothing left to ban.
I do feel badly for the children that do have the allergies, however, if this is a severe or life threatening issue, then the child as well as the child’s teacher(s) should be trained in how to deal with an allergic reaction and to stay away from those products or people using those products.
I know that nut allergies are common, but so are milk and egg allergies, as well as gluten allergies among many others, are we going to ban everything?
Ok. They have this peanut allergy thing going in my son’s school too, but it’s not a “ban”, it’s just an awareness and education thing. They sent home letters, alerting parents to the fact there are several kids with peanut alleriges in the school. So, to educate us non-allergy kid families, they sent letters showing us what to look for on labels of food stuffs when sending snacks or birthday goodies for the classes where the allergic children ‘could’ come in contact with peanuts, peanut oils, tree nuts, and even the dust from any nuts that may be on the hands of other children. I have no problem with this whole allergy thing, as I am the Mom of an allergic kid, but not to nuts.
My son is allergic to dust and cats. I have an antihistamine medication for him. So, are they gonna do something for my son too? Of course not. Having an allergic reaction puts him through a great deal of discomfort, he has trouble breathing, he sneezes and produces A LOT of mucous when he sneezes. Granted, my son’s allergies are not life-threatening, as of yet, just uncomfortable. But, at the same time, I can see both sides of this argument. I am on the allergic side of the conflict because my son has two allergies, neither are nuts, but I also can feel for the non-allergic parents/students as well. No provisions are being made for my allergic son. However, if they were to cater to my son, what would they do? Tell families they cannot have cats, make the kids with cats take their clothes off, and what about the dust? My son has been having allergic reactions since orientation day, the day before school opened. That’s why he has medicine. Kids with nut allergies can have an epipen to counter anaphylactic shock. I know they are expensive, but isn’t their kids’ life a bit more expensive? Doesn’t insurance cover that kind of thing? My son’s teacher even said to my face yesterday that there’s all kinds of dust, different types of dust. There’s dust you have in your home…there’s a different type of dust in the schools. He just has to get used to it. I was thinking…He just has to GET USED TO IT?!?!??? Are you kidding me??? I got rid of the family cat when we discovered his allergy, which is HOW we found out about it. I clean house several times a day, every day to keep the dust to a minimum. All in an effort for him to not have to GET USED TO IT. Her statement infuriated me. But, I then realized she was right, about the different types of dust. I have made an appointment with his pediatrician to see if there is anything more we can do for him, maybe a different medication…for a DIFFERENT type of dust…ha…ha…ha.
Anyway, so albeit there are many different types of allergies in the world, in societies, in schools, work places, churches, and families. Each one has their own treatment, if you are lucky. Should we all tiptoe around the allergies that are life-threatening? I don’t think so. I think my son’s school has handled it, so far, appropriately, by sending letters home to the parents, educating them on the severity of the allergies present on a daily basis. Trying to avoid these unfortunate children some discomfort, at the very least, and hopefully not costing them their life. That being said, I think it is a bit unfair to ask everyone else in the school to stop eating this, stop eating that, don’t give it to your kids, don’t bring it to school, and so forth. There needs to be other options, for them, as well as us.
Tell those kids to stop stealing my kids sandwich. Then they wont have an attack! Its not like my kids crumbs are gonna set them off!!!
I have kids with food allergies as well but I do not make myself a pain in the ass to places they go for activities or a bday party. Are schools going to ban Red40 items? Dairy? Go gluten free? these are all massive allergies every bit as serious as a nut situation are and yet all you hear about is peanut kids. What about banning cologne or perfume on staff for the asthma and allergic children to those? Until ALL situations are removed and accomodate NO ONE should be, but lets face it, life outside school is NOT going to accomodate people. I bake dye free cupcakes that I keep frozen for my children. When we are invited to a party they take their cupcake and the juice box I know they can have. We just tell the host ” they have a Red 40 allergy so when you do your cake & punch we sent one they can have to avoid a reaction.” Its matter of fact and less threatening to the host, who I do not expect to accomodate us or be freaked over my kid for an allergy. My kids are 2 and 5 and they know “tummy chewy” (lactaid) before dairy and “NO Red 40 or Carmine” respectively. If they can do it, ANY kid can learn to manage. Taking a kids lunch away is something that would spark alot of lash back. What if that is all that kid would eat? It’s ridiculous. Parents with allergy prone kids need to stop expecting the world to accomodate and entitle them and start learning to cope within in and teach their children to do the same by reading labels, asking first and not swapping lunches. It’s not that hard and in reality that is what the “real world” in society will expect them to know how to do…
I have 2 children with severe peanut allergies. While I do not expect the school to stop everyone from eating peanut products I do expect them to have policies in place to keep my kids safe. To the people out there that think this is not life threatening, you are completely mistaken.
My children’s school has a peanut free area for them to eat…(with any other child with this allergy and of course, for the friends who are not eating peanuts that day.) it is not such a big deal…and bullying because of this? Never, the teachers are intelligent, mindful and respectful…this attitude trickles down to the students… even to the kindergartners. The teachers and staff have all been trained to recognize allergic reactions and how to use an epipen. They in turn have educated the students about what to do if you are eating peanut products on any given day:
Namely- 1.wash hands after you eat! Pretty simple; this will stop the spread of invisible peanut oil. This is actually the biggest culprit…any idiot can say no to eating peanut butter and if that is all it took to keep safe we wouldn’t have a problem. People, it is often the oils on little fingers that touch desks, chairs, balls after lunch…THAT is the real danger. At my children’s school it is simply part of the school culture…teachers are aware and kids are aware. No biggie.
2. No peanut products in the classrooms and no group snacks that contain nuts…
Now, it hasn’t been a fool proof solution. There have been, “events” where benadryl, epipen and 911 had to be called. However, the teachers were well prepared with benadryl and epipens in classrooms, close to the lunch area and recess area. The teachers acted quickly ….disaster averted. ( for those of you who have your panties in a twist about not being able to feed Johnny his PB&J…this is actually a real disaster…a tad different than a finicky eater ) I would also like to point out, that after each of these incidents, it was the teachers who approached the Principal asking if they should consider becoming peanut free – they were terrified when they saw what happens in a severe allergic reaction. Each one approached me afterwards feeling just terrible that something had happened on “their watch”. My heart went out to each of them…as I knew exactly how they were feeling. It IS terrifying.
Like anything else, it is a matter of figuring out a way that works for all of us, those with and without allergies. That being said, if my kids (and others) had reaction after reaction I would indeed have pursued a no nut policy as the school obviously was not able to get a handle on the situation and make it a safe place ( as in life or death safe).
For those of you that think we are making a big ado over nothing:
You live with your child being deathly allergic to something that is just about everywhere kids are….do it for a week. Spend 90 seconds watching your child turn blue and gasp for air, because of an invisible oil, stab him with hug needle containing medicine that will make his heart race so violently that your not sure which is worse…the gasping for air or the shakes….you get through it. Then, and only THEN you can tell us to get a handle and “get over it”. Until then, may I respectfully request, either shut up, or be a part of the solution.
I have a question, if they are banning PB, are they banning milk products. My son is deathly allergies to milk and whey products. So just wondering if this is a lets pick on one think or all of them…
The PB&J is a revered educational icon. I’m shocked, I tell you! Shocked!
The latest that I heard was that a black principal banned PB&J because he said that it was “racist.” His rationale was that since white Americans eat PB&J, that even mentioning it was a sort of cultural imperialism.
I’ll bet if a Muslim student had goat cheese at school, the principal would have given him an award for “diversity.”
I think that all teachers in the school should be trained in life saving techniques such as CPR, First Aid, the use of Epi-Pens, and the use of emergency AED equipment so that the kids or other adults who have problems can get the attention they need, while waiting for the EMTs and Paramedics arrive. Everyone on the school board should instigate the training with the appropriate authorities to have such required classes be made available to the staff, at little or no cost, to ALL teachers in the school system. It may one day save a kid’s life, where time is critical. Also, just because a child has an allergy, doesn’t mean that the child should be ostrisized (not sure of spelling) and/or from other children just because of the allergy. Though, kids can be cruel, at times. At such times, the child should be made aware of what he/she is doing wrong and something should be made to correct the situation at that time.
I’m allergic to sulfa. Maybe I should require that my pharmacy clear its shelves of the stuff. Good grief. Common sense, people….find some.
OK, let’s get something straight. They keep mentioning “NUT” allergies in the article, and then referring to peanut allergies… the two are completely different things. Peanuts are legumes, NOT nuts. Soooo… just what is the policy? Does it specify nuts in general, or does it target peanuts?
As someone with adult-onset food sensitivities, I can empathize with food allergy sufferers; however, I find it a little hard to believe that one kid’s sandwich could endanger the allergic child. Surely, children suffered from such allergies through the ages. I don’t remember one child suffering any ill effects from PB sandwiches when I was in school back in the 60s/70s. If the allergic kid doesn’t ingest the peanuts, then where is the harm? The peanut allergy sufferers I’ve met were unaffected by others’ peanut products. Alternately, couldn’t the few kids who suffer from these allergies have their lunch in a special allergen-free room?
Honest to God; these stories are getting ridiculous; why are we being held hostage to a small group of hysterical parents?
Peanut butter is a staple of childhood; it’s healthy and nutritious and children love it.
If this one small group is breeding these offspring with all these problems why should EVERYONE ELSE SUFFER?
Maybe they should form their own schools; instead of ruining it for everyone else.