Teacher eating peanuts

[Trillian]

In DS2s class there is a child with a sever nut allergy. The class teacher is off sick so they have had stand in teachers.
Yesterday the teacher they had decided to sit in the class and eat a pack of peanuts we are a nut free school so surley someone should have told the teacher this before letting her lose on a class of children including one who could die from just the dust off of a peanut

Thunderduck-I agree. I was merely pointing out there are two sides to consider.

"No-one on earth has to eat nutty cereal on a weekday to stay alive. Therefore it is perfectly reasonable to ask people to be considerate. Of course people are perfectly free to ignore the request but its such a simple thing I can't understand why anyone would object."

excalty my point grimmathenome - why would parents risk their actions possibly killing a child

some nut allergies are severe, and yes accidents happen,and you cant protect them from every place but surely school should be a safe place and for people to delibratley flaunt the request seems insane to me

Would the teacher allergic to bananas have always been allergic? It makes a little sense if not, but if she trained as a teacher (or indeed any career that involved contact with the public) knowing she had that problem that would seem daft.

"why would parents risk their actions possibly killing a child"

That's what some of us have been wondering. Sending a child off into the world knowing that any of the people he might encounter could kill him seems irresponsible to me. There must be things to do like a mask (like for swine flu) to make the child safer.

Relying on the rest of the world to stop having the thing that he is allergic to won't work as there are other people with allergies too. It might include all foods, all clothing materials and so on.

I think if your child is so allergic that someone having had nuts simply breathing on them then you really will have to look at homeschooling or some other alternative.

It simply isn't safe and not everyone is going to follow the request.

Put quite simply, your child's allergy isn't my problem. DS often has peanut butter on his toast of a morning, I am not going to change that for someone else's kid.

It is quite selfish, and I am not sorry.

really morloth? If a child in your child's class was that allergic you would refuse to stop giving your child peanut butter on their toast for breakfast as it's not your problem! Selfish doesnt seem to quite do it.

If they are that allergic then they should not be out and about. I have no idea what the solution is for their parents, but quite simply I am not going to change my actions and neither will other people so I think the parent's of children with allergies need to know this.

Well again I'll state that I don't think asking people to change their breakfast, which they eat at home, is reasonable.

Nut bans at school are fine. But asking people to restrict their choices at home and not just at school is taking it too far imho, and it's something my aunt would never dream of asking or expecting anyone to do because of her peanut and tree nut allergic ds.

All you need to do is have a bit of jam instead of peanut butter. I despair.

You are misunderstanding hercules1 it isn't about the peanut butter or the cornflakes, it is about being told what we (or our children) may eat. It is not on.

I don't think sugary jam is an acceptable substitute for the protein in peanut butter.I would take reasonable precautions e.g thorough cleaning of hands and face afterwards and have them brush their teeth and possibly mouthwash after consuming a nut product.

Anyway as I've said I don't believe it's reasonable to expect people to change their habits at home.

Would it also be reasonable to ask that parents forbid their child to have contact with their pets, or even not to have pets during school days if there's a child with an allergy to cats and dogs hair?

Are you against or for nut bans at school if I may ask Morloth?

Oh no, no problem with nut bans at school. We do have a child allergic to nuts and eggs so both are off the school lunch box list. It isn't a problem at all.

We have also had the allergic boy over for a playdate, mum let me know what he wasn't to have and also how to use the epi-pen just in case. We simply put all nut products away and cleaned downed the kitchen. Was obviously more than happy to accommodate because I had invited him into my home and his safety was therefore my concern.

One of the reasons for the increase in allergies is that now we have the medication/technology/awareness that the child with the severe allergy actually lives rather than dies....

the whole planet should be peanut free..sugar free... gluten free..meat free...dairy free..egg free...fat free...

The teacher should've just ate in her car or behind the bike sheds

I thought it was the discussion involved being asked not to rather than told. Anyway personally I'd be quite happy for my child to forgo peannut butter on her toast if it meant by having it she was putting another childs life at risk.
You dont die from breathing in cats/dogs hair from someone who has been near a pet..

It's enough to induce an asthma attack in some people.

Anything that restricts a child's breathing could kill them (after all not many die from peanuts) so are people willing to take that risk by owning pets? It's not as you you need to have pets any more than you need to eat nutty cereal.

agree it was wrong for the teacher to eat peanuts, but it would have been wrong to eat anything, not very professional.

you can protect people with severe allergies 100%.

can't, sorry.

That's a tricky situation for the school, and for you Riven.

Your dd's needs are as important as the nut allergic child.

I know the presence of nuts is a risk to the child, but would they have considered allowing your dd to have nuts in some form?

One child who is allowed nuts still poses a risk, but much less so, if they take extra precautions, than the entire school being allowed nuts.

Were they willing to compromise at all?

Surely not informing parents defeats the purpose of a nut ban?

Hmmm, its a difficult one, obviously I wouldn't let my children have the peanutty foods if there was a child with such a severe allergy.

However I DO think the parents of the child are being quite selfish, they don't really have any right to dictate what other people's children eat. Especially not at home. If I had a child that allergic I would, without a doubt home-school my child. The risk of someone forgetting and having peanuts, a snickers bar in their bag etc is too high.

I think most of us with peanut allergic children hope that people will be kind and considerate and that has, for the most part, been my experience.
I wouldn't expect people not to have nuts at home but if they invite DcS to a party or playdate I assume they will be as careful as possible. TBH I think they are often quite anxious the first time and banish nuts within a 50 mile radius.
I've actually found DCs little friends particulaly considerate. They check packets and if DC can't have stuff they'll suggest no-one have it. It's lovely to see. For the most part we muddle along well.

I do know one little girl who is horrendously allergic. Really, horrible. It has ruined all her self esteem and confidence. . At one of the sports clubs we attend we all agreed that to allow this little girl the chance of one evening a week of normality we would all agree to not eat or touch peanuts within 24 hours. Perhaps that is an imposition - but for that LO to have for a couple of hours what most children take for granted I think is worth it.