Posted on 09/27/2007 2:22:06 PM PDT by UKrepublican
Boy with nut allergy banned from school because he is a 'health and safety risk'
Like anyone with a nut allergy, George Hall-Lambert had always assumed it was the food that caused the problem – not him.
His new school didn't agree. Concerned that none of the staff was trained to cope if the 11-year-old had an allergic reaction, the headmaster banned him – on health and safety grounds.
George, who was diagnosed with a nut allergy at 18 months, carries an emergency adrenaline injection, known as an EpiPen, and wears a medical tag to alert carers to his condition.
When he began at Howden School in East Yorkshire, his mother informed the comprehensive about the allergy.
A file with medical notes was forwarded from his primary.
If the boy went into severe anaphylactic shock it could render him unconscious and he would need assistance using the EpiPen.
He had been at school for only four days when the head summoned his mother for a meeting.
He told her George must go home as no policies were in place to deal with his condition.
Judith Hall-Lambert, who has three other children, said: "Howden School is saying nobody could take charge of his EpiPen because staff don't know how to use it.
"They won't let him back in school until everything has been sorted out and he is classed as safe.
"If he went back now they say he would be a health and safety risk."
George, who was near the top of his class in his SATs tests, is receiving 15 hours a week tuition at home.
But Mrs Hall-Lambert, 37, of Eastrington, near Goole, added: "George is being discriminated against because he has a nut allergy.
"He is a bright kid and this could set back his education."
She dismissed an offer for him to attend the inclusion unit at the school, as it is predominantly for children with behavioural problems.
"George is well-behaved and there is no reason for him to be in that unit.
"He is entitled to a mainstream education like everyone else," she added.
East Riding of Yorkshire Council said arrangements had been made to send him to school full-time, but his mother had decided not to send him.
"The school is following guidance from the local authority and the Government in ensuring that George can access his entitlement to education in a safe environment."
Head Andrew Williams said staff were working towards an acceptable solution.
"My main concern is to ensure that we meet the health and welfare needs of all students in our care."
Best the kid get on with learning what to do right from the beginning. That means he or she has to learn how to AVOID nuts.
Judges with some backbone are sorely needed. If the parents agree to the terms, they should be bound to the terms.
You are, of course, correct. Western Civilization is dead, merely waiting the associated fall.
As absurd as completely banning all nuts (and nut products and items which may have the remote possibility of having some relation to nuts) from a school campus because one student has an allergy??
As absurd as sueing airlines to force them to stop serving ‘airline peanuts’ because someone who has an allergy *might* want to fly someday??
Since when has the world gone so topsy-turvy that the vast majority must now ‘adjust’ to accomodate the tiniest minority, instead of the other way around??
I did not realize that this was a contest.
Yes, it is absurd. What difference does it make which one is the most absurd. Both alternatives are absurd. Fortunately, Banning all nuts and nut products or banning the kid are not the only alternatives.
Sheesh! Where has common sense gone? The school can easily accommodate this child, and it can do so without banning all nuts (I'm not counting the teachers here) and nut products.
If lawyers and judges had spine and principle rather than a lust for money, this wouldn't be an issue. A return to taking responsibility for one's self should be taught and then later enforced.
I understand that we got into this predicament by piecemeal application of distorted mercy. I'm looking forward to "The Comet". Sometimes a clean slate is the best approach.
I hope you strive for balance and decency in your cases.
Keep one eye on the cat while you sleep. It may take a fancy to conquest.
” If lawyers and judges had spine and principle “
I’d settle for even a rudimentary sense of proportion......
To think schools can come with anything based on common sense is quite possibly an unsupportable belief.
Alas, they use barley in soups ~ gotta’ watch those guys ~
GOOD. It's about danged time.
Many may not like my attitude, but too bloody bad, I'm sick and tired of the pathetics who are in the minority dictating the lives of the rest of us.
I tend to agree on this matter.
I say great. The child is unfit to be in society alone. He must live in a bubble to assure survival.
All the world must not be qurantined to protect him
Uh oh, at the risk of being flamed. I have to agree, we are all responsible for ourselves and our children and (thanks to lawyers) the school does not want to be held liable.
I have a boy who has almost died twice from ingesting a tiny amount of peanuts. Luckily, he doesn’t react (much) to airborne exposure or to touching peanut. But I purposely slip him food with peanuts in it every once in a while. I am trying to instill in him that he cannot rely on ANYONE to watch out for him. He must read the ingredient lists himself. If he misses it, I make him read it again.
Restaurants are another matter. You can’t rely on what the workers or managers tell you. But my kid can tell by tasting the food. His mouth will burn violently, unless the nuts are in ice cream or something cold. As long as he doesn’t swollow or drink anything afterward, he can wipe out his mouth and avoid going into shock.
Thanks for the ping, Gabz.
It is unfortunate that people have allergies, but I shouldn’t have to adjust my life to accommodate their problem.
Some are blind; should all newspapers be written in braille?
If you agree to punish an entire school for one kids allergy you’re not seeing any sort of bigger picture.
The school is correct in banning this kid. End of story.
What surprises me is that it is always the children of upper middle class parents who have all of these allergies and never the children of those of lesser means. By banning certain foods, the yuppies are forcing the parents of lesser means to purchase more expensive and less nutritious foods--or for their kids to go without lunch. That often results in poorer performance by the undernourished kids.
Oh, and I forgot to mention eggs. The kids around here are not allowed to bring eggs to school to eat.
Maybe I am going nusto on this, but if the yuppies kids are so allegic to life, maybe they should keep them home living inside a sterile, tofu-rich environment.
I thought “nut allergy” was the British term for jock itch?
***If someone wants to buy me a ticket I will fly over there and happily educate the school in how to take care of this child.***
Heck, I’m not a nurse and even I have an EpiPen sitting right here on my bookshelf, and I’ve had instructions on how ot use it if my son needs it. It’s just not hard to learn.
I can dream, can't I?
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