Posted on 01/05/2005 5:17:35 AM PST by WestVirginiaRebel
YORKTOWN, Ind.-Savannah Dowling is a typical 8-year-old girl; much of her protein comes from peanut butter sandwiches.
However, if she wants to bring one to Central Indiana's Pleasant View Elementary School, she has to eat it at a special table to accomodate one first grader with a severe allergy. Soon she'll have to take her lunch to an area the school is calling the "peanut gallery" so the one child with the peanut allergy isn't affected.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
So, tell me. Are you also going to campaign to have peanut oil prohibited in all public restaurants? How far does society have to go to accommodate your children? Should all public accommodations be made "peanut free" or be forced to establish sealed, separated "peanut galleries" so that your children can be protected?
I mean no offense or insult to your children. I know several people with severe peanut and fish allergies. Most of them have learned to avoid seafood restaurants and restaurants that they know cook with peanut oil (chinese restaurants commonly use peanut oil, as do some fast food restaurants for their pressure fryers for chicken).
The sooner your children learn that they are responsible for avoiding peanuts and fish, the longer they are going to live without any allergic reactions/episodes. It's not the responsibility of the government or the schools to shield your children from this responsibility (and your responsibility as their parent).
Some people have religious beliefs that forbid meat on Fridays (some only during lent). Fish and peanut butter are excellent nourishment for a meatless day. Actually, I try to go (mostly) meatless one day a week. Fish have some very good nutrients and vitamins and are excellent for you health. The same can be said for peanut butter.
If I'm reading your posts right, it seems like you think that I (an 99%+ of the population) should be restricted and limited just to protect the few among us who have these allergies.
So it's FINE for everyone ELSE's children to be "quarantined"?
You either misread my post or do not understand what I said. I concede that this is a serious condition, what I don't understand is why the "peanut eaters" are segregated, not the kids who have allergies. Doesn't seem right.
Darn, I've got a previous appointment. Maybe next time I can get there.
Probably because the goal is to discourage parents from being cavalier about the subject and hopefully to keep peanut products out of the cafeteria.
The normal kid can just come to school with a different sandwich if he wants to have the run of the cafeteria. The kid with the allergy is already going to have a difficult circumscribed life, it would seem to be most charitable to show some consideration and not make him seem any weirder. He has no way of escaping the quarantine.
>>My oldest son almost died from having his throat close up after TOUCHING (not eating) a peanut butter sandwich in the cafeteria<<
Why did your son put his hands on another persons sandwich??
A peanut free school on one corner, a milk/cheese free school in the next block and a sun free school in the next block. This will help the employment picture also, many more teachers will be needed for the one or two students in each class. Wow, it's a win/win situation.
By definition, charity can't be ordered or forced.
You know what I mean.
>>>My oldest son almost died from having his throat close up after TOUCHING (not eating) a peanut butter sandwich in the cafeteria<<
>>Why did your son put his hands on another persons sandwich??
I was thinking the exact same thing!
Ironically, I have a preservative sensitive child. One of a set of twins. We know the specifics of what she is sensitive to, and you know what? Those were some of the first words she was capable of reading. Before she could read, she could tell you what they were, and she would bring you the container/label to have it checked before she would eat it. Unintended consequence is that my children read nutrition labels so not a bad thing.
Her reaction, while so far not life threatening, can potentially become that way. The reactions have gone from being an obvious physical reaction (skin swelling etc) to an emotional reaction (she a normal sweet happy child, she ingests it and turns into demon child from hell in a matter of moments). *shrug* We live with it and move on. Can't live our lives in fear, so we don't.
As for anyone thinking I'm insensitive -- I'm allergic to shrimp and tomatoes. Think of that lady in England a few weeks ago -- heck I had no idea that a tomato allergy could kill you! Mine wasn't discovered until I was 30. Talk about pain in the arse. But I do *not* expect anyone to accomodate me. If I know something is being served that I can't eat, I bring something for myself, or find out if there is another option available (ie planes, hotel dinners, etc). Heck, I cater. When either item is served, it goes in a disposable pan (or in a pan *for* those items) that I do not eat out of. But I watch that - no one else.
Personal Responsibility is a beautiful thing. And you know, when whatever G-d or higher being or fate or whatever you believe in decides it's your time to go, it just is.
I'm such an ignorant, insensitive jerk that I wear homemade peanut-oil based cologne.
You know what, I hate cigarette smoke. It literally makes me sick. So you know what I do? I stay away from places where people are smoking.
My kids BOTH have been taught to avoid what they are allergic to. Our 4 year old son is very aware and always asks if he is offered something to eat from family/friends. They both have been taught responsibility for themselves. I just don't understand what the big deal is about NOT eating peanut products at school. It's not a big deal to avoid something that A LOT of kids are allergic to while at school. A child or person can take responsibility and avoid what they are allergic to and STILL have a reaction by accident. I think peanuts should NOT be in schools with young children who may not be as aware as an adult. My oldest son's highschool doesn't have a peanut ban....he does just fine because he knows and understands what to avoid and to wash hands frequently etc. We still worry, but what can we do?
I'm not after banning everything just for a small group of people....but there are circumstances where a peanut ban is a good idea & that is in preschool & elementary schools..
There is a restaurant called Logans nearby, and there are peanuts all over the floors in there. Do I think they should be forced to stop that practice because my kid is allergic? NO. We just don't go there. My oldest ended up in the hospital after eating a fried chicken sandwich from Wendys during lent. Learned another good lesson there...he won't eat fried fast food anymore. But, we can't avoid school. I don't think it's the government's job to shield me or my kids from the responsibility.....but as a parent, it's my job to protect my children (and teach them to protect themselves) from something that could potentially kill them. People here can call me a liberal or whatever they want to. I know who and what I am.
It's more likely to teach them resentment than compassion.
>>>My oldest son almost died from having his throat close up after TOUCHING (not eating) a peanut butter sandwich in the cafeteria<<
>>Why did your son put his hands on another persons sandwich??
FYI, My son was handed the sandwich by the cafeteria worker....he realized what he had and immediately told her. Too late, hives were already starting. Funny stuff huh?
That statement would have a lot more meaning if it didn't come from someone who cavalierly calls those who disagree with her "ignorant insensitive jerks." Also, one can only judge you by what you post, and having only read your posts on this thread you appear to be a textbook liberal. No offense.
"Yeah, I've heard these penut alergies are the absolute worst of the lot. None of the recent parents I know even let their kids touch penuts - not for the first few years of their life. I'm incredibly prone to blasting it all as a bunch of PC, wimpy liberal crap that we now have to deal with, but the more rational part of my brain knows that as soon as some kid is exposed as having a penut alergy, some jackass kid is going to come up and force him to eat a penut. Indeed, I read an article a few years ago about a kid who touched a penut to a kid in the school lunch line, and the kid had to be rushed to the hospital. It sucks, but for once the liberal, PC "ban everything" answer makese sense, in this one instance at least."
Thanks for your understanding.
I'd rather not--I probably have an allergy.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.