School telling us to remove nut trees from community orchard

[Calling]

We are in a local voluntary group and local people planted an orchard in the grounds of a school, for the school.

Now, the school has written to say that we have to remove the nut trees because one pupil has a bad nut allergy.

There are fruit and nut trees, that the local people planted some years ago and we have put a lot of work into weeding and watering. The yield was actually for the kids and we are volunteering with the school with and nature sessions outside.

Before anyone says we are potential child killers, we do understand the importance of safety. There is a management plan in place, but the school has been asked by a parent to remove our trees.
I do feel disheartened - nobody in the school said no to nut trees originally.

Nut allergies are not airborne, this has been repeatedly proven. Those ‘airborne’ reactions are in fact accidental contact reactions.

You will also need to make the school bird and squirrel free as they could bring nuts into the area so perhaps a huge dome needs installing over the school. How far do we take it before we realise it’s insane and not possible.

I’m not a dietician so no, I’m not going to tell you how a child’s nutrition needs can be met without nuts, in particular if they are dairy free. But I know it can be done. Many children’s nut allergies co-exist with other allergies. My niece has an anaphylactic tree nut allergy and is also allergic to dairy. You’ll find most children with a food allergy choose to bring a packed lunch instead of eat school dinners. Parents find it easier to mitigate those risks themselves. If g try hey choose to have a school dinner, all allergies should of course be listed. There are many ways to meet nutritional needs without nuts, dairy or soya.

Dairy allergies are less likely to cause anaphylactics, but of course some do. Each school/venue should risk assess and make a decision that suits them. It is far easier to be a nut free venue than dairy free one, that’s just a fact. So why not do it? Allergy Trust and Benedict’s Law do not state schools should not be nut free. Why are you do against this? Why would being nut free be less safe for children with not allergies?

Ditto nuts.

So you would be happy for schools to be dairy free, nut free, gluten free, egg free, mustard free, celery free and seafood free. There is one other allergen that has to be delcared, cant remember what it is, but they will do for now

So all children attending school must not bring anything in their lunch boxes containing the above, schools cannot serve them and just to be on the safe side I think, children advised not to eat anything with those ingredients in them prior to coming to school

Is that ok?

My child has CMPA allergy, nut protein is strongly recommended by her dietitian and paediatric team. Yes a nut free diet can be done if it has to be but it’s far from ideal. My child is also allergic to soy, although not anaphylactic to it. So for her nutrition she needs nuts, a nut free school would be failing to meet her needs in line with the equality act.

You are absolutely wrong about dairy allergies being less likely to cause anaphylaxis, please share some evidence of this. In fact in children CMPA is the leading cause of death by anaphylaxis. More children die from dairy allergy each year than those that die from peanut and tree nut allergies combined!

2 children have died in school from dairy allergies, no children have died in school from nut allergies. Why are you so against making it safe for all children and not just the allergy that you have somehow decided is top trumps?

And I forgot to state YES allergy trust, anaphylaxis trust and Benedict’s law (who died from a milk allergy by the way) ALL say nut free schools produce a false sense of reassurance and so schools should be allergy aware as opposed to applying blanket bans.

It is rather worrying someone who claims to be a school governor is so misinformed on allergies and the evidence.

Sure, obviously that realistic 🙄 Schools have to risk assess and balance risks. Clearly cutting every allergen from site would be impossible and mean no food could be served. It’s not feasible. But do you know what is feasible - moving a nut tree. It affects no one, there’s no downside. Just move the tree and be nut free. One less thing to worry about. Simple.

Members of my family have allergies, including nuts. However, no one has ever advised there is a danger in them being in the same field as a nut tree (most allergies are pretty specific). What evidence has the school got that ALL of these trees are harmful? Is this just an arse covering overreaction? Could there be an alternative management plan, which ensures the child is not exposed? Some children suffer from hay-fever, they aren't suggesting get rid of all grass.

So, I don’t think schools should be nut-free or dairy-free. I’m aware that there’s evidence suggesting blanket bans may have unintended consequences, including reducing allergy vigilance.

I also think there’s a significant inconsistency in how nut and dairy allergies are treated. Dairy allergies can also have serious, including fatal consequences for children, yet children with milk allergies are often expected to “manage their allergies” individually, while nut allergies can lead to expectations that the entire school community changes what they eat. This is despite there being more fatalities from milk allergies.

The proteins that trigger the allergy are in the shell, the shell does not protect someone from a severe allergy or anaphylaxis reaction.

The parents are asking for the trees to be removed because they could lead to the death of their child.

I have a child with a food related anaphylaxis allergy and believe me I wish her school would take it as seriously. They had a whole day dedicated to said food despite knowing it could kill my dd.

Remove the trees.

Tell me what part I’m misinformed about? Tell me where Benedict’s Law says schools shouldn’t be nut free. Of course being nut free isn’t nearly enough for schools to keep children with allergies safe. But it’s one aspect. And it’s easy to do. And schools should do it. Alongside ensuring food is labelled, staff, children and parents know exactly what’s being served, cross contamination in not allowed, individual risk assessments as well as whole school ones. Plus a whole lot more. The list is long and should be constantly challenged and evaluated. But a nut tree, that’s an easy win. Move the tree. I have no idea why anyone would have a problem with this, it’s so odd.

Are the parents who complained aware that nuts are naturally occurring ?
This is an education point for the child and children in the school not a ‘sanitising nature’ point as what happens when they go to the park or a forest or on a plane or a train. Not the right action

You stated dairy allergies are less likely to be anaphylactic allergies, this is incorrect.

Nut trees also do not trigger those with nut allergies, unless the children are carrying around nut crackers to get to the allergen then there is no risk with a nut tree. Do you think children with nut allergies never go to a park? Nut trees are everywhere!

Benedict died from milk, the very allergy you say is unlikely to cause anaphylaxis, his parents have never called for a milk ban and using his death to justify banning a completely different allergen and an allergen that children like Benedict relied on to meet his needs is insane.

Every single professional allergy body does not support blanket bans due to them producing a false sense of security, why do you think you know better then them when you didn’t even know that dairy allergy is the biggest killer in children?

The statutory guidance in page 20 says schools shoukd be 'allergy aware or a nut aware environment' rather than 'nut free" and in the same page first paragraph says nut feee is not the most effective approach. Its pretty clear..

Schools can still risk assess specific things and decide they want to eliminate that specific risk but that isnt the same as suggesting being nut free.

I think, on balance, you feeling sad is better than a child potentially dying.

Here is the evidence from anaphylaxis trust, allergy uk, first aid in schools body, a research study showing nut bans don’t help and the department of educations stance on nut free schools.

So I’ll ask again, why are the schools you are governor for ignoring all of this evidence from those who know far far better how to manage these risks and not even following what the department of education says!

Could you now show me some evidence that dairy allergies in children are less likely to result in anaphylaxis like you incorrectly claim? Or some evidence that nut trees are a risk to those with nut allergies?

Ridiculous - nobody ever died of nut allergy 50 years ago. Tell them to just go away - nut trees are beautiful.

The REACT Report provided the vital evidence base of systemic failings that drove the campaign and legislative push for Benedict's Law.In the React Report :- “Dr Adrian Sie, Consultant in Paediatrics at NHS Lanarkshire says 'a temporary safe bubble in school doesn't reflect day to day life...a child will go to secondary school and there's no way a secondary school can be totally nut free, it's not possible. It's much more sensible to encourage skills and practice them every day'. The largest allergy charities also warn against nut-free schools as they build complacency and less vigilance.”

Things have no doubt changed but when my kids were in reception class they all made up a plant pot with the miniture daffodil bulbs and brought it home at Easter.

Just refuse. I understand trying to manage risk but this is a neglible risk and the loss of amenity to many is worth noting in the balance too.

I have never said dairy allergies aren’t serious, I’ve never said they don’t cause anaphylaxis and I don’t deny they’re the biggest cause of allergy related death in children. I said a dairy allergy is less likely to cause anaphylaxis than a nut allergy. Not that there are less people with one. Less daily allergic children have an anaphylactic dairy allergy compared to those with nuts. You’re being incredibly argumentative and perceive yourself to know more about allergies and keeping children safe at school than me, presumably because you can google and read the AI generated content that comes up top. Congrats. I don’t profess to know everything on the subject by any stretch. But I know that being nut free is not a bad thing, provided that does not come with complacency, and is only part of the provision. The families at mine and my children’s schools help to inform our policies. Being nut free is a tiny part of it.
Genuinely do not understand why you (or anyone) would take issue with moving a nut tree.
Nuts can be cracked more easily than you are suggesting (by children or animals). Why take that risk? This false equivalence of ‘there are nut trees in parks’ is irrelevant. Children are the school’s responsibility, they are in our care. Their parents aren’t here. In a park their parents or carers would keep them safe from those risks. At school we mitigate risks all the time and make wider decisions.
I’ve answered all of your questions. Do you want to tell me why you have such an issue with removing a few trees? What downside you think there is (assuming that the school have many other measures in place re allergies and aren’t relying on this sole act)? If not, I’ll say goodnight now.

So it doesn’t say schools shouldn’t be nut free then does it?

Are you serious? Nut trees contain nuts, if you are allergic to that specific tree nut and you come into contact with it in a way that triggers your allergy, that’s a risk.
Honestly, I’m baffled. Just move the trees. There’s literally no downside. Goodnight.

I profess to know more than you because I have a child with a life threatening CMPA! And you have been provided the evidence showing you are wrong. Nut free schools do not reduce the risk of reaction.

Don’t you think there is more danger removing trees than teaching said child to avoid the trees? Isn’t school supposed to be teaching children? Can you find me a SINGLE example of someone having a reaction to a nut tree?