I agree, imatch2 By Elise82

I didn't realize that this thread would be so controversial when I started it!

I don't think most of our parents would have a problem with our declaring those two classrooms nut-free. This is a private school, where

parents are paying $1000+ per month in tuition - believe me, they can afford sources of protein other than peanut butter! It won't be a hardship on them. If I put myself in the place of the peanut-allergic kids' parents, I would be very relieved if the school would do this to make my child safer. And as a teacher of a peanut-allergic child, I sure would feel far less stressed during lunchtimes.

If you have ever had an allergic child accidentally eat a food they were allergic to, you understand the sheer panic that sweeps through you! I don't wish that on anyone. And like I mentioned above, I can and do go through lunch boxes, but it is not possible to know the ingredients in all of the fillings and sauces in the lunch items! Since I want to make absolutely certain that this child does not mistakenly eat peanut butter at this school again, what are my options - if the school refuses to at least make her classroom peanut-free? I guess I would have to seat her by herself every day :( - but I do not want to have to do this, of course. We could have her and her brother eat together during lunch in one of the classrooms (they are in separate classrooms), but then we'd have to exchange a child, to make it fair.

Well, since this peanut allergy accident happened on the last day before vacation, the principal has not had time to make a formal declaration yet - although she has already spoken at length to the child's father. We'll have to see if any policies at the school are changed....

Also, since some were wondering: the "store" that we have, is actually a cart of snack items sold by the upper grades once a week. It coincides with our "pizza day". (I think they operate it to raise money for an end-of-year trip or something like that...)The kids selling the items are supposed to be supervised by an adult, plus I leaned that day that they are not even supposed to be selling peanut items to the primary wing! So, that was mistake #1. Actually, I would feel a lot better if the kids sold stationery-type items -pencils, pens, note pads (such as from Oriental Trading Company) instead of food! Plus, I bet their profit margin would be higher...Maybe I'll suggest that.

View the original thread this idea was posted on

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