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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to challenge the schools nuts ban

445 replies

pigglewiggle · 22/02/2015 10:26

The school has a strict no nuts policy. Apparently this is because someone in a higher year has a peanut allergy. I can understand banning peanuts if the allergy is severe but peanuts are very different to normal proper nuts and reactions to these are not to my knowledge anywhere near as bad as peanuts. It just makes lunch quite difficult as we are vegan and would love to pop something like a nakd bar in lunchboxes.

Aibu to go to the school and at least establish if a total ban on nuts is needed / necessary?

OP posts:
avocadotoast · 22/02/2015 10:39

In fact: ohsheglows.com/2014/08/26/back-to-school-21-portable-allergy-friendly-snack-recipes-vegan-gluten-free-with-nut-free-options/

That's the second hit on Google. Enjoy.

Eva50 · 22/02/2015 10:40

Your children could have a Nakd bar or some nuts for an afternoon snack when they get home. I'm sure you could find something else for their lunch boxes even if you have to bake something.

KeemaNaanAndCurryOn · 22/02/2015 10:40

Can I ask though, what happens when the kids are out into the world after school? My office was full of people eating snickers, nakd, and many other kinds of foods containing nuts. Does it lessen as they get older?

Everywhere is full of nutty products. How do people survive if a nakd bar in a kids lunchbox would cause so much damage?

Do all kids clubs have a blanket ban on nuts too? None that my DCs go to does.

Is the way to deal with this to ban all other children from having nuts or make sure that kids with nut allergies don't eat anyone else's food?

MagpieCursedTea · 22/02/2015 10:41

YABU OP but you've admitted that so hopefully people will stop jumping on you now you've learned a bit more about how severe nut allergies can be.
I don't understand why some people are being so rude about you being vegan though.

Daisy17 · 22/02/2015 10:41

I think the OP was genuinely ill-informed and doesn't really deserve some of these comments.

Quiero · 22/02/2015 10:42

I think for your own safety pigglewiggle I would just admit you are wrong now and you haven't really thought this through. It won't stop people still piling in and telling you you are wrong but that's the nature of the beast.

I think there are issues with cross contamination when making ranges of cereal bars as some of them will undoubtedly have peanuts in. So no I wouldn't talk to the head I would probably just suck it up.

SoupDragon · 22/02/2015 10:42

I can't imagine why you didn't at least do some rudimentary googling before you posted it

Like the rudimentary googling that shows that the Anaphylaxis Campaign does not necessarily support a total nut ban in schools?

Original poster
pigglewiggle · 22/02/2015 10:42

stargirl1701

The local authority in which I work as a teacher no longer supports nut bans in school.

www.pkc.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=21365&p=0

Thanks, that is the report I was thinking of emailing to the school. Anyway I've misjudged the attitude on here. Hides. Its already turning nasty.

OP posts:
ToBeeOrNot · 22/02/2015 10:42

I'm not sure the OP is the ill-informed one here.

Read what the Anaphylactic Society says about total nut bans.

SoupDragon · 22/02/2015 10:43

Do schools ban dairy if there is a pupil with a severe anaphylactic allergy to it?

chilephilly · 22/02/2015 10:44

Turn it on its head and try again.
" My child has a very severe nut allergy, so bad they could die. School understand this and have banned nuts in school, as they don't want my child to die either. However, there is another child whose parents insist has nuts in their lunchbox, despite the fact that my child could die as a consequence"

Sorry, YABVU. The kid doesn't choose to be allergic, but you forced your lifestyle choice on your child.

MilfordCubicle · 22/02/2015 10:45

I can heartily recommend a bacon sandwich as a cure for veganism Smile

Quiero · 22/02/2015 10:45

keema I have often wondered about that. Surely it is impossible to control every situation. How would you ever eat in a restaurant or cafe? What about on a train or aeroplane?

KatieKaye · 22/02/2015 10:46

actually, I think it woud be a jolly good idea for OP to speak to the school because they might be able to provide the basic education she desperately needs about why it would be totally stupid to "pop in a nakd bar". You know - like causing a massive attack that kills a child.

You chose to put your children on a vegan diet.
the parents of children with allergies have no choice about either the allergies or the sometimes very restricted diets they have to observe.

Dawndonnaagain · 22/02/2015 10:47

'scuse me OP apologised on the first page!

littlejessie · 22/02/2015 10:48

Why on earth should the thread be pulled!?

Totally unnecessary to.make abusive comments to the OP.

Why not just answer the question, see an opportunity to inform/educate her about nut allergies, and leave it there.

FGS.

Quiero · 22/02/2015 10:48

piggle don't hide it. It'll be fine. I think people just got upset at your wording. I think it was misconstrued as my veganism trumps your allergy.

Most of us know you didn't mean that...and as it turns out by some of the evidence posted, you were right!!

It's an interesting discussion worth having all be it an emotive one for those whose lives are affected by serious allergies.

ShellyF · 22/02/2015 10:49

Airplanes do not serve nuts usually if they have been informed of a passenger with an allergy . Though I have heard grumbles from passengers who have to go without their packet of nuts.

SoupDragon · 22/02/2015 10:49

Are the "children might DIE!" Frothers going to acknowledge that the Anaphylaxis society don't necessarily recommend a total nut ban in schools?

LuisSuarezTeeth · 22/02/2015 10:50

Nothing wrong with asking which nuts are the problem. I wouldn't "challenge" anything though.

JamesAndTheGiantBanana · 22/02/2015 10:50

Fgs Quiero "For your own safety"? Lol it's only a website, they're only words on a screen. I'm assuming no-one cares about this issue quite enough to hunt the op down and kneecap her for having a gripe about lunchbox options! Wink

The trouble with kids is that you can educate them as much as you want but you can never guarantee they won't just impulsively grab and eat the forbidden food.

I have a food allergy, and even I mess up now and then, half the time it's by accident but half the time I just really want the food so I take the chance that it might not have much of my allergen in it. If I can't be 100% strict on myself then kids won't be either, with temptation about.

meglet · 22/02/2015 10:51

soup school haven't banned kiwi fruit and ds could develop anaphylaxis if he eats one of them.

Redhead11 · 22/02/2015 10:51

DD1 has many, many allergies of which nuts is just one. I really do think you should talk to the school, because clearly you need educated in this area. Your ignorance of anaphylaxis is shameful. You chose to make your kids vegan - it isn't a necessity. Try living a life where you are severely restricted as to what you can eat, not because you are fussy, but because you might die. A simple touch can be enough to kill someone with a severe allergy. I really think you ought to wise up and educate yourself before you kill someone with your selfish attitude!

JellyDiamonds · 22/02/2015 10:51

Just out of interest, did your children make the choice to become vegan or did you push your own beliefs onto them? If so then maybe if you let them make their own decision to eat whatever they liked it wouldn't be so difficult to feed them?

I can't understand why the hell anyone would WANT to be a bloody vegan? Sorry. It's so restrictive.

TheDisillusionedAnarchist · 22/02/2015 10:52

You would not be unreasonable to challenge it on the basis that it is an unsustainable policy that does not increase anyone's safety and possibly increases the risk of anaphylatic reactions for the allergic few because they mistakenly think they are safe.

You would be not be unreasonable to challenge it on the basis that nut bans in school are not supported by the anaphylaxis campaign

You would be entirely unreasonable to challenge it on the basis that you want to send nuts into school as there are plenty of alternative options even for vegans.