OMFG! Parent sues school board to let son eat peanut butter in classroom.

[qb]

A classmate of the son has a life-threatening peanut allergy (any exposure is potentially fatal) and the school has been very proactive about educating parents and students. The father who's suing is a lawyer (and I'm guessing a Rethuglican). Now the school board must decide if they will fight the lawsuit. Way to suck even more resources out of an already struggling school district.

My son also has a life-threatening peanut allergy and will be starting Kindergarten next year. Fortunately it won't be at the same school as the above-mentioned neanderthal's son.

[Screaming Lord Byron]

1. This is heading for a flamewar.

Did you see the thread last month about a similar subject?

[qb]

3. No, I didn't. Do we have a chapter of the peanut lobby here?

[Screaming Lord Byron]

4. I wouldn't say that.

In the other case, the school was being very stringent, some might say excessively so, and it brought into question the suitability of that child going to public school at all (apparently it was a particularly extreme allergy). You can imagine how that might get fiery.

[qb]

5. Food allergies fall under the Americans with Disabilities Act

These children are legally entitled to attend public school.

[johnnie]

6. he he

Yeah, I started that thread. It felt like kickin a huge beehive.
I was happy it ended up with over 200 posts. Most of mine fall so fast they break the bottom of my monitor.

[trotsky]

10. I find it unfathomable that this topic could generate flames.

And my kids can handle peanuts just fine. Sure it's annoying that our son can't bring peanut treats to school but who the f*ck cares when someone else could literally die if he did?

[mrboba1]

11. the problem is that much more food than anyone realizes

has some sort of peanut content in it...

It's everywhere!

[mrboba1]

8. I think I'm gonna have to hide this thread...

:scared:

[Cheswick2.0]

2. What a jerk

His kid can't wait until he is home to eat peanut butter?

[name not needed]

7. *Waits for flamefest*

[madaboutharry]

9. Many schools with a child with

a peanut allergy are providing seperate eating areas for kids who have peanut butter in their food.

[qb]

15. Some Minneapolis schools have a major space problem

which necessitates eating in classrooms.

[mongo]

17. That seems like a more reasonable answer to me

I'm sorry, but banning peanut products for everyone is a bit extreme.

Due to medical problems, I was not allowed to go outside for recess in 3rd grade at all. in 4th-6th, I went outside but had to stand next to the teacher the whole time. They did not BAN recess because I could not participate.

[KurtNYC]

12. Got a link for that story?

please

[qb]

13. Just heard by word-of-mouth. I'll post a link if it makes the news.

If you want details, the city is Minneapolis. The school is Barton. That's all I know.

[Joylaughter]

14. Peanut Butter and Jellyfish

I live on Peanut Butter and I feel sad for anyone who has an allergy to it. Perhaps at meal times students with allergy could be excused to eat in a separate area?

[qb]

16. The problem is the peanut butter could get on desks, pencils,

and other items the kids handle. Trace amounts can be deadly. The issue is bringing a deadly substance into a classroom where the allergic child spends the entire day.

[Screaming Lord Byron]

18. How can you take a child out in public, then?

How do you manage the risk of going to the mall, or even a 7-11?

[qb]

19. We carry an epipen and are extremely diligent...

Avoiding restaurants that serve peanut butter, wiping chairs and tables before we sit down, washing hands frequently.

Unfortunately, a teacher with 30 children to watch can't be that diligent.

[Screaming Lord Byron]

20. I'm glad to hear there are suitable precautions you can use.

[Akbar]

21. What Did People Do 30 Years Ago?

We never had anyone die at my school?

[Screaming Lord Byron]

22. Is this not a recent phenomenon?

After all, most cancer is a recent development.

[ET Awful]

23. Call me warped, but my first thought to that was . . .

But today's peanuts are 10 times as potent as peanuts were 30 years ago. . . . had my allegy war mixed up with my drug war :)

[qb]

26. Peanut allergies are way more prevalent now than then.

I haven't seen any clear reasons, but possibilities include the popularity of peanut butter and so many foods containing peanut by-products.

[mac56]

28. I think lots more food processors are using peanuts and byproducts

and extenders than they did 30 years ago.

Kids still got sick 30 years ago. It just didn't get diagnosed.

[Joylaughter]

24. My bad.

Sorry.

[chiburb]

25. Every thing you need to know about peanut allergies...

From cause to cure. I'll link to:

Dealing with peanut allergy in the school

http://www.allerg.qc.ca/peanutallergy.htm#schools

[qb]

27. Thanks! I put that in my Favorites.

[tjdee]

29. Their kid couldn't just WAIT to have friggin peanut butter??

This is a major problem in this country, this not giving a shit about other people. My kid isn't going to die if she has to wait until after school to have Nutter Butters. On the other hand, a kid with a peanut allergy MAY die if exposed to that.