Wow, people are passionate about peanut butter and jelly. What started as one Arkansas boy's sandwich has now turned into an international debate with people vehemently raging both for and against the right to eat peanut butter in schools.
It started when Jenkins Clifton-Jones took a PB&J to school one day. Apparently his mom didn't know about the six-year ban his school had in place against peanut products to protect students with allergies. According to Area Wide News, when a teacher saw him about to take a bite, she confiscated the sandwich, helped the boy get a new lunch, and sent a note home explaining the school's policy.
Sounds simple enough, right? Not even close.
Instead, his mom, Denise Clifton-Jones, took to Facebook to express her anger over the policy, and eventually started the page "School Nut Ban Discussion." Since then hundreds of people have chimed in with their very adamant opinions on either side; there's even a warning to people to stop with the profanity and name calling because it's gotten so heated. Comments like this from one woman pretty well sum up the side that's irate about the confiscation:
I joined this discussion because I am so sick of hearing about nut allergies. Many children and adults have allergies that they need to learn to deal with. Don't penalize 99.9% of the school for 1 child's allergy.
I'm flat out appalled that people could be so selfish. It seems like such a non-issue. When so many children suffer from peanut allergies (some reports say it may be as high as 1 in 25) and children can DIE if exposed to them, then I don't think asking people not to bring peanut products to school is such a big deal. It's one meal a day, and no one is going to die if they don't get their favorite sandwich.
Is it somewhat inconvenient? Sure. I always have peanut butter in my cupboard, and when I haven't been to the market in awhile, I know I can always rely on it. If I couldn't, it would be a pain, but not nearly as big as the one parents of children with food allergies face every day, worrying that some speck of food might kill their kid.
It's the epitome of laziness and self-centeredness to try and fight for the right to send your child to school with a food that could seriously harm another child. No, we can't ban every food that every child is allergic to, but nuts are a big one, so why not help these families out? I bet if those parents who are so passionate about sending peanut butter had to walk in the shoes of a parent who lives in fear of the product for even one day, they'd change their minds in a Jif (pun totally intended).
Do you think schools should ban peanut products to protect children with allergies?
Image via {N}Duran/Flickr
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Comments 190
Far too many parents think the world revolves around their kid. Every child in the class must conform to their little snowflakes needs. There was a thread yesterday about a girl being sexually assaulted by a special needs boy at school. Several people argued that he shouldn't be punished because he doesn't know it's wrong and at least one poster said that the other kids should just learn to deal with it. Sorry to burst your bubble but I for one am not going to teach my kid to just put up with bing sexually assaulted at school because you can't teach your kid not to grope people's privates.
In most of these cases it's the parents of the kids with special needs who are being lazy. They need to teach their kid to deal with their challenges, not expect hundreds of other people to change their lives to accommodate their kid.
Agree with SoJaided and Rhonda.
It has to be scary for parents of these kids so I understand where the desire comes from, but I think it's impractical and unfair to expect entire schools or 30+ other parents and kids in the classroom to not partake of something just because your child can't.
We had one boy in my class in elementary who had a severe nut allergy and we never even considered not bringing peanut products to school. Even from a young age he was in charge of his allergy and any time he felt woozy or yucky about it all he had to do was tell the teacher and he could sit outside the class or take a walk for a few minutes to get some fresh air.
As someone else mentioned, this nut allergy is being blown out of proportion. Like ingesting air particles with some 'nut essence' is going to give them an instant stroke. You generally need to ingest something with your allergy-product in it to trigger any sort of severe reaction and since most schools ban sharing of foods I don't see why those products need to be banned. Teach your child to never accept food from others until they're old enough to understand more clearly which foods are safe.
For all the people saying that if your child has a potentially fatal nut allergy then you should homeschool them, have you considered the fact that this in not an option for many families who have to rely on TWO incomes????? You make it sound so simple "just homeschool" and that is ignorant.
I get the ban at the elementary level. Kids touch food, touch each other, touch their mouths, spit when they talk in each other's faces. I can see how someone could be exposed to a food allergen. After primary school I would imagine such things are no longer necessary. I certainly empathize with children who have allergies and their parents though. They deserve some peace of mind.
I do not have a problem with the nut ban. A boy in my sons class is allergic, so I know for sure that this kid could come in contact with my sons peanuty hands, not just a kid in a different class and grade. There are so many different lunch options that I don't see a problem with having your kids try something new.
Unless you are a parent of a child with food allergies, you could never understand. I would certainly respect the ban. My 15 month old is allergic to soy, apples, & peas. We found out he had allergies once I started supplement feeding with formula & ended up with severe hives all over his body & then they tested for other foods as well as the soy. He isn't allowed to spend the night with anyone other than my parents as they are the most educated about the issue but my mom still slips up every now & then & luckily nothing severe has happened. It is frustrating & time consuming but I want him to be able to do things other kids do. We have had to educate the new daycare as well. And luckily for us, friends are very understanding & when we get invited, they always make sure the food is friendly for our son to eat. So the fact your child can't eat a PB&J won't be the end of yours or their lives but it could be the end of another kids life.
I truly do not understand the bazillion comments about "what about when they grow up and get a job and bla bla bla"
Are 16 year olds the same as 6 year olds? Are 22 year olds the same as 6 year olds? The structure that society builds to keep 6 year olds safe are somehow applied to adults as well now? What the HELL kind of idiot argument is that?
OF COURSE kids will learn to manage allergies and keep themselves safe - who in their right mind would even question that as the inevitable outcome of GROWING UP? Are you SERIOUS? How is that in any way relevant to the measures put in place to protect young children who do not yet have those skills - are IN THE PROCESS of developing them? We just say, OH WELL - they should have learned earlier how to protect themselves, too bad, so sad! Oh well, the mom or dad should have quit their job to home school that kid. Oh well, they should have sent their kid to a allergies-only school that only exists in my intollerant imagination.
People disgust me so soooo soooooooo much. SO MUCH.
Anything you can do to protect kids, you do it. Your right to eat peanut butter ends at a 6 year old's right to be safe in school. End of discussion.
Why don't YOU teach YOUR kids to eat a freaking salad.