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School districts cannot, nor should they, bar anyone from bringing peanut products to school. A school is a replication of community - a small society within a larger one. Schools were developed to create good citizens who are able to learn to live and work within society for the good of the many.

As a school nurse who works with children who have peanut allergies, and as an adult who has an anaphylactic allergy to bananas, I feel I am qualified to say this: those who suffer from lifethreatening allergies must learn as early as possible that we are ultimately and utmost responsible for our our well being and safety in avoidance of our allegens. There are many individuals with lifethreatening allergies to many things. We cannot live in a bubble nor expect others around us to. To create an artificial words where the allergen does not exist only makes the allergy sufferer dependent on others for his or her protection. Children with life threatening allergies need to learn from an early age to avoid the offending substance. They need to learn to ask questions before eating or drinking anything. They need to learn to say no to things they want but that might contain the allergen.

Most of all, they need to learn self-responsibility.

Peanuts are a part of life. Adaptations and provisions can be made. We do it all the time in school for kids with peanut allergies. There are different levels of allergic responses, but the bottom line is this: communication and planning are two skills even the smallest child can learn to practice with a little help from the adults in his or her life.

If a child cannot tolerate sitting near someone else eating a peanut product, then he or she can sit somewhere else. A child who has an allergy such as this needs to sometimes bring a lunch and should have an adult along on field trips if they are too young to know what they can or cannot eat. Epi-pens and commmon sense go a long way in providing peace of mind to everyone involved from parent and student to teacher and school nurse.

But just as I can't ban bumble bees from the play ground or the surrounding airspace, nor can I see the need to ban peanuts from the lunchroom. Peanut butter is a healthy and nutritious food. Yes, it is dangerous for those who have an allergy but not if they stay away from it. I do advocate going to a non-food policy in regard to classroom parties, holiday snacks, birthday treats, and incentive rewards for obvious reasons. But I do

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