4 of 18

Agree

Write now Print Email Article Invite a writer™ Add to Favorites Contact this writer

With peanut allergies on the rise I think it is the responsibility of schools to ban peanuts and peanut products. Anaphylaxis is not a joke and many schools are not fully equipped to handle an anaphylactic emergency if one occurred. This is not an allergy that just involves somebody coming out in a bit of an itchy rash, this involves swelling of the mouth and throat and if it is not treated immediately it can cause death.

Although peanut products are not the only culprit, it seems to be the most common especially in school age children. Epi-pens are expensive and would need to be either carried with the student (an older student) or there would need to be several throughout the school.

To those people out there who say "But my child really likes peanut butter sandwiches, why should he be made to suffer?" I say education, education, education! It only takes a minute crumb from your child's sandwich to cause a reaction. Why should my child, or somebody else's be put at risk over your child's eating preferences?

At our school we had a student who was severely allergic to peanuts among other items. Anybody bringing a peanut butter or other nut product to school sat in a designated area to eat it, as the school was too afraid of public opinion to implement a no-nut policy. Unfortunately you cannot completely control all of the behavior of all of the children all of the time. Despite the frequent education about anaphylaxis, one child took it upon himself to smear his chocolate-nut based spread sandwich on the face of the boy who has the allergy.

Fortunately the boy was alright due to the quick thinking of the teacher and the school's attitude towards education and training for such situations. However, not all schools have the same foresight.

It may seem a tad far-fetched, but in the wrong hands a peanut butter sandwich could actually become a weapon! We would never say no to banning guns and knives, so perhaps peanut products should be on the list too?

Pre-schools, kindergartens, play groups and mother's groups implement a peanut free policy - so why shouldn't schools?

Learn more about this author, Sienna Kristof.
Click here to send author comments or questions.

more options

hide

Add your voice

Know something about School districts should bar anyone from bringing peanut products to school?
We want to hear your view. Write now!