Here’s another update to “A Reaction Waiting to Happen…”. My school’s principal never directly apologized for the incident, but focused on explaining how every action was taken to prevent a potential issue. She said they checked the label on the popcorn against the allergies listed in the 504 and Food Allergy Action Plan and found nothing objectionable. She says it wasn’t until they heard from me that they discovered dairy and milk ingredients might have had other names in the label. The principal then recommended we re open John’s 504 plan to make an amendment that states I am contacted first if there will be any food served. Hmmm… that sounds fishy because I am fairly certain the 504 I signed states I am always contacted if there is to be any type of food celebration. I’ve never ever had anything written otherwise. She said she’d send home a copy of my 504 to review.
The response from the superintendent went along the lines of “I agree the 504 Plan needs to be amended. That was it. No one apologized for miscommunication, the slip up, for anything. My son’s life could have been at risk and I got the sense that little tidbit was overlooked. In fact, in my follow up email to them both, this is what I wrote:
This is no longer an acceptable and appropriate action, due to the fact that all the accommodations were in place (including notifying me if food will be served) and due to human error, mistakes were still made. For the record, are you saying there isn’t language in the 504 Plan that states I would be notified if food is served? I would never agree to a 504 that says this, as I have always strongly advocated that I am in direct contact with his teachers over celebrations, etc. Including the fact that I have asked to be his room mom every single year because I wanted to oversee how class celebrations were handled. I have even gone so far as purchasing safe treats for every activity just to ensure his safety.
This incident is exactly why the policy needs to be changed, because mistakes can and do happen. Would you have still responded this way if John indeed did suffer a reaction and was taken to the hospital? Would it have taken a tragic outcome to change your policy?
What exactly is your aversion to a No Food/Treat Policy in the classroom? Are you concerned with public outcry because it is a “change”, or should you really be taking a proactive approach in keeping our children safe and eliminating the potential for serious, life threatening consequences? If it means keeping our food allergic children safe, and our other intolerant children included then why are you adverse to such a change?
The school principal never answered my very simple question: What exactly is your aversion to a No Treat/Food Policy at school? They didn’t have the decency to answer this important question which, quite frankly I have every right as a taxpayer to ask. Why is the school administration more concerned with the rights of parents and teachers to share cupcakes, cookies, etc. with their classmates, when it has no educational impact on their day? Food allergies aside, what about the alarming rise in childhood obesity, children with gluten free diets, or even children diagnosed with ADD/ADHD who could strongly benefit from a reduction of sugar in their diets (especially during the school day when they are trying to stay focused?).
Just because this issue wasn’t as prevelant 10, even 5 years ago, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t pay attention now. It is time to stop with this archaeic way of thinking, and create some policies that reflect our changing environment. I plan to do a little research at my school, talk to some people who are AGAINST a No Treat Policy, because I genuinely want to understand their reasoning. I want to know how and why they don’t see the risk, and why the right to bring in cupcakes is more important than keeping our food allergic children safe. I also plan on meeting with the principal and superintendent as a last ditch effort to agree on some sort of policy that works for everyone. If that doesn’t work, you betcha I’ll be at the board meeting and inviting my local press to stop by as well. Hopefully we’ll get to some sort of compromise on this issue that is agreeable to everyone involved. I’ll keep you posted.
Oh, boy, Kelly! I am so grateful to you and the other proactive parents of food allergic kids who are paving the way and making progress every year in the school systems. I am not looking forward to the first day I have to drop Caroline off at “real” school, and that day seems nearer every time I read one of these stories.
It seems to me that the backlash on the No Treat policy is spearheaded by two distinct groups: the ignorant who simply don’t understand or see the true danger inherent to our kids and the belligerent who are entrenched in their belief that we are simply a minority of overanxious drama-mamas who invent problems to somehow seek attention for ourselves. One can be counteracted through discussion and education. The other? Well, I haven’t found the solution for those yet. I sincerely hope you are encountering just ignorance in this instance.
Best of luck.
Oh, Kelly. I am sorry you have to deal with this. I have heard horror stories about such school confrontations. My son starts Kindergarten in September. Can’t help but feel apprehensive, following in the footsteps of other brave moms like you. If you need to pick the brains of those who’ve gone before you and are looking for some good allergy mom brains to pick, I highly recommend visiting the schools thread on http://www.foodallergysupport.org. I think those moms have seen almost everything they can throw at us! Good luck and keep us posted.
You go, Mama!
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EXACTLY! Great point.
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This is so true. I have heard more and more parents at our school complain about special lunch and treat days as well as all of the birthday celebrations, holiday parties, rewards, et al in the classroom that involve food. Enough is enough, allergies or no.
Oops…my quotes from your letter did not appear. Specifically I was referring to the no impact on education is food is out of the classroom and all of the other issues, such as obesity, that are affecting by having so much food at school.
I have three kids in school and I would really be annoyed with a parent who managed to get a No Food policy passed. Our teachers are, I guess, better at paying attention to allergies than yours. A No Food policy would be unnecessary.
TA, I am sorry you feel that way. Why would you be annoyed? What I have always proposed at my son’s schools is a No Birthday Treat/Food Policy, not a food ban schoolwide. Of course that is unrealistic, and I do see the benefit of having certain type of food activities add to the educational impact in the classroom. For example, my 3rd grader just celebrated Heritage Day in her class, and all the children brought in foods relating to their family’s heritage. It was a wonderful example of how food can help bring together families, friends and teachers. However, when it comes to celebrating birthdays in school I think a book, or a non food item such as pencils, stickers, comics, etc. would take the emphasis away from food during the school day, eliminates sugar at 2pm (who needs it?), doesn’t exclude other children from participating (ie children with food allergies, and by the way this does affect the emotional impact of such children) and keeps unsafe and unneccessary food out of the classroom. My son’s teacher is AWESOME and adopted his own Non Food Birthday Treat Rule without me even asking. He sent home the letter detailing allergies in the classroom at the begining of the year, and I feel so grateful. What I am proposing is that the rule applies school wide, so there are no gray areas.
Our school has a no b-day treat policy but they do allow food for school celebrations. They also have a “Fun Lunch” (food brought in from an outside restaurant) for each grade.
I’m continually stumped on why we need to serve food constantly in the classroom and while I’m involved in bringing allergy-free treats, etc. it is one added stress that I really wish I didn’t have. I know that our school has not only allergic kids but diabetic kids as well and all the sweets/edible treats offered are, to me, not necessary.
However, our principal is considered extreme by many simply because she bans b-day treats–so that ought to tell you something about what I’m up against.
Wow Jenny, that’s extreme? LOL. What do you do for Fun Lunch? I couldn’t agree with you more; we have the same issues, diabetic kids, kids with celiac disease, etc. so I’m as stumped as you.
I personally check out the Fun Lunch restaurant prior to the day and have been fortunate that my daughter could eat the simple food available. Since we only deal with a nut allergy, we may have a few more options.
My principal did the right thing by banning edible B-day treats and I think I’ll let her know how much we appreciate it now that the year is winding down. It will give her some validation the next time she has to listen to one of the “annoyed” parents like the one who just posted before me!
Great job on your school advocacy–just think of all the future kids/parents who will benefit from your efforts.
Kelly,
I am totally for a NO “food” BIRTHDAY celebration. The school that my daughter is at is currently trying to get that done. Her teacher already recommends that we dont send treats. I had made bags with yoyo’s, stickers, erasers and silly pencil topers, the kids were so excited that they did’nt even mention treats. My daughters birthday is right when school starts so it set the tone, a handfull of other parents followed. I have made the sinckers dos and they were a hit at a party that I brought them to. I cant wait to try the pumpkin cake. Thanks for all your hard work. I am looking forward to your cook book.
Joy
Thanks so much Joy for your post! You are so right; when the school sets the tone the parents will follow. I have an update to this story that I will post soon….
Hi my name is Tammy Jones and I live in Snow Hill N.C. I have an 11 year old daughter that has literally been though hell and back because of her food allergies. Rachel is allergic to peanuts, eggs , soy, malt, seafood,coconut, carmel and more. School has always been a tramatic experience for Rachel. The school that she started in was a peanut butter free school yet they still let children take it in their lunch boxs and also had it at school events such as field day and etc. The children going to school with Rachel were always looking out for her and her safety but as for the adults Rachel was more of a burden and was treated so badly. She was made to be an outsider by the way the teachers treated her, she struggled with bad grades, they took her out of the classroom for extra help which really ended up segregating her from other students. Rachel always seemed frustrated in her work and school anxiety had overtook her life in school, she cried just about everyday. Rachel went through something every year starting in kindgerton from being made to leave the room when making peanut butter birdhouse(at a peanut butter free school) they sent her back to the classroom afterwards and she had to be rushed to the hospital. Third grade she was punished in the lunchroom because a child had brought peanut butter for lunch and Rachel was sent to the suspension table for lunch to eat. The teachers were destroying her, if she asked a question they wouldnt help her. They even had me test her for ADD for a year just anything to bring her self asteem down they did it . They wouldnt let her be in chorus one year I guess because she might be to much of a bother on trips. For years I thought about moving her to another school but I worked 5 minutes away and so was the hospital and on several occassions she had to be rushed to the hospital from school. It was very hard on me working because i was so stressed out and they were calling me from school alot. I was working for a dentist( who put the icing on the cake so to speak) he told me he a a problem with Rachel because of her food allergies and me having to go to school so much and i was told by him that i could not have anymore phone calls from school, can you imagine your child going into a allergic reaction and not being able to help her, anyway he was crazy and i quit my job. The last straw came this year in August when Rachel was going to go the the next level school in this district and i had met with the principle twice through the summer to get them ready for Rachel and her allergies, well the first day of school came and i took her into school because i had to take her epipen, inhaler, and benadryl in to give to her teacher, when i was told i could not leave her meds at school with her or she would have to leave. The reason why i was told that proper paperwork had not been filled out, and i had meetings thought the summer not a word was ever said about paperwork .I was always use to the paperwork being sent home the first week of school. I took Rachel and put her in the car i didnt know where to go or what to do i felt helpless and i felt so bad for her i mean she has been through so much over her allergies and now she was turned away the first day of school.i was so upset but Rachel just said mama i dont ever want to go back to this school system again. I had just lost my job because the pharmacy i worked at closed and so with no attachments to the town i worked in and she went to school in. i called the school near my home and they welcomed us with open arms. This school district had never had any child allergic to peanut butter or allergies like Rachels but i asked them to please take my daughter and treat her like a normal human not like she had the plague. By that afternoon at 3pm we were meeting with all the school staff to talk Rachel included. They was been a GOD SENT , Rachel is like a different child she loves school she cant wait to go everyday , she is making the A honor rolls and student of the week. I THANK GOD EVERYDAY for these wonderful people and the only thing that they done was treated her normal and help look after her, for the first time i feel like she is safe. The school nurse was great she educated every classroom which made the students very excited to meet Rachel and eager to learn more. The cafateria staff gave me lables to read. I am writing this because for years i put up with so much junk at school i guess i thought in a way it was the way her life was going to be but GOD turned it all around. My child is now full of confidence and happiness no more anxiety and frustration just because people are educated about food allergies
Thanks so much for sharing your story!